Kidney Diet Tips

Healthy Springtime Meals Celebration

March brings several reasons to celebrate health and to enjoy healthy meals. As the snow melts and the heavy rains subside, spring flowers and vegetables start to grow. With the milder weather, we’re typically more motivated to get outside. Fortunately, this means more fresh air and opportunities for exercise. This is a great time for a healthy springtime meals celebration. In addition, we celebrate these special events this month:

National Kidney Month is a good time for everyone to learn more about kidney disease. Checkout this video on the what causes kidney disease.

Spring Menu 

It’s a great time to switch over from a winter meal plan to one that includes new spring recipes. To get started check out “ Three Day Menu for a Spring Diet ” created by the DaVita Dietitian team. In addition to the ideas for springtime meals there are daily diet tips to help you organize your meal planning. Plus the menu includes meals that are kidney-friendly. They are easy to adjust to different levels of protein and potassium depending on your specific diet needs.

Potassium Refresh

If you are on a low potassium diet, take time to refresh your memory about produce options that are low in potassium by reading “ Low Potassium Early Spring Vegetables”. Check with your dietitian to know how many servings of fresh fruits and vegetables to aim for each day. Don’t cut yourself short and miss the health benefits from the fiber, antioxidants and nutrients that produce adds to your diet.

For individuals not on a potassium restricted diet, it is recommended they aim for 4,700 mg potassium each day. This level can be easier to reach with a DASH diet (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) or a Mediterranean way of eating. If you are unsure about the appropriate levels of potassium you should consume, ask your health care team. It is important not to restrict potassium if you do not need to limit it.

Recipes and Cookbooks 

Looking for recipe ideas for healthy springtime meals? My favorite kidney-friendly spring salad is Strawberry and Goat Cheese Spring Salad from the DaVita.com recipes. For more meal ideas download one of the Today’s Kidney Diet Spring  cookbooks:  Simply Spring, Fresh Spring Recipes and Springtime Favorites.

What are your favorite healthy spring foods and meals?

Visit DaVita.com and explore these diet and nutrition resources:

DaVita Food Analyzer

DaVita Dining Out Guides

Today’s Kidney Diet Cookbooks

DaVita Kidney-Friendly Recipes

Diet and Nutrition Articles                                                      

Diet and Nutrition Videos

Kidney Smart® Virtual Classes

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Consult your physician and dietitian regarding your specific diagnosis, treatment, diet and health questions.

Sara Colman, RDN, CDCES

Sara Colman, RDN, CDCES

Sara is a renal dietitian with over 30 years experience working with people with diabetes and kidney disease. She is co-author of the popular kidney cookbook "Cooking for David: A Culinary Dialysis Cookbook". Sara is the Manager of Kidney Care Nutrition for DaVita. She analyzes recipes and creates content, resources and tools for the kidney community. In her spare time Sara loves to spend time with her young grandson, including fun times together in her kitchen.