Dialysis-Friendly Snacks

By TinaMarie Cerreta

Snacks are your friend:

Dialysis-Friendly Snacks: Sweet and savory treat ideas that satisfy cravings without compromising your lab numbers.

***Please understand that your best source of information pertaining to your specific diet is obtained from your Renal Dietician and Nephrologist. Always consult them first.


Hey Friends!

One super important thing I've learned since starting hemodialysis is that whether you're diabetic (like me) or not, your blood sugar drops during dialysis. So, I eat two snacks every session to keep my blood sugar from getting too low. As a diabetic, I have to be extra careful about low blood sugar. First and foremost, I ALWAYS have my glucose gel for emergencies. I use a gel pack called "Transcend". It's a glucose gel that raises your blood sugar pretty quickly. (It raises it about 15 to 45mg/dL within 15 minutes, depending on your body weight, metabolism, and if you're exercising. I like these more than the tablets, both for taste and because the tablets make my tongue tingle uncomfortably.)

So, I always bring two snacks to my dialysis treatments. First, I usually have six apple slices (I prep them by slicing three apples, soaking them for 4-5 minutes in a mix of three cups water and three tablespoons lemon juice. Then I pat them dry, put six slices in Ziploc bags, and keep them in the fridge).


For the second half of the session, I also bring 10 grapes. Another option is half a sliced red bell pepper. The red ones seem to be the best because they're fully ripened on the vine, which means they have the most nutrients, natural sugars, aqnd antioxidants. I also sometimes bring a quarter cup of blueberries or six medium strawberries. You could also bring a small apple or a pear (just don't forget the napkins!). Just so you know, all these options are equal to 2 oz of fluid each. There's also the option of 15 mini caramel (or whatever flavor you like) rice cakes( for 15 mini cakes: 26g carbs, 10g sugar (9g added), 240mg sodium, 50mg potassium, <50mg phosphorus) or one Rice Krispie Treat(1treat is approx 24g to 28g of carbohydrates and, 7g to 13g of sugar, depending on the specific variation and brand. The sodium content ranges from 105mg to 170mg, alongside min amts of potassium and phosphorus. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]) .

I like the minis because it feels like I'm eating more. I've seen people bring their breakfast or lunch to dialysis, and I've seen others with "not so good" choices. I just prefer to go for something healthy and more natural.

If you're looking for something savory, try 5 Utz unsalted sourdough pretzels (21g carbs, 80mg sodium, 30mg potassium, 10-20mg phosphorus, and 0mg sugar), 4 Walker shortbread (all butter) cookies (40g carbs, 12g sugar, 190mg sodium, 0mg potassium, ~20-30mg phosphorus) or 5 Archway crispy gingersnaps (25g carbs, 12g sugar-all added, 115mg sodium, 70mg potassium, ~10-15mg phosphorus). 
Another option is kale chips (you can find an easy recipe online; I try telling myself they're like potato chips, but they're not) or Skinny Pop popcorn (1oz bag = 3.5c; 15g carbs, 75-130mg sodium, 0 sugar, ~50mg potassium, ~30-40mg phosphorus), in single-serve bags. I'm being super specific because these are low in sodium, phosphorus, and potassium, and won't spike your blood sugar too much. (*I tend to buy my snacks in single serve bags. They're more costly, but they keep me honest and less likely to over-indulge. Also, I prepare my fruit into small ziploc bags so I can just grab them from the crisper and go.)
If you're craving more of a junk food snack, Cheez-Its single-serve bags (have 135mg phosphorus, 30mg potassium, 0mg sugar, and 230mg sodium). This is a great savory snack if you stick to one 1oz bag. Another good choice is Doritos single-serve, original flavor. (For a 1oz bag, it has 210mg sodium, 60mg potassium, ~20mg phosphorus, and no sugar.) The 2 snacks of fruit usually get me through until I go home and eat a nice, late lunch before a much needed nap. 
So, here is where we part ways,....at least until tomorrow. May your night be as sweet and decadent as an expensive bar of chocolate(the kind that won't cost you to eat it! LOL Thanks for reading my blog. --Tina

Here are some useful links:

DaVita Food Analyzer

NKF Nutritional Hub

Kidney Diet


My quote for you:

Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." – Hippocrates

Just Kidding!
My Links:

NKR (main)

Tina's Microsite(personal)

My Blog (site)

(Please, please, please share these links with everyone!)


Thank you for reading my posts.




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