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.