HF 326

Kidney Health: Snack Ideas for Patients on Hemodialysis

Guidelines

Limit sodium to less than 200 mg at snack time. Always check food labels for sodium and serving size. Try to include a good source of protein. On any packaged items, avoid phosphorus additives. Check the ingredients list for “phos.”


Fruits

  • Small apple or pear

  • ½ cup apple sauce

  • ½ cup berries or cherries

  • ½ cup grapes

  • ½ cup pineapple (fresh or canned)

  • Small tangerine

  • ½ cup canned fruit


Vegetables

  • ½ cup broccoli

  • ½ cup cucumber slices

  • 2 large celery sticks

  • 4-6 small radishes

  • ½ cup carrot sticks

  • ½ cup cauliflower

  • ½ cup sweet pepper slices

  • Small lettuce salad

When choosing dips or dressings, aim for low-sodium choices (less than 100 mg sodium per serving) and limit serving size to 2 tablespoons or less.


Dairy

  • ½ cup Greek yogurt

  • ½ cup pudding (limit chocolate flavors)

  • ½ cup cottage cheese

Limit dairy to 4-6 ounces per day. When you choose it remember to take phosphorus binders.


Carbohydrates

  • Bagel or toast

  • Graham crackers

  • Teddy Grahams®

  • Pita chips

  • Unsalted pretzels

  • Rice cakes

  • Unsalted popcorn (try adding pepper or Mrs. Dash®)

  • Unsalted or low sodium crackers

  • Unsalted tortilla chips

Avoid potatoes, bran, and chocolate-coated products.


Protein

  • Hard boiled or fried eggs

  • 2 Tbsp. peanut butter (try on celery or apples, take phosphorus binder, limit to one serving per day)

  • Tuna, egg, chicken salad (sandwich, on crackers, or with veggies)

  • ¼ cup of walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts

  • Protein bar (aim for flavors with less than 150 mg phosphorus and less than 200 mg potassium). Ex: Pure protein bar, ONE bar, Balance bar, JiMMYBAR!™, and Aloha bar.


Desserts

  • ½ cup sherbet (count as fluid) or sorbet

  • popsicle

  • Low-fat Cool Whip® (add to fruit or Jell-O®)

  • ½ cup Jell-O®

  • Nilla® wafers

  • 4 Fig Newtons®

  • Small slice of angel food cake

  • Sugar free hard candies

Avoid eating a lot of sweets if you are trying to lose weight. Pick lower sugar options if diabetic.


Who to Call

If you are a UW Health patient and have more questions, please contact UW Health at one of the phone numbers listed below.

You can also visit our website at: www.uwhealth.org/nutrition.

Nutrition clinics for UW Hospital and American Family Children’s Hospital (AFCH)
(608) 890-5500

Nutrition clinics for UW Medical Foundation
(608) 287-2770