Managing Sodium in Meals and Menus

High sodium intake can raise blood pressure, and high blood pressure (hypertension) is a 

major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. According to the 2015 Older Americans Act 

(OAA) Title III-C Nutrition Service Program Evaluation, the top sodium sources in Title III-C 

meals are: 

• Sandwiches

• Mixed dishes with meat, poultry, 

and seafood

• Soups

• Cured meats and poultry

• Sweet bakery products

• Mashed potatoes

Additionally, the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) identified sandwiches; rice, 

pasta, and grain-based mixed dishes; and non-starchy vegetables as the top three sources 

of sodium in the American diet, respectively. Knowing these top sources allows local service 

providers to focus their efforts on providing appealing meals that comply with state unit on 

aging requirements to meet the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for sodium. More support is 

coming from the Food and Drug Administration’s Voluntary Sodium Reduction Goals, which 

encourage industry to reduce sodium levels in multiple food categories across the food 

supply by 2024.

Tips to Reduce Sodium

Purchasing Food 

● Include criteria for reduced sodium content (i.e., reduced sodium, low sodium, 

salt/sodium free) in food specifications.

● Prepare written agreements for food or meal vendors that support sodium reduction 

efforts in prepared foods and the use of low-sodium and no-sodium seasonings in 

preparation. 

● Read the Nutrition Facts label to identify and compare sodium content of products. 
o Apply the 5/20 Guide to the Daily Values (DV) on the Nutrition Facts label to 

help identify higher and lower sodium foods (5% DV per serving is considered 

low; 20% DV is considered high).

Menu Planning and Meal Production 

● Limit high-sodium processed meats (ham, sausage, hotdogs, and luncheon or deli 

meats) to no more than twice per week. 

● Balance higher sodium entrees and foods across the menu cycle (e.g., If processed 

meats are served twice in a week, avoid serving as a sandwich, and avoid mixed 

dishes in that week).

● Pair high-sodium foods with lower-sodium foods (e.g., macaroni and cheese with a 

low-sodium entrée and frozen/fresh vegetable instead of canned).

● Use different cooking processes such as baking, roasting, broiling, etc.

● Have chefs and cooks taste-test dishes periodically and update standardized recipes 

as changes in saltiness are noticed. Take advantage of this to incorporate lower 

sodium seasonings. 

● Include condiments that are low in sodium, such as lemon juice, instead of higher 

sodium options like tartar sauce.

● Drain extra sauce when serving.

Table 1: Reducing the Sodium Content in Meals

Instead of: Try:

Flavoring foods with salt, high sodium 

seasonings, soy sauce

Onions, garlic, fresh or dried herbs, spices, vinegars, 

citrus juices, diluted soy sauce

High sodium soup bases and canned foods Low sodium, reduced sodium✱ or no salt added 

soup bases and canned goods

High sodium canned foods (vegetables, 

legumes)

Drain and rinse canned foods like vegetables and 

legumes with water

Canned vegetables with salt, frozen 

vegetables with sauce

Fresh, canned without salt, or frozen vegetables

without sauce

Processed meats, poultry, and seafood (deli 

meat, sausage, pepperoni, sardines)

Fresh meat, poultry, and seafood

Instant products like flavored rice and readymade pastaRegular rice and pasta with low sodium seasonings 

and sauces

High sodium condiments like ketchup, 

mustard, pickles, olives, salad dressings

Low or reduced sodium✱ condiments and salad 

dressings

Purchasing products without comparing 

nutrition labels

Reading the Nutrition Facts labels to compare 

products and choose lower sodium foods
✱ Foods labeled “reduced sodium” may still be high in sodium. Read the Nutrition Facts label 

to determine sodium content.

The above table is adapted from “Older Californians Nutrition Program Menu Guidance,” 

Figure 2.

Sodium Reduction Example 

Soy Braised Pork Rib Entrée 

A summary of changes in ingredients and preparation to reduce sodium in a standardized 

recipe:

● Replace regular soy sauce with low-sodium soy sauce.

● Replace the baking soda in the marinade with ginger ale. 

● Use sauce as the marinade. 

● Bake the marinated pork ribs in the oven. 

● Drain extra sauce when portioning during meal service.

Source: Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center (MA)

Example menus with sodium information can be found on Greater Boston Chinese Golden 

Age Center’s website. 

Ideas for Sodium Labeling on the Menu

● Identify appropriate icons for your program to use in labeling high- and low-sodium 

foods or meals. A salt shaker and heart icons are often used. 

● For choice menus, include sodium content on the menu.

● Label each meal with sodium content in milligrams.

● Include state sodium requirements and/or recommended sodium intake information 

on the menu.

Menu Labeling of Sodium in Local Programs

• Greater Boston Chinese Golden Age Center (MA): Provides meals to older adults in the 

Greater Boston area. Menus are labeled with sodium content for each meal.

• Mystic Valley Elder Services (MA): Menus are labeled with sodium and calorie contents.

• Serving Seniors (CA): Menu options that have >1,000 mg in sodium content are labeled 

with a salt-shaker icon.

• El Dorado County (CA): Menus are labeled with salt and pepper shakers to indicate 

meals with >1,000 mg sodium.
References/Resources

Key Food Sources of Sodium, Saturated Fat, Empty Calories, and Refined Grains in the Diets of 

Program Participants: ACL issue brief.

Tips for Reducing Sodium without Reducing Flavor: NRCNA practice brief.

Sodium Reduction in Foodservice: A Resource for Public Health Professionals Partnering with 

Food Service Providers: CDC tip sheets for non-foodservice professionals to use in working 

with foodservice providers.

Delicious Heart Healthy Eating: NIH webpage with multicultural heart-healthy recipes and 

other resources that follow the DASH diet guidelines.

Mastering Healthy and Flavorful Cooking: Department of Defense fact sheet on various 

cooking methods; how to retain nutrients; and practices to lower salt, fat, and caloric content.

Tips to Reduce Salt and Sodium: NIH fact sheet on ways to lower sodium intake and examples 

of common high-sodium foods.