I need snack ideas

[ESRD Survivor]

I don't know what to snack on that would help up my protein.  I am sick of meat and eggs and I don't do protein powder.  Yogurt, milk, cottage cheese are high in potassium, so I don't buy those.  Any other ideas?

[sullidog]

Here's a few unsulted pretcils, unsulted popcorn, gramcrackers, tortia chips, shortbread cookies.

[Zach]

...  Yogurt, milk, cottage cheese are high in potassium, so I don't buy those.  Any other ideas?

Are you sure about the high potassium or do you mean high phosphorus?

Depending which brand you buy:
Feta cheese, 1 oz:  Phosphorus, 96 mg    Potassium, K 18 mg   Protein 4 grams
Brie, 1 oz:  Phosphorus, 53 mg    Potassium, K 43 mg   Protein 7 grams
Fontina, 1 oz:  Phosphorus, 98 mg    Potassium, K 18 mg  Protein 7 grams
Cottage Cheese, creamed, large or small curd, 1/2 cup:  Phosphorus, 95 mg    Potassium, K 18 mg   Protein 15 grams

With cottage cheese, you get the biggest protein bang with a modest amount of phosphorus and very little potassium.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

 

[okarol]

...  Yogurt, milk, cottage cheese are high in potassium, so I don't buy those.  Any other ideas?

Are you sure about the high potassium or do you mean high phosphorus?

Depending which brand you buy:
Feta cheese, 1 oz:  Phosphorus, 96 mg    Potassium, K 18 mg   Protein 4 grams
Brie, 1 oz:  Phosphorus, 53 mg    Potassium, K 43 mg   Protein 7 grams
Fontina, 1 oz:  Phosphorus, 98 mg    Potassium, K 18 mg  Protein 7 grams
Cottage Cheese, creamed, large or small curd, 1/2 cup:  Phosphorus, 95 mg    Potassium, K 18 mg   Protein 15 grams

With cottage cheese, you get the biggest protein bang with a modest amount of phosphorus and very little potassium.
http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/

 

 

[ESRD Survivor]

Dairy has both potassium and phos.  I don't like the cheese you listed except Cottage Cheese.  Think I will buy some to help boost my protein and not worry about the potassium as there isn't much.  Thanks for the info.

[jadey]

Guys I have the same problem.

I really need more snack ideas. My phosphorous has been high and my protein is low.

I honestly find it very difficult to have lots of meat without added sauces/salt UNLESS it is deep fried or breaded.. which is probably bad for me. I think tofu is gross. I like eggs but too much egg yolk means higher phos... egg whites by itself are gross.

I need snack ideas. I'm tired of eating unsalted crackers and white toast..

I love cheese... NOT cottage cheese though.

I lost so much weight already because of the lack of options.

[Rain]

for up my protein I eat meat.. mmm meat..  I cook a bunch of turkey or chicken sausage patties, home made no sodium very yummy, will post recipe soon my blog.  And freeze them.  When I want one, i just defrost in my microwave and snack.

[mcclane]

what about items similiar to boost or ensure ?  Other than that, meat is the only other thing i can think of (i'm not suggesting tofu as i wouldn't eat it either, well not by itself).

for meat, i used to add seasoning salt, but you can use other non salt seasonings like pepper, onion/garlic powder ... eventually you don't even miss the salt

[Riverwhispering]

Over the years I've made this spread sheet with the foods I pretty much can eat on a renal diet.  I got the info for them on NutritionData.com

As far as the lowest for cheese it's

Brie 1oz Potassium 42.5mg and Phosphorous is 52.6mg

Cream Cheese 1oz Potassium 38.6mg and Phosphorous is 29.7mg

Sour Cream (Cultured) 1oz Potassium 39.5mg and Phosphorous is 32.2mg

Cottage Cheese (Creamed) 1oz Potassium 29.1mg Phosphorous is 44.5mg

I made up a really kewl soup using chicken broth, cooked chopped cabbage and an ounce of sour cream with a little May Ploy hot sweet chili sauce in it... call me weird but it tastes good!!!

