This 7-day meal plan to help lower cholesterol contains meal ideas and inspiration for breakfast, lunch and dinner that can be tailored to your needs. Eating a heart-healthy diet can help to reduce and manage cholesterol levels in the blood and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Is there a quick fix to lower cholesterol?
Unfortunately, there is no quick fix to lower cholesterol. No single food or meal will help to lower your cholesterol. Some people will need medication to manage high cholesterol, and others may see an improvement from lifestyle changes. Whatever the case, heart health is about consistently eating mostly heart-healthy foods and looking at the quality of your overall diet.
7-day meal plan to help lower cholesterol | |||
|---|---|---|---|
BREAKFAST | LUNCH | DINNER | |
DAY 1 | Chia and oat pudding | Tuna pasta salad | Chicken and broccoli stir-fry |
DAY 2 | Basic bircher mueslitopped with nuts or seeds | Wholemeal pita with salad or cooked vegetables, hummus,and a choice of cooked lean meat, canned tuna or four-bean mix | Falafel tray bake |
DAY 3 | Porridge topped with plain yoghurt, seasonal fruit, nuts and seeds | Spiced pumpkin, lentil and tofu salad | Blackened fish tacos |
DAY 4 | Wholegrain toast with avocado, tomato and sesame seeds | Chickpea fattoush salad | Poke bowl |
DAY 5 | Natural muesli with plain yoghurt, seasonal fruit and sunflower seeds | Sardines and spinach on toast | Winter vegetable and barley soup |
DAY 6 | Homemade baked beans | Tofu salad with miso dressing | Chilli mince and beansserved in lettuce cups, wholemeal wraps or on top of brown rice |
DAY 7 | Cooked mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes on wholegrain toast | Quick toastie quesadillaswith avocado salsa | Chicken and chickpea curry |
Each meal is based on cholesterol-lowering foods, including fruit and vegetables, whole grains (like oats and barley), plant-based protein sources (like beans and chickpeas) and heart-healthy fats like (avocado, nuts and seeds). These foods contain fibre, heart-healthy fats and a wide range of nutrients that benefit heart health. | |||
Snacks
We all have different appetites, which can vary from day to day. Instead of choosing packaged snacks, base your snacks around plenty of whole foods such as:
- fruit
- plain yoghurt
- veggie sticks (carrot, capsicum, cucumber) with hummus
- plain nuts and seeds.
Tips to help you get the most out of the meal plan
Use our free meal planner template
Add your own meal ideas to make it relevant to you and use it to plan your food shopping.
Free menu planner template
Mix and match meals
There is no ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to your heart health. You can tailor this meal plan to meet your needs. If you don’t like certain foods or eat a specific diet, substitute ingredients for something similar that works for you!
Cultural and traditional eating
If you regularly eat meals relevant to your culture or religion, keep eating this way but look for ways to add in more cholesterol-lowering foods like vegetables, whole grains and legumes.
Keep it cheap
If any ingredients in this plan are beyond your budget, look for a cheaper alternative. Most foods can be substituted for something similar and will still give the same benefits—for example, kale instead of spinach or plain frozen fish instead of fresh fish.
Eat for your appetite
This meal plan is a guide only, and following your own hunger and fullness cues is important. If you don’t usually have snacks during the day or eat a lighter meal at night, it’s best to keep doing this.
Save time and money
Cook a larger meal portion and have the leftovers the next day or the following evening.
Add vegetables where you can
Give your meals a heart-healthy boost. Think about an extra handful of frozen peas or some extra grated carrot. Frozen or canned are great options too.
Keep breakfast simple
This meal plan gives you different heart-healthy breakfast ideas, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow along. Most people enjoy the same breakfast each day, and that’s okay.
Simple swaps
There are plenty of swaps you can make to help improve your cholesterol. To eat more heart-healthy foods, try swapping from butter to olive oil, potato chips to plain nuts, white bread to whole grain bread or choosing reduced-fat dairy products instead of full-fat versions.
Check your progress
If you’ve been making changes to your lifestyle, such as eating better or getting more active, it’s a good idea to ask your health professional to organise follow-up blood tests. This way, you can see whether any of the changes you have made (even if you are taking medication) have helped to improve your cholesterol levels.
