Low Salt Comfort foods

Comfort foods on a low salt diet are easier to prepare then one might think. Macaroni and cheese, soup, and even a cheeseburger and fries can be low sodium if prepared the right way. Here are some tasty alternatives to the comfort foods we enjoyed most of our lives.

Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and Cheese is a comfort food, but to some one on a low salt diet it is off limits. On the other hand, is it? The macaroni itself is not bad, and it's better if you skip adding the salt to the water when you boil it.
Opt to use low salt cheese, Helluva and Alpine Lace companies both make good varieties.

Also, skip the bread or cracker crumbs on top, as these are typically better for you. If you have to use the breadcrumbs, use low sodium bread and season it a salt-free seasoning. As always though watch the portion sizes and read the labels of all ingredients.

Burger and Fries!
For the burger get the leanest, you can find and mix it with ground turkey. Season it with the Mrs. Dash of your choice for extra flavor. For cooking, you have a few ways to accomplish it. Steam it, grill it, or bake it in the oven! Place the patty up on a drip pan so the oil, fat etc drips off on to the other pan and away from the food. Think of your burger as a mini meatloaf and you will fare better.

Depending on your toppings, you can add a slice of cheese. Cheese though is typically high in sodium and not a good thing if you insist on ketchup, pickles, mustard, and mayo on your burger. All of these are high in sodium, so its time to choose what you can go without and what you must have.


The fries are the easy part. Either purchase the type which is already cit or slice up your own potatoes and bake them. Never deep-fry these, I know they are great but most of us who are on the low salt diet are also on the low fat, or low cholesterol diets as well. Baking our fries is much better all around and much healthier for us.


Soups
Canned soups are usually loaded with sodium and the no salt or low salt varieties are gross. Soups are a comfort food that is stable of just about everyone in the United States. You can create you own and still enjoy it. Boil a few chicken thighs, add frozen vegetables or noodles and along with Mrs. Dash you have a soup you can eat. Beef stew no problem cut up your own beef, add the frozen vegetables, and chopped potatoes and you have a hearty meal you can enjoy.

My journey into the low salt diet is only just a year old but each day I am finding alternative ways to eating the comfort foods I enjoyed all of my life.