Best Low Sodium Meal Delivery Kits Of 2024 To Lower Salt Intake
Updated on
- Written by Blanca Garcia, RDN
Medically reviewed by
Dr G. Michael DiLeo, MD
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BistroMD
- A variety of programs
- Ready-to-eat meals
- Menu planned by Registered Dietitians
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Splendid Spoon
- Non-subscription option available
- Vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar and sodium
- Made by chefs and curated by nutritionists
60% Off Coupon: WELCOME60
Mom’s Meals
- May be covered by health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare
- Meals are refrigerated
- Low sodium plans are 600 mg or less
Low-sodium diets are often prescribed to help manage a variety of medical conditions[1]. The best low-sodium meals will depend on individual needs, the variety of meals, and the price.
Sodium is a mineral found in salt–sodium chloride (NaCl) – the type of salt found in food, seawater, and the saltshaker.
Consumers have become aware of exclusion diets, e.g., lectin-free, but low-sodium awareness preceded them all. Sodium is essential[2] for many body functions, but consuming too much sodium[3] can raise blood pressure, leading to cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and kidney disease.
For many, a meal delivery service can guarantee a controlled low-sodium menu and heart-healthy meals, with a variety of meal kits that can help an individual who may be too sick to cook themselves or want a guarantee that the foods follow a low-sodium diet.
Another significant advantage is convenience–you get a low-sodium meal plan delivered straight to your home.
5 Best Low-Sodium Meal Delivery Services In (April. 2024)
- BistroMD – Editor’s Choice
- Splendid Spoon – Best In Value
- Mom’s Meals – Most Affordable
- Diet-to-Go – Most Transparent
- Freshly – Most Flexible Plans
What Is A Low-Sodium Diet?
A low-sodium diet is a diet made of low-salt meals; these low-sodium meals are cooked with little to no salt and are foods that are typically low in sodium.
In a sodium-restricted diet, foods that should be avoided are most processed foods, deli meats, chips, and canned foods that use sodium as a preservative.
There are different terms for sodium[1] on processed food packages that identify the level of sodium in that product. These terms may help you determine to what extent each product will reduce sodium intake.
Sodium Terms
- Sodium free has less than five milligrams (mg) of sodium per serving and does not include sodium chloride.
- Very low sodium has less than 35 mg of sodium per serving.
- Low sodium has less than 140 mg of sodium per serving.
- Reduced sodium has less than 25% of the usual amounts found in that particular product.
- Light in sodium has less than 50% of the normal amounts found in that specific product.
- Salt sensitive refers to individuals in whom blood pressure goes up more than is typical with salt consumption.
5 Best Low-Sodium Meal Delivery Services In 2024
BistroMD
A doctor-designed meal delivery plan that promotes weight loss and can be helpful with diet restrictions due to medical conditions.
- A variety of programs
- Ready-to-eat meals
- Menu planned by Registered Dietitians
- Does not offer family-sized meals
- May not be suitable for people with food allergies
- Only accepts USA credit cards for payment
BistroMD is a meal delivery service that was founded by a married couple, Caroline Cederquist M.D., and her husband, Ed.
BistroMD has over 150 chef-prepared meals that are delivered as heat-and-eat meals. Once you sign up, a registered dietitian creates a custom diet program. You can access and control preferences according to your taste.
You can choose from a variety of programs that meet your needs.
- Signature Program-Weight loss
- Gluten-free
- Heart Healthy
- Keto Flex
- Diabetic
- Menopause
You can also choose the number of meals you get per week.
- Full program seven days
- Full program five days
- Lunch and Dinner seven days
- Lunch and Dinner five days
You may add the EATS (Essential and Tasty Snacks) snack program.
The BistroMD program does not offer family-sized meals, but you can purchase a program for each family member at a discount. If you have food allergies, this may not be appropriate; foods are prepared in facilities food allergens are prepared and cooked.
Splendid Spoon
60% Off Coupon: WELCOME60
Meal Kits that are vegan and gluten-free, with a variety of bowls and smoothies to choose from.
