There’s an unfortunate misconception that dialysis-friendly diets have to be bland, boring, and downright dull. Don’t believe it! You’re still entitled to mouth-watering meals that you actually look forward to even during dialysis treatment.
As long as you’re closely monitoring your consumption of potassium, sodium, protein, phosphorous, and other dialysis-sensitive ingredients, then you’re good to go. Think that doesn’t leave you with a lot? Think again!
Breakfast: Hearty Omelet
What better way to kick off the day than with a filling, nutritious omelet peppered with some vibrant veggies? Not much! This hearty omelet packs a punch while keeping you within dialysis-friendly territory.
Ingredients
Use a liquid egg substitute with low cholesterol and margarine without any trans-fat. If you have those replacements covered, it’s a free-for-all in terms of vegetables. Choose what you enjoy the most and adjust portion sizes based on your overall calorie intake and what you plan to eat for the rest of the day.
Preparation
- Mix liquid egg substitute and trans-fat-free margarine in a bowl.
- Pour the mixture into a pan on medium heat.
- Toss your chopped-up vegetables on top.
- Fold over the omelet and serve.
Brunch: Scrumptious Pancakes
Okay, it’s not a meal you have every day, but it’s always a good idea to have brunch recipes in your cooking arsenal. You never know when you might need it! For this in-betweener meal, we’re going with an oldie-but-goodie: pancakes.
Ingredients
Nothing too fancy here. You’ll notice a few substitutes for “classic” pancakes, but that guaranteed-seconds flavor is still there.
- 2 cups of all-purpose flower
- 2 tablespoons of sugar
- 4 teaspoons of baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon of salt (optional)
- 4 egg whites
- 2 cups of low-fat milk
- 4 tablespoons of canola oil
- 2 tablespoons of maple extract
Preparation
No different than making your favorite pancakes, just with slightly different ingredients.
- Mix the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl.
- Combine the milk, maple extract, egg whites, and milk in another bowl.
- Put everything together in the larger bowl and mix until lumpy.
- Pour into a frying pan on medium-to-high heat.
Lunch: Sandwich Staple
Sandwiches are a lunch staple. They’re easy to make, incredibly versatile, and oh so good. But, how do you make a kidney-friendly hoagie? We’ve got you covered! This is a lunch special you’ll want to have for every meal.
Ingredients
Bread & Buns – Food labels will be your best friend when selecting the best bread for your sandwich. Look for something with relatively minimal sodium. Something around 200g per serving is a good place to aim. Avoid bread with phosphate additives or a bunch of nuts and seeds.
Vegetables – This is where your creative food freedom can really shine through. Other than sodium-rich veggies such as pickles and olives, you have a wide selection of vitamin and mineral-packed vegetables to use on your sandwich.
Meat – Picking your meats will be the toughest part, but not impossible! Deli meats are often high in sodium, so be sure to pick out options with lower levels. As with your bread selection, picking meats with 200 mg or less of sodium is a great goal. Choosing “organic” or “natural” meats might be a good option too. Just make sure to read labels carefully.
Preparation
Everyone constructs their sandwich masterpieces differently. We think you’ve got this part covered!
Snack: Tasty Treats
No diet is complete without a built-in snack to satiate those inevitable cravings. Stocking your shelves full of renal-accommodating snacks is a great way to keep yourself satisfied without risking veering off a healthy diet. Here are some fantastic snack options for dialysis patients. Don’t worry, no preparation required!
- Apples
- Carrots
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Graham Crackers
- Low-Sodium Crackers
- Rice Cakes
- Unsalted Popcorn
- Unsalted Pretzels
- Marshmallows
- Sherbet
- Shortbread Cookies
- Vanilla Wafers
Just make sure to read labels to ensure your snack choices are low in sodium, potassium, and phosphorus.
Dinner: Crock-Pot Chicken
Now for the pièce de résistance of a kidney-friendly diet. It’s easy to make but hard to stop eating. This slow-cook chicken recipe takes just a few minutes to prepare before you throw it in the crock pot and forget about it (not literally!) for a couple of hours. By the time you’re hungry for dinner, it’ll be nice and tender.
Ingredients
- Whole chicken
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 red bell pepper
- 2 ribs of celery
Preparation
As promised, this crock-pot chicken just takes a few minutes to prepare.
- Prepare the chicken by trimming fat and removing the skin.
- Cut up vegetables and place them in the cavity of the chicken.
- Place the chicken in a crock pot on a mid-to-high setting for around 3 to 4 hours depending on the size of the chicken.
Get dialysis treatment built around your life.
Just like you can have a renal-friendly diet that’s still flavorful and vibrant, you can live a fulfilling and rewarding life with dialysis treatment. All you need is the right provider who can accommodate your schedule and needs. At Dialysis Systems Management, we offer personalized acute dialysis solutions to meet the specific needs of each client. Contact us today to learn more about what it means to get the treatment you need while still leading the life you want.