If you are living with kidney disease at stages 3 or 4, snacks can be a healthy, beneficial part of your day. Not all snacks are created equal, however; you'll want to make sure that the snacks you choose fit in with your diet and lifestyle and that they provide the nutrition that your body needs. Fortunately, there are plenty of tasty snack options out there for those struggling with kidney disease!

In this blog post, we’ll analyze some of the best snack ideas for people who find themselves dealing with CKD stages 3 or 4. We’ll provide 4 easy kidney-friendly snacks that might work with your kidney condition. So be sure to read on for more information!

On the kidney diet, snacking is acceptable as long as you choose healthful options. A kidney-friendly fruit is a healthier choice than a snack that is high in sodium, such a small bag of potato chips.

You should also think about your entire dietary intake. It's not necessary to associate guilt with snacking. Your renal dietitian will go over the best snack options for you if your doctor advises you to up your calorie intake. When you don't have a lot of hunger, snacks might compensate for low-calorie intake.

Kidney-friendly snacks you can find at the supermarket

You may discover a variety of snacks at your neighborhood grocery shop by browsing the cookie or cracker aisles. However, you should limit or avoid several components that might be found in snack foods if you have CKD. 

If your kidneys can no longer keep these minerals in balance, your doctor or dietician may advise you to reduce your consumption of phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and calcium. There are many kidney-friendly, healthful, and delectable snacks out there; all you need to do is educate yourself about them and enlist the aid of your medical team.

Visit the vegetable aisle to find items that are beneficial for your kidneys if you're looking for a snack. The following foods are beneficial for kidney health:

• Carrot sticks

• Cherries

• Dried, sweetened cranberries

• Apples

• Blueberries

• Cherries

• Strawberries

• Red leaf lettuce

• Red bell peppers

• Raspberries

You can also munch on other foods that aren't in the vegetable area to mix things up. Observe nutrition labels and steer clear of anything with extra phosphorus.

• Graham crackers

• Low-sodium crackers

• Low-sodium or unsalted tortilla chips

• Rice cakes

• Unsalted pretzels

• Muffin (avoid bran and chocolate muffins, as well as ones with nuts)

• Animal crackers

• Bagels

• Bread sticks

• Croissant

• Unsalted popcorn

If you are losing weight as a result of a lack of appetite, several high sugar snacks may be suggested to increase calorie intake. Before ingesting sugary foods, check with your doctor if you have diabetes. Dietary limitations may result in undesirable weight loss for certain patients. If additional calories are required, these snacks can help.

• Fruit pie

• Gelatin

• Hard candies

• Jelly beans

• Marshmallows

• Popsicle

• Sherbet

• Shortbread cookies

• Sorbet

• Sugar cookies

• White or yellow cake

• Vanilla wafers

If you have low albumin, your dietician may recommend extra protein, snacks for you. To manage phosphorus, it may be advised that you take phosphate binders with protein-rich foods.

• Cottage cheese

• Chicken salad

• Eggs (hard-cooked, deviled, in a salad or egg whites)

• High-protein supplements (drinks or bars; check with your dietitian about the best choices)

• Sliced roast beef or turkey

• Tuna salad

Kidney-friendly snacks you can make at home 

Ingredients

32 ounces of pretzels, without salt

Canola oil, 1 cup

Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing and Seasoning Mix, 2 tablespoons

garlic powder, 3 tablespoons

3 teaspoons of dill weed, dried

Preparation

1. Bake at 175 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Pretzels should be evenly spaced out on two 18" × 13" baking sheets in order to lay level. Utilize whole bite-sized pretzels or cut up larger pretzels.

3. Dill and garlic powder should be combined. Put half of the seasonings aside. Add the dry salad dressing mix and 3/4 cup canola oil to the remaining half. Use your hands to make sure the pretzels are uniformly coated after pouring the mixture over them.

4. Every 15 minutes, turn the pretzels in the oven for an hour.

Pretzels should be taken out of the oven. After allowing them to cool, sprinkle the pretzels with the remaining garlic powder, dill, and oil. Enjoy!

Ingredients

16 cups of unsalted, popped popcorn

two cups of dark Karo® corn syrup

Brown sugar, two cups

1 cup water

vinegar, 1 tablespoon

Whipped butter, 4 tablespoons

Preparation

1. Pop some popcorn, then add it to a big bowl. Set away for a future purpose.

2. In a saucepan, combine syrup, brown sugar, water, and vinegar. Stirring continuously, cook over medium heat until mixture boils. For 15 to 20 minutes more, simmer while stirring nearly constantly over medium heat. Prepare for the hardball stage (until a small amount of mixture forms a hard ball when tested in very cold water.)

3. Remove from heat and mix in butter right away.

4. Mix well as you slowly pour the mixture over the popped popcorn in the bowl. Use as little pressure as possible when forming the balls.

5. Place each popcorn ball in an airtight container after wrapping it in plastic wrap.

Ingredients

4 cups of Rice Chex cereal by Ralston Purina

2 cups of Crispex cereal from Kellogg's

three cups of tiny oyster crackers

1 cup of pretzel twists without salt

5 tablespoons of unsalted, trans fat-free butter

10 grams of chili powder

1/8 teaspoon cumin powder

one-half teaspoon of garlic powder

an eighth of a teaspoon of cayenne

Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 tablespoons

lemon juice, 1 1/2 tablespoons

Preparation

1. Set the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Melt margarine in a 10-by-15-inch pan. Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and spices are all combined.

3. Sprinkle in cereals, crackers, and pretzels. For an even coating, toss.

4. 45 minutes of baking followed by 15 minutes of gentle mixing.

5. In order to cool, spread over paper towels.

6. Keeping in an airtight container.

Ingredients

2 medium-sized cucumbers

Salt, 1/8 teaspoon

A medium sweet onion, half

White wine vinegar, 1/4 cup

Canola oil, 1 tablespoon

black pepper, 1/8 teaspoon

1/2 cup sour cream with less fat

Preparation

1. Cucumbers should be peeled, thinly sliced, and placed in a medium-sized serving bowl.

2. Sprinkle salt on top. 15 minutes of letting it rest before rinsing and pressing away the extra moisture

3. onion, thinly sliced.

4. Toss in the remaining ingredients with the cucumbers.

5. Before serving, chill in the refrigerator.

The Bottom Line

You can indulge in guilt-free snacking if you eat sensibly and choose foods that support the demands of your kidneys. 

While it may seem daunting to make dietary changes, incorporating kidney-friendly snacks into your diet can make a big difference in managing your kidney health. There are many tasty and nutritious snacks that are safe for those with kidney disease to consume, but it's crucial to consult with a dietitian before making any changes to your kidney diet. 

Your Next Step 

If you want to know more about what foods you can eat and how to incorporate them into your kidney diet, you can start with a FREE DISCOVERY CALL with our advisor and find out if you are a good fit for our program: https://go.renaltracker.com/ALxQ