Summer picnic and potluck food for high cholesterol

Picnics and potlucks are easy to get right if you bring the dish. You control what is in it, and the best dishes are the ones other people love too. If you're a guest, a few choices at the table keep the day on track.

Salads and sides compared

Mayonnaise-based potato salad adds a few grams of saturated fat per cup. Bean and lentil salads dressed with olive oil and lemon are lower and add soluble fibre, which helps lower LDL (about 0.06 mmol/L for each gram a day, according to a meta-analysis of 67 trials). In warm weather, keep salads in a cool bag and follow food-safety guidance.

Dishes to bring

• Three-bean salad with red onion, peppers, olive oil and red wine vinegar.
• Chickpea and cucumber salad with lemon, parsley and a little feta.
• New potato salad with olive oil, mustard and herbs instead of mayonnaise.
• Quinoa or bulgur salad with tomatoes, herbs and toasted nuts.
• Veg platter with hummus and wholemeal pitta. See our hummus food check.
• Wraps with chicken or hummus, wholemeal tortilla and salad.
• Fruit: watermelon, berries, grapes, stone fruit. Add a handful of nuts.

Browse more in our low-cholesterol recipes and lunch ideas.

At the picnic table

• Fill half your plate with salads, vegetables and fruit first.
• Pick one rich item you love (cheese, a pastry, a creamy salad), not all of them.
• Choose grilled over fried and skip the skin.
• Drink water or sparkling water with fruit. Remember alcohol adds calories and raises triglycerides.
• Ice cream: small scoop of a lower-saturated-fat option. See ice cream and high cholesterol.
• Food safety: keep cold food cold and don't leave perishables in the sun.

This is general information, not medical advice. If you take cholesterol medication or have a heart condition, check changes to your diet with your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist.

Sources

• American Heart Association: Saturated fat (aim for under 6% of calories, about 13 g on 2,000 calories).
• Brown L, et al. Cholesterol-lowering effects of dietary fiber: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999;69:30–42.
• NHS: Food hygiene.
• USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy), values per serving calculated from the per-100 g record: FDC 169269, 173343, 168128, 173740, 172421, 169999. fdc.nal.usda.gov

Frequently asked questions

What can I bring to a potluck if I have high cholesterol?

A bean or lentil salad, a hummus and vegetable platter, a grain salad with olive oil dressing or a fruit salad. They are low in saturated fat and high in fibre, and you are sure to have something you can eat.

Is potato salad bad for cholesterol?

Potatoes themselves are fine. A cup of mayonnaise-based potato salad has about 3.6 g of saturated fat, so a vinaigrette-dressed version is lighter.

Are baked beans good for cholesterol?

Yes, in the sense that they contain soluble fibre and almost no saturated fat. Look for lower-sugar and lower-salt versions.

What picnic foods are low in saturated fat?

Fruit, raw vegetables, hummus, bean salads, wraps with lean chicken or hummus, wholemeal bread and unsalted nuts are all low. Pastry, sausage rolls, cheese and cream-based dips are the highest.

How do I eat out at a barbecue or picnic with high cholesterol?

Take a dish you can eat, fill half your plate with vegetables and salad, choose grilled chicken or fish over sausages, and treat one rich item as your indulgence.

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