The Snack Attack Solution for Dialysis Patients

You wake up in the middle of the night hungry for a snack. It’s mid-afternoon, and all you can think about is chomping down a snack to hold you over for dinner. Or you’re on a road trip, when your stomach tells you it’s time for an in-between-meals snack.

It’s an easy-grab-and-go solution for most people. But if you’re on dialysis to treat chronic kidney disease, you’ll need to think a little more about what you eat when you’re hungry for a snack. Your typical vending machine options or quickie-mart food probably won’t cut it.

What some good snacks are for dialysis patients? Here are some ideas:

Before you head to the grocery store, order off the menu, or grab-and-go at the quickie mart, you need to remember that when you’re on dialysis it’s critical to your health to limit sodium, potassium, and phosphorus. Get that squared away, and here are some Dialysis-friendly snacks you can enjoy:

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Most fruits and vegetables are safe to eat when you’re on dialysis. Try:

• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Grapes
• Raspberries
• Red bell peppers
• Red leaf lettuce
• Carrots
• Apples
• Dried cranberries

Safe-to-eat snacks

Hungry for something other than fruits and vegetables? Once you make your way through the produce section at the grocery store around the perimeter, head to the middle of the store for snacks like:

• Vanilla wafer cookies
• Shortbread cookies
• Sugar cookies
• Sorbet
• White or yellow cake
• Fruit pies
• Jelly beans
• Hard candy
• Marshmallows
• Popsicles

Snacks with protein

You may need to eat more protein when you’re on dialysis. But that’s doesn’t mean juicy T-bone steaks. Some healthy-protein options for people on dialysis include:

• Cottage cheese
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Protein supplement drinks
• Sliced or roast turkey
• Tuna

Still hungry for some Dialysis-Friendly snacks or meals? Check out the complete menu here.