5 Tips for a Renal-Friendly Lunch

What’s for lunch? You might remember a time when you’d head to your favorite fast food restaurant for lunch or have the meal-of-the-day in the cafeteria. But a lot of those meals contain more sodium, potassium, and phosphorus than you should consume when your kidneys aren’t fully functioning.

So how do you create a Renal-Friendly lunch? Follow these 6 tips to protect your kidneys, eat healthy, and enjoy the mid-day meal.

1. Focus on fresh

Processed foods tend to contain higher amounts of sodium, potassium, and phosphorus, three things you want to avoid or limit when you have renal disease. Instead of canned meat or fish, or processed cold cuts, pick a main-course meal from our Renal-Friendly menu. All of these meals are made from fresh ingredients, flash frozen, and ready to eat in minutes.

2. Eggs are eggs-ellent

Make an egg-salad and keep it refrigerator until lunch. Or order the fried-egg sandwich from the menu. Eggs are a good source of protein compatible with a Renal-Friendly diet. You may also like the Fried Egg Patties with Sweet Potatoes & Asparagus.

3. Watch out for excess sodium

If you like canned tuna or chicken for lunch, pay attention to the food label the next time you’re at the grocery store. A typical serving of canned tuna contains 270 mg of sodium, but if you choose the low-salt version, or rinse it before eating, you won’t have to worry. Try the Salmon & Vegetable Linguini or Chicken Paprika with Brown Rice & Green Beans.

4. Plan ahead

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. It’s true. Think about it. If you leave the house without a lunch or game plan to eat a Renal-Friendly meal, what happens when you’re hungry? There’s a good chance you’ll settle for a meal just to fill the void that doesn’t meet the guidelines to limit sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. That can be hard on your kidneys, and your health. And it doesn’t have to be that way. Stock up on Renal-Friendly meals, and you’ll be able to make a healthy lunch in minutes.

5. Don’t forget your phosphorus binders

Maybe you’re running late, out of town for work, or on vacation. At some point ,you’re bound to end up in a situation where packing a Renal-Friendly lunch doesn’t work. When that happens, do your best to stick to your diet. And don’t forget phosphorus binders to protect your health and your remaining kidney function.