High Blood cholesterol: Sample Menus

Key points
- *Homemade desserts should be made with unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats.
- Generally your blood cholesterol level should begin to drop 2 to 3 weeks after you start on a cholesterol-lowering diet.
- Two egg whites may be substituted for one egg yolk.
Average American Diet (37% fat)
Breakfast 1 fried egg 2 slices white toast with 1 teaspoon butter 1 cup orange juice black coffee or tea
Snack 1 doughnut
Lunch 1 grilled cheese (2 ounces) sandwich on white bread 2 oatmeal cookies black coffee or tea
Snack 20 cheese cracker squares
Dinner 3 ounces fried hamburger with ketchup 1 baked potato with sour cream 3/4 cup steamed broccoli with 1 teaspoon butter 1 cup whole milk 1 piece frosted marble cake
Nutrient Analysis Calories 2,000 Total fat (percent of calories) 37 Saturated fat (percent of calories) 19 Cholesterol 505 mg
A New Low-Fat Diet (30% fat)
Breakfast 1 cup corn flakes with blueberries 1 cup 1% milk 1 slice rye toast with 1 teaspoon margarine 1 cup orange juice black coffee or tea
Snack 1 toasted pumpernickel bagel with 1 teaspoon margarine
Lunch 1 tuna salad (3 ounces) sandwich on whole wheat bread with lettuce and tomato 1 graham cracker tea with lemon
Snack 1 crisp apple
Dinner 3 ounces broiled lean ground beef with ketchup 1 baked potato with low-fat plain yogurt and chives 3/4 cup steamed broccoli with 1 teaspoon margarine tossed garden salad with 1 tablespoon oil and vinegar dressing 1 cup 1% milk 1 small piece homemade gingerbread with a maraschino cherry and sprig of mint
Nutrient Analysis Calories 2,000 Total fat (percent of calories) 30 Saturated fat (percent of calories) 10 Cholesterol 186 mg
A New Low-Fat Diet (30%)
Breakfast 1 cup shredded wheat with peach slices 1 cup 1% milk 1 slice whole wheat toast with 1 teaspoon margarine 1 cup pink grapefruit juice black coffee
Snack 1 toasted English muffin with 1 teaspoon margarine
Lunch 3 ounces turkey salad on lettuce with tomato wedges 1 thick slice of French bread 10 animal crackers tea with lemon
Snack 1 banana
Dinner 3 ounces broiled halibut with lemon and herb seasoning 1/2 cup brown rice with mushrooms 1 dinner roll with 1 teaspoon margarine 3/4 cup carrot strips with 1 teaspoon margarine spinach salad with 1 tablespoon oil and vinegar dressing 1 cup 1% milk 1 small piece homemade yellow cake*
*Homemade desserts should be made with unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats. Two egg whites may be substituted for one egg yolk.
Nutrient Analysis Total calories 2,000 Total fat (percent of calories) 30 Saturated fat (percent of calories) 10 Cholesterol 172 mg
What Kind of Success Can You Expect
Written and revised by
Andrey Nailor, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
Explore health topics
More in this topic
Heart & Blood Vessels →
NewsBest GLP-1s for High Cholesterol?: How and Why They Work
GLP-1 medications can improve cholesterol numbers, especially triglycerides, while cutting heart attack and stroke risk. Here’s how they work, which ones show the strongest lipid effects, and why they still need to be paired with proven cholesterol treatments.
10 November 2026
NewsOlder adults need better blood pressure and cholesterol control to prevent cardiovascular disease
The leading cause of death in the elderly , the fastest growing segment of the population, is cardiovascular disease (CVD) . Prevention of cardiovascular events in elderly patients presents a therapeutic challenge…
23 April 2016
NewsEnzyme responsible for obesity-related high blood pressure identified
Obesity is a serious health problem affecting approximately one-third of the adult population in the United States. Obese individuals have an increased risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, including…




