Low Sodium Supermarket Dining: Dairy Aisle

Just a reminder, the goal of this series of posts is to find ways to create a truly low sodium diet using regular grocery store products, including convenience & processed foods. Together we’ll “visit” the different aisles of a typical grocery store and discover how many easily available items can be used and modified to fit a low sodium diet. First stop: THE DAIRY AISLE

Buttery Spreads

There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that every grocery store carries unsalted butter. Nothing can beat the taste of butter. The bad news is that just about all those vegetable oil spreads that purport to be “heart healthy” contain too much sodium for anything but the thinnest smear on morning toast, anywhere from 80 – 120 mg. sodium per tablespoon.

Many grocery stores carry a product similar to Challenge Whipped Unsalted Butter. This has no added salt but is a bit more spreadable than plain stick butter. Another Challenge product combines butter and canola oil for better spreadability. Challenge Spreadable Butter has only 70 mg. sodium per tablespoon.

Smart Balance supposedly has a low sodium spread with only 30 mg/tbsp, but I haven't seen it anywhere. The Smart Balance spreads with Extra Virgin Olive Oil have 70 mg. sodium per tbsp. Although I have found these products at my local grocery stores, they may not be readily available elsewhere. (For another low sodium spread option, check out this POST about Kerrygold Reduced Fat Butter.)

If you’re hankering after one of the supposedly healthier vegetable oil spreads, compare sodium content and pick one that has between 70 – 80 mgs. per tablespoon. And watch your portions. Don’t go overboard. Too thick a spread on your toast or too big a dollop on your vegetables means too much salt ingested. My advice would be to stick with unsalted butter. After all, mankind has been consuming butter for thousands of years. It’s a good choice with lots of flavor and no weird ingredients; plus it’s available everywhere. Nothing tastes better than vegetables, potatoes, or pasta drizzled with browned butter. And even the lightest smear of real butter on bread is out of this world.

If the thought of using butter sends shivers up your spine, then make your own salt free buttery spread. Just blend two sticks of unsalted butter with 1/2 cup of your favorite “heart healthy” vegetable oil. Let the butter soften and dribble in the oil until everything is blended. You can soften the butter a bit in the microwave and then use a dinner fork, whisk, or electric hand mixer for beating in the oil. The result is a tasty spreadable mixture that’s also good for sautéing and contains some of those ubiquitous “heart healthy” oils. For lower calories, check out this homemade version: Low Sodium Butter Spread.

Cheese

Cheese can be a problem with low sodium diets. Most cheese delivers anywhere from 170 mg. to over 400 mg. sodium per 1 oz. serving. And low sodium cheeses are hard to find in most grocery stores. So what’s a cheese lover to do?

First things first – remember flavor! When you’re on a low sodium diet, you need to always be punching up the flavor. So very mild cheeses like Monterey Jack, Muenster, or Colby are not the best choices. They’re lovely and melt well, but they don’t add much in the way of taste. Sharp cheddars are zesty; Parmesan, blue, & feta cheese deliver a strong punch too. But these more flavorful cheeses are also more salty.

One easy solution is to combine a more flavorful and salty cheese with a lower sodium cheese. Swiss cheese (sold in blocks or chunks) is naturally low in sodium, usually about 60 mg. per oz. Chunks of Swiss can be found at almost all grocery stores, in the refrigerated self service section and at the deli counter. Check the labels for the brand with the lowest sodium content.

So when you want to sprinkle some cheese on a casserole or make a cheese sauce or whatever, combine equal parts of extra sharp cheddar and Swiss. Parmesan & Swiss complement each other too. The resulting flavor will be good, but the sodium content will be lowered. Also, remember portion control. If you use less cheese, you’ll also be consuming less sodium. So be sure to use the cheese where it will have the most impact, usually as a topping.  And try my Pasta Sprinkle recipe for a crispy, yet tasty topping.

You can shred cheddar as needed or even buy the pre-shredded cheese. Just remember to combine it with some lower sodium Swiss. Unfortunately Swiss cheese doesn’t come pre-shredded, so you’ll have to grate it yourself.

For sandwich cheese, get some sliced Swiss or lacey Swiss at the refrigerated self service section or at the deli counter. You won’t find anything else as low in sodium and most grocery stores have a selection of two or three different kinds of block Swiss ready for slicing. Ask the counter person to give you the sodium content of each variety and pick the brand with the lowest count. You don’t need to get overly thick slices either. For the most part, Swiss cheese slices don’t stick together so they’re easy to deal with.

