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Holiday Meal Planning
November 10, 2022
Don’t become overwhelmed while trying to plan a renal-friendly holiday meal. Use the suggestions below to make dinner planning easier and to wow yourself and your loved ones!
Making your Holiday Meal Kidney-Friendly
Choose a high protein entrée
- Roast pork, roasted chicken or turkey, or a tenderloin make for a delicious and protein-rich main entrée to help maintain your albumin.
- Avoid proteins injected with sodium phosphate additives; check the ingredient list for the letters “p h o s.”
- Make homemade gravy and use fresh and dried seasonings and herbs to make it flavorful.
- Deviled eggs and quiche can be great high-protein appetizers and sides.
Choose low potassium vegetable and fruit sides
- Glazed carrots, sauteed cabbage, roasted cauliflower, steamed green beans.
- Leach or double boil potatoes and sweet potatoes to decrease the potassium content.
- Make your cranberry sauce from scratch as an alternative to the sugary canned versions.
High fiber starches
- Make homemade stuffing to avoid the high phosphorus and sodium that can be found in the boxed mixes.
- Spice up rice pilaf or wild rice with caramelized onions, cranberries, julienned carrots or roasted yellow squash.
- Dinner rolls, buttered noodles
Low potassium and phosphorus desserts
- Choose fruit pies like apple, cheery and peach cobbler are better options than pumpkin, sweet potato, and pecan pies or chocolate desserts.
- Angel food cake, pound cake and carrot cake are also great options.
- Use non-dairy whipped topping, check the ingredient list for the letters “p h o s”.
Control your fluid intake
- During dinner, choose one 8-ounce drink and sip on it slowly.
- Talk to your doctor about alcohol, and consume in moderation.
- Choose lemon lime soda, ginger ale, sparkling cider, hot cider and low potassium juices.
- Avoid hot chocolate and eggnog as they are higher in phosphorus.
Enjoying your Meal
- Make sure to enjoy a hearty, protein-rich breakfast so that you aren’t starving by dinner.
- Keep your phosphorus binders handy. Use smaller plates and cups to monitor serving sizes.
Author
Raag Shanker, RDN, LD
Renal Registered Dietitian