10 Grab-and-Go Renal-Friendly Snacks

When you’re short on time and you’re hungry, you might be tempted to just grab a snack and go. But when you have renal disease, you have to be a little more selective about the food and snacks you eat to protect your health.

When your kidneys aren’t fully functioning, it’s harder to remove excess fluid and waste. Eating the right foods and limiting others is one of the best ways to help support the process and stay healthy. Here’s what you need to remember about food when you have renal disease:

• Choose foods low in sodium. Eat less than 700 mg of sodium per meal.
• Limit potassium to less than 700 mg per meal.
• Opt for low-phosphorus snacks. Less than 350 mg of phosphorus per meal is ideal.
• Limit protein-rich foods to about 25 g per meal.

If you were used to eating differently before renal disease, it may take some time to adjust your diet. But it’s important to maintain your health and support the kidney function you have left.

If you’re worried about following a Renal-Friendly diet, don’t be. We’ve got 18 different meal choices on our menu, including new additions like Eggplant Parmigiana and Polenta with Spinach & Roasted Peppers and our most popular meals, Spinach Mushroom Lasagna with Garlic Green Beans and Vegetable Caponata with Orzo & Spinach

So what kind of snacks can you grab-and-go or enjoy between meals? Renal dietitian Kelly Welsh recommends the following (which are low in sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein):

1. Popsicles
2. Sugar cookies
3. Vanilla wafers
4. Bagels
5. Breadsticks
6. Graham crackers
7. Muffins (avoid bran, chocolate, or muffins with nuts)
8. Carrot sticks
9. Dried, sweetened cranberries
10. Grapes

Go ahead. Stock up on your favorite Renal-friendly snacks to curb your hunger. Pick your favorite meals for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. And you’re good to go.