Most grocery stores also carry fresh mozzarella. Its sodium content can sometimes be as low as 25 mg. per oz. (check the labels, though). It’s usually a whole lot better, sodium wise, than regular mozzarella. However, because it’s fresh, it’s also very soft. It doesn’t grate well, but cutting into cubes is a good strategy. Then you can slice it for using in dishes like pizza and lasagna. It’s also a bit watery, so blot it well before using. If you can’t find a low sodium fresh mozzarella, just combine equal parts of shredded regular mozzarella and shredded Swiss. Some stores also carry smoked fresh mozzarella. This is a great product when you want to impart a different flavor. Great in salads!

Most ricotta cheese often is fairly low sodium and can be used in pasta dishes like lasagna and stuffed shells, in enchilada fillings, and casseroles. When making a filling, add some chopped fresh spinach, mushrooms, or other vegetables to stretch the cheese and bring the sodium content down. Sauté them first in a bit of oil to eliminate excess water.

Cottage cheese is a good product, but don’t use regular cottage cheese. It’s way too salty. Unfortunately, unsalted cottage cheese is hard to find. So far I’ve only been able to buy Lucerne unsalted cottage cheese at Safeway. Check your local grocery stores. If you can find it, by all means use it. It can be used like ricotta cheese in pasta dishes, enchilada fillings, and casseroles. You can add a couple of spoonfuls to scrambled eggs or omelets. You can “stretch” store bought dips and spreads with unsalted cottage cheese or make your own homemade dips. You can toss it with hot pasta or add it to tuna sandwich filling. The possibilities are truly endless.

Cream cheese is not too bad sodium wise, anywhere from 105 - 110 mg. per oz. Whipped cream cheese is even lower in sodium because the extra air from whipping is salt free. An added bonus is that the whipped version is easier to spread. Just watch the portions, spread thinly, and check the labels. If you want it flavored, you’re better off doing it yourself. You can add herbs & spices for a savory spread or a favorite jam for a sweet spread. For better spreadability (and a bit less sodium), soften the cream cheese block a little in the microwave and then blend in some heavy cream using a dinner fork. Some goat cheese brands are pretty decent as far as sodium content too. Montchevre Natural is only 40 mg sodium per ounce. They can be used in the same way as cream cheese and are good crumbled onto salads.

As mentioned before, the key to using Parmesan cheese, feta cheese, and any other higher sodium cheese is portion control. Use just enough to give a flavor boost. For example, use just a sprinkling of blue cheese crumbles on top of a salad dressed with a salt free vinaigrette instead of globs of creamy blue cheese dressing. And use the cheese where it will have the most impact. Remember that the less you use, the less sodium you will consume. All in all, relying on grocery store cheese is not an impediment to a low sodium diet.

Milk Products

Heavy cream comes in handy and is found at every grocery store. Just a bit can enrich and add sumptuousness to any so-so sauce or gravy. It doesn’t curdle when heated so it’s great as a last minute touch for all kinds of things

Sour cream is another staple that’s easily found in local grocery stores. The regular style usually has less sodium than the low fat version. It’s another product that adds rich flavor and texture to foods. And its wonderful tang perks up low sodium dishes. Just be sure to have it at room temperature and add it slowly to hot foods. You can also use sour cream when making any kind of creamy salad like potato salad, coleslaw, or tuna salad. Cut the salad’s sodium content by using half prepared mayonnaise and half sour cream.

Sour cream can be used to make wonderfully easy low sodium dips. Forget about Lipton Onion Soup Mix or Knorr Vegetable Soup Mix. Combine plain sour cream with a spoonful of dried toasted onions, about 2-3 packets of Herb-Ox salt free beef bouillon granules, and a couple of dashes of low sodium Worcestershire sauce for a much lower sodium onion dip. Or combine sour cream with fresh/dried herbs or your favorite spice blends. For real convenience, you can also combine equal parts sour cream and an already prepared dip. Not as low sodium as homemade but better than the unmodified store bought versions.


Plain unflavored yogurt can be used in the same way as sour cream. It’s a bit tangier though and not quite as creamy. You can find plain yogurt everywhere.

