Meal planning helps you make smart food choices and streamlines shopping. And if you’re living with chronic kidney disease (CKD), it’s an excellent way to support your health. Choosing the right foods and monitoring nutrition is important for helping you feel your best by eating well every day. Planning your kidney-friendly grocery list can be a piece of cake when you learn how to create your balanced kidney disease meal plan.
Stay ahead of kidney disease by eating well. Learn what nutrients to monitor and how to create your own tasty meal plan that’s great for your health.
If you’re living with CKD, your kidneys don’t balance the amounts of nutrients and waste in your body as efficiently as they should. By paying attention to which nutrients you’re taking in and watching portions, you can make this important job easier for your kidneys.
Every person has their own dietary needs, and depending on your stage of kidney disease and how it’s being treated, these requirements may change. For example, if you’re on dialysis, you may need to pay extra attention to your fluid intake and pump up the protein. If you have other health conditions like diabetes or heart disease, you’ll need to factor those needs into your diet as well. If you’re working with a dietitian, they can help you create a custom kidney disease meal plan that supports your whole health. If you’re not seeing a dietitian, talk to your doctor for meal-planning advice.
If you’re living with CKD, there are a few nutrients you’ll need to keep a close eye on. Here’s what you should remember when choosing meals to eat with kidney disease:
Eating fresh fruits, vegetables, and proteins is always a great option, but you can make kidney-smart choices when choosing packaged foods too. Packaged foods have nutrition labels that describe which vitamins, minerals, fats, and calories you can expect from each serving. The percent daily value (% DV) tells you how much each serving contributes to your daily diet (based on 2,000 calories per day). Keep a close eye on the % DV to keep your kidney disease meal planning on track.
To stay kidney-friendly, aim for the following % DV with each serving: