Hungry? Not sure what to eat when you get the munchies? The following are some ideas on what to eat in between meals to help you maintain your nutritional well being without all that extra potassium and phosphorus. Each “smart snack” contains less than 130 milligrams (mg) of potassium and less than 80 mg of phosphorus. Check with your renal dietitian on the number of servings that are appropriate for you.
SMART SNACK SERVING SIZE
Pretzels, unsalted |
1 cup |
Popcorn, plain or caramel |
1 ½ cups |
Bread sticks |
2 each |
English muffin |
½ muffin |
Plain bagel with 1 tbsp. cream cheese |
½ bagel |
Graham crackers |
4 squares |
Rice or Corn Chex cereal |
1 cup |
Fruit cocktail, canned |
½ cup |
Apple, fresh |
1 small |
Blueberries, fresh |
1 cup |
Five minute Berry Sherbet* |
½ cup |
Oatmeal or cream of wheat |
½ cup |
Nilla Vanilla Wafers |
10 |
Shortbread cookies or sandwich cookies |
4 |
Grapes |
15 small |
Favorite Heavenly Hash* |
½ cup |
Fruit pie |
1/8 pie |
Pop tart |
1 pastry |
Doughnut, plain without nuts or chocolate |
1 doughnut |
Dry cereal, ready to eat |
1 ounce |
Fig Newtons |
2 cookies |
Angel food cake |
1 med slice |
Pound cake, unfrosted |
1 med slice |
Popsicle |
One bar |
Fruit Juice Bar |
1 bar |
Sorbet |
½ cup |
* Recipes provided below.
Five-Minute Berry Sherbet
Ingredients:
- 1 pkg. (10 ounce [oz.]) frozen strawberries;
- 1 tbsp. lemon juice;
- 1 cup crushed ice;
- 6 oz. frozen liquid non-dairy creamer, thawed; and
- ½ cup sugar.
Recipe Preparation:
- Break strawberries into chunks.
- Place all ingredients in blender. Cover and blend on high speed until smooth–about two minutes.
- Pour into refrigerator tray. Cover and freeze.
- When almost frozen, put back into blender. Blend for one minute on high. Freeze until firm.
Portions:
- Servings: 4;
- Portion size: ½ cup;
- One serving: ½ fruit, one fat, and three sweet exchanges
Nutrient Information:
- 235 calories (cal);
- 0.5 grams (g) protein;
- 10 mg sodium;
- 20 mg potassium;
- 10 mg phosphorus; and
- 100 cc fluid.
Favorite Heavenly Hash
Equipment Needed:
- Measuring cups;
- Measuring spoons; and
- Large mixing spoon.
Ingredients:
- 17-oz. canned fruit cocktail, drained;
- 19-oz. can crushed pineapple, drained;
- 2 cups (16 oz.) non-dairy whipped topping;
- 2 cups miniature marshmallows (rainbow colored); and
- 12 maraschino cherries.
Recipe Preparation:
- Mix ingredients together in large bowl;
- Refrigerate; and
- Serve chilled.
Portions:
- Servings: 8.
- Portion size: ½ cup.
- One serving: one fruit and two sweet exchanges.
Nutrient Information:
- 165 cal;
- 90 mg potassium;
- 0.5 g protein;
- 10 mg phosphorus; and
- 10 mg sodium.
Recipes have been provided by the Everyday Eating Cookbook, written by the Illinois Council on Renal Nutrition. Recipes are reprinted with permission from the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, Inc.
About the Author
Maria Karalis, MBA, RD, LDN, is a Nutrition Consultant and Writer and has worked in the nephrology field for over 17 years. She enjoys writing for healthcare professionals and people with chronic kidney disease (CKD) with one goal in mind: helping CKD patients live their life to the fullest. This article was originally published on the iKidney.com website, supported by Watson Pharma, Inc.
Web ID 436