You can add sour cream or plain yogurt to creamy style prepared salad dressings to cut down the sodium content. Sour cream, yogurt, or buttermilk also add a nice tang to mashed potatoes made without salt too. Be sure to compare labels, though, when buying buttermilk. Knudsen brand has only 130 mg. sodium per cup, but other brands are much higher.

Watch out for “lite” or lower fat dairy products. When fat is removed, taste & texture suffer. Manufacturers make up for that by adding salt, so be sure to check the labels. When you’re on a low sodium diet, you’re often better off eating less of a full fat product.

Having an assortment of easily available dairy items in the fridge is helpful when preparing low sodium meals. Just a touch of butter, cream, sour cream, cheese, etc. can enliven and enrich just about any ho-hum dish. Plus many dairy products can be used to lighten the sodium content of supermarket convenience & prepared foods.

Low Sodium Supermarket Dining: Introduction

Cooking & eating low sodium can be a real challenge. There is a plethora of wonderful low sodium products available, but unfortunately, many local grocery stores only carry a few. Cooking almost completely from scratch is the best solution. It’s the only sure fire way of controlling the sodium content of the foods you eat. I’m a “from scratch” cook, but I also know that sometimes even cooking from scratch can be difficult. For one thing, it’s very time consuming. Some days you just may not have the time or energy necessary. Perhaps you’re under the weather or physically unable to do “real” cooking. Maybe your culinary skills are somewhat lacking. So, what are you supposed to do? Revert back to a high sodium diet? Start depending on fast food or restaurant meals? Of course not! There are ways to create a truly low sodium diet using regular grocery store products (including convenience & processed foods) with a minimum of online shopping and limited “from scratch” cooking.

My goal in this series of posts is to “visit” the different aisles of a typical grocery store and discuss how many of the easily available items can be used and modified to fit a low sodium diet. I will try to include some brand names just so you know exactly what kinds of food items I’m referring to. Of course, there are many, many grocery store products that absolutely cannot be used when on a low sodium diet no matter how inventive you are, so don’t expect to see everything. And, one last note: I realize that my local grocery stores may carry items not readily obtainable in other areas, but I’m hoping my ideas will be helpful nonetheless.

Before we begin, there a few important guidelines to follow when using items purchased from your local grocery store:

Read the Labels

The amount of sodium in any given product can vary tremendously from brand to brand. Just because one brand of tomato sauce is prohibitively high in sodium doesn’t mean another brand will be as bad. And conversely, just because one brand of fresh mozzarella is exceptionally low in sodium doesn’t mean other brands will be similar. When figuring out the sodium content, make sure the items you’re comparing have a similar serving size. And don’t let the manufacturers frustrate your efforts. Often you’ll find that one manufacturer will measure serving sizes in metric and another will measure in English (or Imperial), making it difficult to compare. A convenient conversion guide would be helpful. The Nourish Interactive website has a printable guide you can print out and carry with you. (Follow the directions to download a printable PDF file) Also make sure that the serving size is realistic. A low sodium count for a serving size consisting of two mini pretzels is hardly practical. The reality is that you’d actually consume 3-4 hypothetical serving sizes of that supposedly low sodium product. Finally, Do NOT let the nutritional percentages fool you. They are based on a 2,400 mg per day diet. Most people on a low sodium diet must stay within a range of 1,500 mgs. to 2,000 mgs. per day (or less). So the posted percentages are deceptive.

Learn Portion Control

Watch the portion sizes carefully. Just because a product is moderately low in sodium does not mean that you can eat unlimited supplies of it. Keep the cumulative effect of your sodium intake always in mind. And if you’re going to use a relatively salty product, then be sure to use the smallest amount you can get away with. The less you use, the less sodium you will consume. Carrying a calculator with you when you’re shopping is also helpful.

Learn to Compensate, Offset, & Mitigate

It goes without saying that most grocery store convenience foods are going to be high in salt. But you can learn strategies to offset the onslaught of sodium found in most supermarket prepared foods.

