Question:
What are some ways to reduce sodium in recipes that students will eat?
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Answer:
Many schools have already done a fantastic job of reducing salt. The best examples are places that are cooking from scratch and adapting condiments and sauces with herbs and spices instead of salt. Some schools have added “flavor stations” at the end of their salad bars or in the line, where they have an assortment of sodium-free spice mixtures, such as Jamaican-jerk seasoning, that appeal to students who are looking for more complex flavors.
To get students to eat lower-sodium foods, start by reducing salt gradually, since progressive reductions are less likely to be noticed than dramatic changes in taste.
Try using more garlic, onions, lemons and limes as sodium-free substitutes.
Finally, incorporate the National Health, Lung, and Blood Institute’s DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) plan, which has shown that eating an increased amount of fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products can lower blood pressure and improve cardiac risk factors, typically associated with a low-sodium diet.
-Dayle Hayes
Owner
Nutrition for the Future