Tips for Tasty, Dialysis-Friendly Summer Meals on the Grill

Five Tips for Dialysis Patients on Healthy Summer Eating

Make a grocery list and stick to it. When choosing your grilling menu, pick foods high in protein and low in saturated fat, such as lean meats, poultry and fish.
Choose dialysis-friendly fruits and vegetables. When grilling, use low-potassium vegetables such as summer squash, onions and peppers.
Add flavor with herbs. Use seasonings instead of salt to flavor meats, side dishes and appetizers. Basil, rosemary, lemon and garlic are great ways to enhance the flavor of food, as is garlic powder or no-salt Italian seasoning.
Be careful with cheese. Avoid high-phosphorous cheeses such as American and Parmesan. Instead, try substituting one ounce of mozzarella, Swiss, Provolone or brie when grilling.
Watch your fluids. Hot weather tends to increase thirst. To avoid drinking excess water or other liquids, try sucking measured amounts of frozen grapes or ice cubes instead. Limiting salt intake can also reduce cravings for liquid.

Still looking for ideas? Try McCargo’s delicious low-sodium, dialysis-friendly turkey burger recipe that’s perfect for summer cookouts!

For a complete list of dialysis-friendly recipes, as well as fitness tips, videos and other information about staying active and maintaining a healthy diet on dialysis, visit FMCNA’s Healthy Lifestyles website. For more information about kidney disease and dialysis, call toll free at 1-888-325-5175.