For example, let’s say you’ve studied all the jarred spaghetti sauces available at your local grocer and have decided that Classico Roasted Garlic is the lowest in sodium. When you fix a spaghetti dinner, you can offset some of the jarred sauce’s sodium by always adding a can of no-salt tomato sauce (most supermarkets have at least a few no-salt-added tomato products available). You can also stretch the sauce and lessen the sodium content somewhat by adding ¼ - ⅓ pound of unsalted browned ground beef. Throw in a package of pre-sliced fresh mushrooms from the produce section, and you’ve effectively mitigated quite a bit of the sodium content of the jarred sauce. If you’re up for some “from scratch” type prepping, toss in some chopped onion and celery, even grated carrot or zuchinni, while the ground beef is browning.

After cooking the spaghetti in unsalted water, drain it and toss it with a couple of tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a few ladles of the sauce over a very low heat. Let the sauce soak into the pasta a bit to flavor it. Then serve the spaghetti with just a spoonful of the reserved sauce. Top with just a dusting of Parmesan or follow my recipe for Pasta Sprinkle. The resulting spaghetti & meat sauce entrée may not be as low in sodium as homemade sauce with all no-salt-added tomato products, but it’ll be a whole lot better than if you used the store bought sauce straight from the jar.

Be Wary of Reduced Fat Products

Watch out for “lite” or lower fat products. When fat is removed, taste & texture suffer. Manufacturers make up for that missing “oomph” by adding salt. Be sure to check the labels. When you’re on a low sodium diet, you’re often better off eating less of a full fat product.

Remember ABC: Always Be Checking

Supermarkets try out new products all the time, and manufacturers revamp their products all the time too. Never assume that because there is no low sodium canned tuna available one month, that it won’t be available the next month. Keep checking those aisles. Conversely, don’t assume that a favorite low sodium product will always be available. Your market may decide to drop carrying it. Sometimes the additions or changes are great, sodium wise. Sometimes they're a bust. But you need to keep on top of it.

Keep Track of Products

When you follow a low sodium diet you should become very familiar with the items carried by your local grocery stores. That's because you spend so much time examining the labels of everything stocked on the shelves. The problem is that not all grocery stores carry the same items. So you've got to come up with a system that keeps track of which store carries which items. And you've got to note the sodium content in case you need to make comparisons. The system you use is not as important as just getting the information all together in one place so you can refer to it as needed.

My method includes the following information: the product description; the brand name; the serving size amount; the sodium content per serving size; where to purchase the product; and any special bits of information that would be helpful.

Keeping track of low sodium products is especially helpful when you run low on something and need to get some more. If you can't exactly remember where you purchased it, the list will help you out. My list is very personalized. I only note the low sodium products that I have found tasty & useful. Keeping track of favorite products helps make the challenge of low sodium cooking just a little bit easier.

So with these guidelines in mind, let’s start shopping. We’ll wander together through a typical supermarket and see what we can find. Surely there are ordinary, every day products we
can use while following a low sodium diet.

Low Sodium Canned Tuna & Canned Beans

I was shopping at my neighborhood Safeway supermarket the other day and came across a couple of interesting low sodium products. I have no idea how I ended up in the canned tuna section, but I'm glad I did. I discovered that both StarKist and BumbleBee are producing "Very Low Sodium" canned tuna. They both come in slightly smaller cans: BumbleBee's can is 5 oz. while StarKist's is 4.5 oz. (they probably don't want you to realize that you're paying a little extra for less salt). The good news is that the sodium content is considerably reduced. Regular tuna can range from 180 mg. sodium to as high as 250 mg. for 2 oz. The StarKist Very Low Sodium and the BumbleBee Very Low Sodium are only 35 mg. sodium for 2 oz. That's quite a difference from the regular stuff! And the really good news is that I can get it at my local Safeway. In the past, I've found no-salt-added canned tuna at Trader Joe's, and, of course, I can order it online. But having a truly low sodium alternative available in a neighborhood store is a great boon.

While at Safeway, I decided to pick up a couple of cans of beans. I like to have them around for impromptu salads and other dishes. S & W makes "50% Less Sodium" canned kidney, garbanzo, and black beans. I can find them at all my local grocery stores. Eden makes several "No Salt Added" canned beans including black, garbanzo, pinto, navy, black eyed peas,and kidney. My local Safeway and Raley's (a northern California chain) carry a few of the Eden bean products. I automatically reached for the S & W lower sodium beans, but for some reason decided to check out the other brands again too.

Most regular canned beans run anywhere from 400 - 500 mg. sodium per half cup. The S & W lower sodium beans range about 240 mg. per half cup. As I was checking labels, I stumbled across Safeway's store version of organic canned vegetables, "O" Organics. Kidney, pinto, black, and garbanzo beans were available and their sodium content was about 120 - 130 mg. per half cup. Not bad. I decided to give them all a try.

