Kidney Diet Tips

No-Cook Summer Meal Ideas

Summer heat may run you out of the kitchen. Instead of ordering takeout or going out to eat, collect a few easy, no-cook summer meal recipes to make for lunch or dinner.

We’ll even show you how to make a DaVita favorite no cook meal, Mandarin Chicken Salad with this 60 second DaVita Eats video.

Although the original recipe calls for baking uncooked chicken, you can  substitute pre-cooked low-sodium chicken from the grocery store or from your own stocked freezer or refrigerator. Add the additional 4 ingredients and chill until ready to serve. Make a sandwich, serve with low-sodium crackers, or on top of a lettuce salad. When fresh mandarins are unavailable use canned mandarins (only 126 mg potassium for 1/2 cup).

A serving of Mandarin Chicken Salad has 18 grams high-quality protein. Adjust the portion to meet your protein needs. Add additional sides, a beverage and fruit salad or dessert for a satisfying no-cook summer meal.

What do others think about Mandarin Chicken Salad? One DaVita recipe rating gives it a 5-star and raves about how family and pot luck attendees love this dish.

A few variations and you can add your own twist to Mandarin Chicken Salad. Substitute cooked turkey or shrimp for chicken. Replace mandarins with low potassium grapes or pineapple. Reduce the mayonnaise and add a spoonful of Greek yogurt. Add your favorite salt-free herb seasoning or fresh herbs.

There are many more no-cook, kidney-friendly recipes to add to your summer collection. Collect a few recipes that include staples you already keep on hand. Look for easy recipes that have 5 ingredients or less. Here are a few of our favorite summer recipes to get you started today:

Crunchy Chicken Wraps

Salmon Salad Sandwich Filling

Tortilla Rollups

Triple Berry Salad with Cottage Cheese

Turkey Waldorf Salad

Additional Kidney Diet Resources

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.