- Non-subscription option available
- Vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar and sodium
- Made by Chefs and curated by nutritionists
- Can be costly
- You need to customize the meal to be low-sodium
Splendid Spoon was founded by Nicole with training as a restaurant chef with knowledge of diet therapy. She created Splendid Spoon with over 50 meals to choose from that are all vegan, gluten-free, and with fresh foods. They are low in sugar and can be customized to be low in sodium.
Splendid Spoon’s smoothies and wellness shots are made with 95% of organic ingredients. Also, all ingredients used are 100% free of genetically modified organisms (GMO-free).
You can choose an on-demand meal that can give you sample meals before committing to a subscription plan. Otherwise, you can choose from three different plans.
- Breakfast
- Breakfast, Lunch and Reset
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and Reset
You get the flexibility to get sample meals or a subscription plan that is delivered weekly every other week, or every two weeks. The cost of the meals can add up and be a bit high in price. But with flexibility, you can choose how much you can spend per month. If you are looking for a very low sodium option, it’s possible, but you must request it through the portal.
Mom’s Meals
A delivery service that can be used by anyone but has the option to provide low-sodium meals for seniors.
- May be covered by health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare
- Meals are refrigerated
- Low sodium plans are 600 mg or fewer
- Limited ingredient information
- Programs are not customizable
- Calories may be too low to meet some needs
Mom’s Meals, unlike most other meal delivery services, has options for seniors. The meals are dietitian designed and meet the nutrition requirements of an individual. The menus available are
- General wellness
- Lower sodium
- Heart-friendly
- Diabetes-friendly
- Renal-friendly
- Gluten-free
- Vegetarian
- Pureed
- Cancer support
When making the order, you choose the menu for low sodium and will get to see the complete meals menu. Some foods will also be from other menus, and you will be able to identify that through their symbol system. Each meal also has the option to see the full description of the food and the nutrition facts label.
The prices are straightforward: $7.99 per meal and $8.99 for the pureed, renal, and gluten-free menus. Meals and snacks provide up to 700 calories, with protein, vegetables, and grains.
Diet-to-Go
Flexible personalization of menus, foods cooked and sent fresh ready-to-eat on a weekly basis.
- Ready-to-eat meals
- 5- or 7- day plan
- 5-week rotation menu
- Only five menus to choose from
- The nutrition information on the “Balance Diabetes” menu is not available
Diet-to-Go claims to have helped people lose weight for over 30 years. They provide five menus, each portioned, including the fruits, sides, and condiments.
The Menus are
- Balance
- Balance-Diabetes
- Keto-Carb 30
- Vegetarian
- Mediterranean
If you are looking to choose a menu with low sodium, you would choose Balance-Diabetes. It’s calorie, sodium, carbs, fat, and cholesterol controlled.
Price:
- 5 days per week, 2 meals per day (no breakfast)–$138.99 per week
- 5 days per week, 3 meals per day–$162.99 per week
- 7 days per week, 2 meals per day (no breakfast)–$185.99
- 7 days per week, 3 meals per day–$203.99 per week
As you choose the menu and process payment you can customize your food preferences. Delivery is weekly and in some places you can pick up your meals. You can keep the food fresh in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
You also get health professional support like registered dietitians by phone or email.
Freshly
A flexible option in the number of meal plans that can be delivered, with more savings the bigger your order.
- Ready to eat within 3 minutes
- Customizable menus, flexible plans
- Plant-based dishes
- No snack options
- No actual low-sodium menu
Freshly is a meal delivery service that offers balanced lean meals for busy lives. It’s included in this article on low-sodium delivery plans because their meals average between 500 to 850 mg per serving, which should make it easy to stay under the Daily Value for sodium of less than 2300 mg. The prepared meals are delivered fresh and ready to serve within three minutes.
You have five choices with flexible plans that may fit your busy life. You can get anywhere from 4-12 meals per week; each meal can be as low as $9.58. The more meals you order, the bigger the savings.
You can order gluten-free, dairy-free, plant-based, carb-smart, and calorie-conscious meals on the menu.
