6 Mealtime Ideas to Keep Cholesterol in Check

Keeping your household healthy with low-cholesterol meals is challenging, especially if you live with picky eaters. However, teaching good habits early on is essential — even some adults may struggle with eating a well-balanced diet.

Busy lives usually mean less time to prepare meals, but putting yourself first with nutritious food will help you keep your cholesterol levels in check. Do you need help deciding what to make for a heart-healthy dinner? These low-cholesterol meals are perfect for families.

High Cholesterol: A Precursor for Heart Disease

Although you can’t help some risk factors of high cholesterol — people over 40 are more vulnerable than other age groups — other things like smoking, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle are in your hands. Overeating saturated and trans fats is the biggest culprit. Trans fats are usually found in commercial products, while saturated fats might come from fatty meats and full-fat dairy.

You should visit your doctor if you haven’t checked your cholesterol in a while. According to the CDC, 94 million American adults have cholesterol levels over 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Another 28 million have levels above a high 240 mg/dL.

Since there are no symptoms associated with high cholesterol, there’s no way to know whether your levels put you at risk. Yet, high cholesterol could lead to cardiovascular disease and heart attack when left untreated.

Heart disease has long been the leading cause of death in the U.S. Even during the height of the pandemic in 2020, 690,882 million Americans died from cardiovascular events — followed by cancer and COVID-19.

Low-Cholesterol Meal Ideas the Whole Family Will Love

Getting everyone on board with a heart-healthy lifestyle is much easier than you think. There are numerous recipes you can try to adopt healthier eating habits. Try making these six delicious low-cholesterol foods for your family this week.

1. Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Sheet Pan

Your child should have their first cholesterol test between 9 and 11 years old, then every five years until they’re 20. To ensure your kids grow into healthy adults, you’ll want to start preparing healthy meals they enjoy.

A garlic chicken and vegetable sheet pan dinner is quick and easy — ideal for families constantly on the go. You only need 30 minutes to whip up this low-cholesterol meal. Bake herb-seasoned chicken breast at 400 degrees Fahrenheit — adding broccoli and tomatoes and sticking it back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

Serve with fresh-grated parmesan cheese, and you’ll have the perfect dinner with little clean-up.

2. Sugar-Free Cinnamon Pear Oatmeal

Oatmeal is one of the best low-cholesterol ingredients in heart-healthy cooking. It’s also a great way to give yourself a boost of energy early in the morning.

Since pears are naturally sweet, you won’t need to include additional sugar. Likewise, swapping dairy milk for a half cup of unsweetened nut milk will also make for a low-cholesterol breakfast.

Studies also show that cinnamon stabilizes heart health by lowering triglycerides and bad cholesterol.

3. Honey Garlic Salmon

The Mediterranean diet is one of the best heart-healthy meal plans available, of which salmon is a staple protein. Naturally, omega-3 fatty fish are especially beneficial for lowering cholesterol.

Salmon cooks quickly on the skillet — about four to five minutes on each side — until it’s golden and you can flake it with a fork. Serve the honey garlic salmon over brown rice and roasted vegetables for a complete low-cholesterol meal that’ll become a family favorite.

4. Sautéed Eggplant in Honey and Soy Sauce

Research has found that eggplant contains antihyperlipidemic and antidiabetic properties — two agents that lower cholesterol and one’s propensity for diabetes. As such, eggplants could be the key ingredient for several low-cholesterol meal ideas.

Sautéing eggplant in soy sauce, honey and lime juice takes only 15 minutes, making a delicious side dish or Meatless Monday dinner. Even the pickiest eater will like the tangy and sweet flavors of this Asian-inspired dish.

5. Grilled Chicken Breast With Strawberry Avocado Salsa

Chicken and strawberries may not be the first ingredient combination you think of, but they could result in a heart-friendly summertime meal. People who consume berries three times weekly may reduce their risk of myocardial infarction by 34%.

Combine honey, lime juice and zest, garlic, olive oil, cilantro and salt and marinate chicken breasts for one hour in the refrigerator. As your chicken cooks on the grill, you can make a fresh salsa topping with strawberries, onions, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice, honey and avocado gently folded in.

6. Healthier Chocolate Pudding Dessert

Just because you’re choosing to eat healthier doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in dessert. A homemade chocolate pudding using a non-dairy alternative is much more cholesterol-friendly than store-bought products.

All you need to do is gently stir almond milk, coconut sugar, cacao powder, cornstarch and vanilla extract in a saucepan over low heat for 10 minutes — then let it cool. You can serve your chocolate pudding with crushed nuts as a crunchy topping.

Low-Cholesterol Recipes are as Delicious as Ever

Healthy eating doesn’t have to taste bland. With so many low-cholesterol meal ideas available, you’re bound to find recipes to satisfy your family’s taste buds. Make heart-healthy cooking more fun by involving your partner and kids in preparing dinner during the week.