My husband is new to dialysis. Ideas for my husbands food and what to eat at home or in restaurants.

[Persimmonma]

I will Introduce myself a little later. But for now I desperately need help and what to fix for snacks and suppers for my husband. We are in the phase of learning everything about this dialysis and my husband and I are both older and I’m having a terrible time changing our food intake. If someone can just give me some ideas I want to keep on hand for him to eat on snacks, or for lunch, and when we eat out. He’s having a hard time controlling what he wants to eat and a lot of it is not what he supposed to eat. I just need some ideas on what to keep on hand. When we out what’s the best go to food to order. I’m in a wheelchair and cooking the main meals are difficult for me. I want to be a good caregiver.

[Hidden]

Without knowing much more to provide specific help let me send you to davita.com where if you look at their main bar you'll see a tab for Recipes. Click on that and you'll find a host of meals for various times of the day/year including snacks. I feel I should also say that unless you have his current blood labs it might be difficult to cut something out of his diet. The reality is that sodium is going to be the biggest item on the no list. He'll need some but there are many low sodium products and definitely, none added to cooking.

You can't know what and how his food is prepared at a restaurant. Knowing this, I decided to forego eating out. Going out to a restaurant for me was an enjoyable time. Knowing I have so many restrictions on food prep, including sodium, protein, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium I decided to forego that and do things myself. That way I can be sure of what I'm eating. Salads are safe but keep dressing on the side and if he is close to dialysis you'll have to control fluid intake and that will include fluids from foods as well as anything you drink.

Another good thing about the DaVita website is that all of the recipes list the amount of those five items mentioned above in each recipe and if they are good for patients on dialysis, not on dialysis or who have diabetes. The website will also give you the chance to find a free class on CKD in your area. They will explain stages, diet and End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) and answer many of the questions you will undoubtedly have.

It was hard to make these changes but the alternative was not a pleasant option for me and so I did it. I wish you the best of luck in getting through this.

[Persimmonma in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. Getting with the support group is new and I hope Will help enlighten me.

[cs65 NKF Ambassador]

Some snack foods that might be good are fresh fruit instead of cookies, carrot or celery sticks with either cream cheese or peanut butter give you that crunch you used to get from chips. Keep some hard boiled eggs on hand for breakfast protein or to make egg salad sandwiches (on white bread). Get in the habit of reading labels on everything you buy for sodium content, potassium content and phosphorus content. All those need to restricted on dialysis, as does his fluid consumption. Check with the dietitian at his dialysis center. His monthly bloodwork will give you a better idea of what he needs to change in his diet. Foods like peppers and onions with lean proteins or fish are good for suppers and add flavor, too. There are ways to prepare potatoes to get rid of some of the potassium, otherwise eat white rice or pasta. Use something like McCormick's garlic and pepper seasoning to add flavor without sodium to all kinds of foods. Lemon juice and garlic with olive oil makes a nice sauce for pasta, add chicken for protein. These are just a few ideas - good luck to both of you!

[KidneyCoach NKF Ambassador]

Try kidneyschool.org or kidney.org they have great information on this. Blessings

[gmasheryl]

Talk to your dietitian at the Dialysis Center - they should have education for you plus handouts, etc. Food choices are different depending on which type of dialysis he's on - peritoneal or hemo. And depending on his monthly labs, that will also help you in determining food choices. I've been on peritoneal dialysis since June of 2016. It took time to let everything "sink in" and learn the do's & don'ts. Eating out is a challenge since you really don't know how the food is cooked, etc. Watch for hidden sodium. Learn about reading food labels to help you with choices. There is really not a hard & fast diet for any of us on dialysis since each of us is different! I've been low on protein since the beginning. After my diagnosis, meat just was not appetizing at all. It's getting better. I eat eggs for breakfast each day and keep hard boiled eggs in the fridge for a snack. But if your husband's protein levels are high, then he would have to watch protein intake. See... it's so different for each of us! I get a copy of my monthly labs results which help a lot with determining how & what to eat. Does a dietitian meet with you monthly to go over the labs & offer suggestions? If not, ask for this. It's a great help. Good luck & hang in there.

[bfrankovich]

Does he do PD dialysis or Hemo?

[bfrankovich]

My name is Bridgette and I'm 30 yrs old and have been dealing with kidney disease since I ws 17. I've been thru it all, from 6 yrs of PD to getting a transplant, to it rejecting and now been on hemo dialysis since 2014. so If you have any questions please don't hesatite to ask.

[TamekaS NKF Peer Mentor NKF Ambassador]

davita.com has good recipes and thoughts about what to eat and what to avoid.

[Gotthecall_123]

U must have a dietician talk to them they can provide u with. All kinds of charts. Lititure! I was on dialysis my biggest issue was phosphorus and potassium what I didn’t get of the dietician I googled it! It realy helped me remember moderation is number rule! Also reading the nutricanal facts on the food u buy helps a lot! Was in dialyses for 7 years never give up no matter how hard it becomes I got a transplant 5 months ago and it all seems like the last 7 years where a bad dream! Good luck

Dave