[Katonsdad]

For snacking on warm days I always ate frozen grapes/ Wash them . then drey them and feeeze.
A nice cool  and tasty snack

[MomoMcSleepy]

ugh.  My husband and I read every panel on every cottage cheese tub, and the best combo of low sodium and los potassium was low-fat lactaid cottage cheese.  K+=130mg, and sodium was 380 (yikes).  I don't like the taste, but you can add fruit to it.. I did not see 18mg potassium, but then i was also looking for low sodium and cottage cheese is bad for that.  What brand has 18mg?

I also dip wheat thins in cream cheese, but you have to limit yourself because of sodium...and wheat...maybe unsalted crackers or pretzels?

I have mini bagels, too.  If I feel sick I have a little peanut butter, but only a very little, phosphorus is bad.  It's more of an emergency low sugar measure.

The protein Is tough, but there are some plant forms of protein , too, do "research"  (google search) these.  Just make sure you get enough animal protein or amino acid supplements if you're cutting way back (ask dietician or doc if you make that kind of commitment).

[MomoMcSleepy]

Zach, great info and link, thanks!  I love cheese and am trying to have what little is ok for me. 

[Cynna66]

You could probably make a dip with soft tofu, sour cream, and cream cheese. You get added protein without noticing the soy flavor too much because the cream cheese and sour cream take center stage. Add some minced onion and your own choice of fresh herbs, a little pepper for pop. Eat it with bagel or pita chips or veggies and it's a good higher protein snack without the meat. Honestly, a good greek yogurt is ok to have so long as it's your dairy serving for the day. And don't forget your binders!

[Jean]

Croutons!!!! Have no phos and no potassium. I was snacking on the store bought brand, but think I will start making my own.

[Jean]

 

[kristina]

One of my favourite snacks on a lousy day is pancake-soup..
I make pancakes on my crepe-maker and then I cut the pancake into little pieces
and put them into a bouillon and it always lifts me up a little...
... pancake-soup is very easy on the body and has never had a bad effect on my kidneys...

... another version of a refreshing snack is to "garnish" a pancake with a little jam
and put some pieces of apples and pears on it ...

... a "rustic" version would be to put some (cooked) vegetables on the pancake ...

There are so many different versions with pancakes and it always tastes very nice...

[goofball]

Golden Oreos?

We made a blind taste test at home and we all agreed they taste the same as the black and white ones.

[shayron1982]

I use Mrs dash seasonings because they are low in potassium & taste pretty good.

[Jean]

Okay then, home made croutons and dip them in marshmallow fluff. Deeeevine!!!

[Sammiegrl]

I love  pretzel crisps  smeared with  cream cheese.  The whipped kind is great because it's fluffy and easy to spread.  Yumm!

[iolaire]

I've been eating small single serve hummus packages well at the center, but from looking up the results in Zack's links it seems like I probably should find something else with lower phosphorus.

[kristina]

I've been eating small single serve hummus packages well at the center

Is it safe to eat hummus when the kidney function is frail?
On my journeys through the East I ate hummus very regularly 
and because of that I bought some hummus here (in UK),
but it tasted completely different
and I begun to wonder what the producer had put in it?
How reliable is it to eat hummus in ESRF with a frail kidney function?

Thanks from Kristina.

[Darthvadar]

Mum's on PD which drains out protein...

Not keen on meat, and would throw fish at you!... Hates it!...

Her Neph. has suggested nuts....

Suits her, but again, no harm in checking if it's suitable for others....

Darth...

[gothiclovemonkey]

no salt pretzels with strawberry cream cheese- sounds weird but tasttes like cheesecake!

im not sure if we can do grahm crackers but that would probably be even more tasty!

[Karlise13]

You can mix cream cheese with vanilla or strawberry protein powder. It's a nice spread for your crackers or bagels and will give you protein to boot. I give my patients strawberry Boost or Nepro mixed in a blender with frozen strawberries for a "smoothie". You haVe to add a little more sweetener to it if you want to freeze it into popsicles, but that is also really good! I also make zuchinni muffins and put extra eggs and Boost in the mix. It's one way to get the protein without having to taste the  protein. I realize not everyone likes that taste. The baked goods hide them really well. I mentioned zuchinni muffins becuase it's an allowed vegetable and it also helps hide the vegetable, if you dont' care for zucchinni! Muffins freeze well so you can make a batch that will last a long time. You can also make cookies using Boost or Nepro instead of milkl and put in extra eggs.