The Renal-Friendly Guide to Grocery Shopping Fails

You’re doing all the right things to protect your kidneys and your health. You know, taking medications, showing up to appointments, and cooking Renal-Friendly foods. Then you go to the store to do some kidney disease-friendly grocery shopping…

Have you ever heard of Murphy’s Law? You know…if anything can go wrong, it will.

For example, you get to the store with a perfectly-planned list of ingredients for Renal-Friendly meals. And then something happens that throws everything off.

It happens. But if you’re prepared, it’s easier to make adjustments to your kidney disease grocery list and stick to your plan to follow a Renal-Friendly Diet.

Here are 10 things you can do when a Renal-Friendly food item isn’t available:

1. Plan for alternatives

If the item you’re looking for isn’t available, is there an alternative, different product or brand? Think ahead, and this simple inconvenience will be easy to remedy.

2. Google it

Oh no, the Renal-Friendly food item you wanted is out. Now what? Pick up your phone and Google: “best substitute for [item].”

3. Read food labels

Not sure what will work as an alternative? Pick up a similar food product and read the label. Pay attention to sodium, potassium, and phosphorous content.

4. Check the health foods and imported foods section

Maybe the item you’re looking for is out of stock, and there isn’t a suitable alternative on the shelf. Before you give up, find the health foods or imported foods section. You may find a Renal-Friendly option there that isn’t stocked with the item you’re looking for.

5. Check all options.
Is the Renal-Friendly food you’re looking for available in a canned, frozen, or pre-packaged version?

6. Order online
Let’s say the item you’re looking for isn’t in the store. And there isn’t an alternative. Do you have to scrap the Renal-Friendly recipe you were planning on making?

Not yet. You may be able to order what you need online. If you do, maybe buy some extras so you’re not left empty handed again.

7. Visit another store
So your main grocery store doesn’t have what you need. Maybe the item is out of stock. Maybe they don’t carry it any more. Before you give up, make a trip to another store and see if their inventory is different.

8. Recruit your family & friends

If there’s a hard-to-find item on your shopping list to make Renal-Friendly foods, ask your family and friends to be on the lookout for it when they go shopping. You can even pay them digitally with tools like CashApp, SquareCash or Venmo.

9. Buy in bulk

If you buy a large roast or lots of hamburger, you’ll save money and you can portion it out to fit your needs.

10. Make your life easier
Instead of stressing about meal planning, food prep, cooking and clean-up, you can make your life a lot easier with a little help.

• Check out our complete list of Renal-Friendly meals made from fresh ingredients (and low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus).
• Pick your favorites, there’s even dessert options. Yum!
• And you’ll have your next meal ready in minutes.