While there isn’t a specific low-sodium menu, the Freshly meals average low salt content with fresh ingredients and avoid highly processed ingredients high in salt.
Within each menu, you can choose meals under 700 mg of sodium[4] per day.
The menu items are very appealing, but you will have to individually check the sodium levels to ensure they don’t exceed your recommended salt intake.
Benefits Of Low-Sodium Meal Delivery
Following a healthy diet on your own can make a difference, mainly if you use healthy recipes to make fresh meals. But if preparing meals is not your strength or you simply are not physically able to cook, meal delivery services can be your answer.
Having low-sodium options from a meal delivery service can help eliminate obstacles. On top of that, most menu meals can be interesting and tasty, like butternut turmeric soup, brown sugar peaches, and even something as simple as sweet potatoes.
5 meal delivery services benefits with low sodium options:
- Fully prepared meals
- Prepackaged meals
- Support from a health professional that considers your nutritional needs.
- The meal kits can be customized for healthy weight loss.
- Meal kits can also come low in saturated fat, made of organic ingredients, and made of whole foods.
- You can control what foods are sent and when.
How To Pick The Best Low-Sodium Meal Delivery Services?
Choosing the best meal kit delivery service is subjective. Especially if you need to limit sodium intake, some lower-sodium meals are better than others based on price and variety. Some factors to take into consideration:
Price
The cost of the meal service can make or break your decision to use a meal delivery service. Often the most affordable choices are set menus that you cannot change; the pricier options are the ones with more flexibility in food choices, delivery dates, and subscriptions.
Variety
Some menus come with a substantial amount of variety, but…the more, the higher the cost. Yet variety is important for palatability and compliance with the low-sodium diet.
Flexibility
Choosing meal plans that are flexible in food choices, delivery dates, and subscriptions can conveniently meet your needs. The more inflexible the service, the less likely you are to use it long-term.
Final Thought
Choosing a service that provides prepared meals with low-sodium[5] options can help manage elevated blood pressure and other medical conditions.
Of course, like any service you outsource, the cost can be high, but if the trade-off is a healthy diet with lower sodium intake, then it can be worth the choice.
When on a restricted diet, always consult with your doctor about your restrictions for medical guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The terms are used interchangeably; sodium is the mineral found in the salt in food and the saltshaker. Technically, “salt,” by the chemical constitution, is sodium chloride (NaCl).
Too much sodium intake may negatively affect a person’s blood pressure and contribute to high blood pressure or heart disease.
Low-sodium meals can contribute to lower blood pressure but are not a guarantee. Monitor your blood pressure by consulting with your doctor regularly.
It depends; if you cannot cook for yourself and need to maintain a low sodium intake, they are worth it. If you are too busy and don’t have the time to cook, they can be worth it, but sometimes the cost can be higher than just cooking yourself.
The rate can vary from $138.99 to $200.99, depending on the number of meals you purchase.
The lower sodium may limit food choices or make food bland.
To ensure foods are lower in sodium, the best feature to get there is the use of fresh products; most fresh foods are lower in sodium.
Some meal kit choices accept insurance as payment; you must verify with the meal delivery service. You need to do this before ordering to avoid surprises.
+ 5 sources
Health Canal avoids using tertiary references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and rely on peer-reviewed studies, academic researches from medical associations and institutions. To ensure the accuracy of articles in Health Canal, you can read more about the editorial process here
- CDC (2021). Sodium Q&A. [online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/salt/sodium_QandA.htm.
- Strazzullo, P. and Leclercq, C. (2014). Sodium. Advances in Nutrition, [online] 5(2), pp.188–190. doi:10.3945/an.113.005215.
- CDC (2021). Sodium. [online] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/sodium.htm.
- Center (2022). Sodium in Your Diet. [online] U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet.
- Mohan, S. and Campbell, Norm R. C. (2009). Salt and high blood pressure. Clinical Science, [online] 117(1), pp.1–11. doi:10.1042/cs20080207.
Written by:
Blanca Garcia, RDN
Medically reviewed by:
Medically reviewed by:
