Everyday Low-Cholesterol Meals

Eating healthier meals to lower your cholesterol can be a tasty endeavor. — Photo by Court/Photocuisine/Corbis

When seeking out low-cholesterol meals, it’s always a bonus to find recipes that are appealing and chef-approved. Here are breakfasts, lunches and dinners that meet the USDA’s low-cholesterol recommendations for 20 mg or less of cholesterol and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving — and are super delicious to boot.  And check out how the chefs who created these recipes describe them.

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Breakfasts:

Quick Fresh Fruit Sauces for Yogurt, Pancakes, and Waffles by Nava Atlas: “These nifty combinations of finely diced fruit and all-fruit preserves create nearly instant sauces. Each combination makes enough for four to six 1/3- to ½-cup servings as a topping.” Per serving: 30 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat.

Cantaloupe-Peach Smoothie by Mollie Katzen: “If you freeze some of your smoothie ingredients, you can get a thicker, frothier shake. Freezing also enables you to preserve summer fruit at its peak. So you can enjoy it a few months down the road.” Per serving: 440 calories, 6 mg cholesterol, 1 g saturated fat.

Hot Breakfast Cereals by Judith Finlayson: “Hot cereal is one of my favorite ways to begin the day, and happily you can use your slow cooker to ensure that all family members get off to a nutritious start. Cook the cereal overnight and turn the slow cooker to “warm” in the morning. Everyone can help themselves according to their schedules.” Per serving: 283 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat.

Buckwheat Crepes by Naomi Duguid and Jeffrey Alford: “Like many basic food techniques, crepe making takes practice to master. The happy news is that we “outsiders” can, with a little effort, turn out good-tasting crepes that are a pleasure to eat, even if they aren’t as fine and perfect as those of a crepe master. You can make the batter by hand or in a stand mixer or food processor. Before you begin to cook, put out an offset spatula or a large ladle for spreading the batter. And make sure your griddles are well seasoned and smooth.” Per serving: 54 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g saturated fat.

Maple Oatmeal With Dried Fruit and Sweet Spices by Beth Hensperger and Julie Kaufmann: “Here is another fabulous overnight oatmeal made with steel-cut oats. It is strong on the spice, so cut back to ½ teaspoon if you would like just a whisper. If you prefer a richer flavor, toast the oats on a baking sheet at 350°F for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.” Per serving: 449 calories, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 g saturated fat.

Next: Tasty lunch meal options that lower your cholesterol. »