- 1). Purchase fresh or frozen vegetables and meats. Avoid canned or processed varieties unless they do not contain added salt. Limit your consumption of smoke, cured or processed meats.
- 2). Read labels before purchasing or consuming foods. Choose foods that are sodium-free, unsalted, or that have low, reduced or light sodium. Avoid foods that contain baking powder, brine and other items that contain sodium.
- 3). Avoid processed foods such as frozen dinners and canned soups. Cook foods such as pasta, rice and hot cereal without salt and avoid instant or flavored varieties. Rinse off canned foods before eating, if you must eat them, to remove some of the salt.
- 4). Use herbs and spices such as pepper, garlic and onion powder when cooking instead of salt. Purchase salt-free seasoning blends and use those to add flavor to your food. Avoid using prepackaged sauces or instant mixes.
- 5). Add less salt to your foods while cooking and eating, if you must add any at all. Gradually add less salt each meal until you feel do not need any. Add the salt at the end of cooking a meal to ensure the salt flavor is not diluted during cooking.
- 6). Prepare your own meals rather than dining out or purchasing precooked meals. Make your meals from scratch and avoid using boxed or canned ingredients.
- 7). Ask for low- or no-salt options when dining out. Ask the chef to omit the salt when preparing your meal.
- 8). Avoid adding condiments such as mustard, steak sauce or ketchup to your foods as these also contain salt. Dip your fork into the condiment, if you need to use these sauces, and use it to pick up your food rather than pouring the condiment over the entire dish.