Take the Treats, Leave the Tricks this Halloween

For individuals on dialysis, holidays can be a challenging time to maintain a diet that supports health. This is especially true at Halloween with the full candy bowls, costume parties and festive black and orange goodies all around.

Halloween Tips

Here are three tips to enjoy the spooky season without getting tricked:

1. Choose the “treats” over the “tricks”. The “tricks” are those sneaky foods that easily add up in sodium, phosphorus and potassium. Common “tricks” are chocolate candy bars (even the bite-sized variety can add up quickly), cheese and cheese flavored snacks, and nut-containing bars. To stay on track, choose treats lower in sodium, phosphorus, and potassium. Examples include hard candy, gummies, unsalted popcorn, unsalted pretzels, and crispy rice treats. For more Halloween candy tips, check out the blog post “Halloween Candy Tips for Kidney Diets”.
2. Do not get tricked at home. It is easy to be tempted to munch on goodies if they are visible and easily accessible. Candy kept on a coffee table for guests are too tempting. Even items stored in a pantry at home may be tempting. Instead, stock kidney-friendly options for the trick-or-treaters and familiar faces to minimize temptation. Freeze leftover goodies or give them to a neighbor to avoid extra temptations.
3. Cook homemade treats. Have fun and celebrate the holiday with some  festive renal-friendly foods made at home. For something “gross” try the Glistening Frog Eye Salad. For something comforting try the Turkey Vegetable Chili. Also bring a kidney-friendly dish for the next costume party. DaVita.com has large a variety of recipes to choose from in the Tasty Halloween Recipe collection.

For more on selecting the best candies for a kidney diet read Kidney-Friendly Candy for Dialysis Patients on DaVita.com.

Chocolate candy bars may not fit into your diet, but that does not mean you cannot dress up like one. Be creative with your costumes and your treats!