ALWAYS BE CHECKING!

So, what's the point of all this? The lesson I learned is ABC -- to  Always Be Checking! Supermarkets try out new products all the time. Manufacturers revamp their products all the time too. Sometimes the additions or changes are great, sodium wise. Sometimes they're a bust. But you need to keep on top of it. Next time you go grocery shopping, take the time to look for sodium reduced canned tuna. You just might find it. And check out the canned beans. You might find a surprise waiting for you.

And if you can't find something, talk to someone at your supermarket. Or write them. It's not as though low sodium products aren't needed. I read articles in newspapers and magazines all the time about my generation (the "Baby Boomers") aging and needing to cut salt consumption. There's a market out there for low sodium products. Remind your local supermarkets that there's a golden opportunity for them to make money by marketing to everyone out there with high blood pressure and other health problems. Money talks! (Sad but true)

This & That - Spices, Snacks, & Tools

Salt Free Spice Blends

Several weeks ago my daughter & I were shopping at Cost Plus World Market and I noticed some intriguing spice blends. Most of the time when I find new spice blends, I'm immediately excited and then terribly disappointed. Upon careful inspection I'll discover salt listed as the first ingredient. You can imagine my surprise when I found several spice blends without any salt whatsoever. I plunked some into my shopping cart. Since them, I've been using these new spice blends more and more. The Thai Spice blend is great sprinkled on Asian inspired dishes. I've used the Greek Mediterranean blend on roasted asparagus and chicken. I've used the Garlic Pepper blend on all kinds of things, including last week's rib roast. The Cal Mex & the Fajitas blends are great for Mexican inspired dishes. The Jerk Chicken & Fish blend is tasty too. And the Key Lime blend has a spicy & tangy citrus kick to it. To tell the truth, I wasn't expecting much, but I'm really impressed with the flavors. The best part? These are great spice blends that I don't have to send away for. I've got a World Market nearby.

Snacks

In the last month or so, all my local grocery stores have started carrying Newmans' Unsalted Rounds Pretzels. A serving size of eight pretzels(about 1 oz.) has 105 mg sodium. In the past I usually could buy Snyder's of Hanover's Unsalted Mini Pretzels (1 oz. [about 20 pretzels] = 75 mg sodium), but now it's getting more difficult to find them. The Newman's pretzels are harder & denser than the Snyder's. We enjoy their crunch, but they are a bit higher in sodium content.

We recently discovered Colombo Sesame Breadsticks produced by the same people who make wonderful San Fransisco style sourdough breads. These hard, crunchy breadsticks are coated in sesame seeds. A serving size of four sticks (1/2 oz.) has only 35 mg. of sodium. Like pretzels, they're great served with mustard or a homemade low sodium dip.

Helpful Tools

Right after getting my new Zojirushi bread machine, I bought a new & better food scale on sale at Bed, Bath, & Beyond. As I started making more & more dinner rolls and sandwich buns, I realized I needed an accurate and easy to use scale for dividing up the dough. I bought an Oxo Good Grips User-Friendly Food Scale. I can press the zero button to offset the weight of any containers I use. It's got a nice, large flat base, and, if necessary, I can pull the display away from the base for better visibility. I can weigh in metric or imperial weights too.

I use the scale all the time when baking now. It makes it so much easier for me to get uniformly sized buns and rolls. I also use it when breaking up bulk food items into smaller, more user friendly sizes. For example, last week I bought a two pound loaf of our favorite Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar Cheese on sale. Using the scale, I was able to measure out perfect two ounce portions of the cheese for storage in the fridge. I also often use my food processor for shredding an entire loaf of cheese and then package up the shreds in two ounce portions. I'll freeze those and pull out a portion as needed. This helps me keep track of the sodium content of dishes with cheese in them.

I have even taken to using it when portioning out our meals. Not necessarily for calorie counting but to just make sure I'm divvying up the dishes equally. I wouldn't want to cheat either me or my husband.

The other item I've been using a lot is a small mini whisk. It really comes in handy when I'm blending a small amount of something -- thickeners for gravies & sauces, salad dressings, etc. I picked it up in the kitchen section of my local Safeway market.