Kidney-Friendly Eating Tips for the Winter Holidays

The biggest challenge around holiday eating is finding kidney-friendly foods that won’t shatter your sensible eating habits. Finding foods that are not too salty and with no phosphate additives can be tough. Take a look at the tips below for some practical suggestions.

Plan Ahead

Eat a high protein breakfast. This helps control your hunger and portion sizes at your holiday meal.
When attending a social gathering, bring a dish to share that will be healthy for you, and great for everyone.
Plan your holiday meal using renal friendly recipes. Use the recipe links below to help you make your shopping list.

Shopping For Your Kidney-Friendly Holiday Meal

Choose apple cider instead of eggnog to keep your beverage choice renal friendly.
When grocery shopping, look for a fresh turkey. Frozen turkeys may be injected with sodium phosphates. If you see the letters “p h o s” in the ingredient list, beware! That means phosphates are added. Look for a turkey with no added phosphates.
Cranberry sauce is a great choice for a lower potassium fruit, and it makes a colorful addition to your holiday meal.
Use a non-dairy whipped topping or aerosol whipped cream instead of ice cream to make your dessert festive. Non-dairy whipped toppings may contain phosphate additives; if you see the letters “p h o s” on the ingredient list, look for another brand without phosphate additives.
Select fresh ingredients when possible. For example: Fresh or frozen green beans are better than canned. If you prefer canned, choose no added salt or a low sodium version.
Purchase the ingredients to make your dressing or stuffing yourself! Boxed dressing and stuffing mixes are easy to prepare, but tough on salt and phosphorus control.

Kidney-Friendly Holiday Meal Preparation

Make your own gravy using drippings from the turkey; it will be less salty than gravy from mixes and jars. You can never beat the taste of a fresh homemade turkey gravy!
Double boil potatoes and other vegetables to reduce potassium and make them a healthier choice for your holiday meal.
Reduce or cut out the salt from any recipe to make it more “renal friendly”. Start by reducing the amount in half.

Enjoying your Holiday Meal

Protein first! Aim for a healthy intake of protein - 4 to 5 ounces, whether it’s turkey or another protein food.
Stick to 1, eight-ounce drink and sip slowly to help limit fluids.
Just say “NO” to salt and salty foods.
Remember to have your phosphorus binders with you at your holiday meal.
Use a smaller plate to help control portion sizes.
Select a small slice of a lower potassium fruit pie instead pumpkin, sweet potato or nut pies.
Do you want second helpings? Wait 10 minutes and if still hungry, go back for more turkey and vegetables.