COVID-19 Dietary & Safety Tips
In preparation for any unforeseen emergency situations, it is essential that patients maintain a proper kidney-friendly diet and nutrition plan that meets their individual needs. It is suggested that all patients maintain a variation of non-perishable renal-friendly supplies to last for a minimum of 2-weeks.
Planning ahead by creating a grocery store list by following the Kidney Care Center Kidney-Friendly Pantry Food listing below, minimizes the chances of forgetting any necessary supplies and assist in ensuring adherence to meal plans.
Grocery Shopping & Safe Practices
As dialysis patients fall within the high risk category for contracting COVID-19, it is highly recommended that they limit or eliminate exposure to the general public and all public areas, including grocery stores. Designating a member of the family or trusted friend to complete shopping needs should be priority.
All involved should follow proper CDC guidelines while venturing to the store. Remembering to:
- Disinfect shopping carts with an EPA-registered disinfectant.
- Many products recommend: Keeping surface wet for a period of time (review label for manufacturer's instructions)
- Avoid touching your face
- Practice social distancing maintaining 6 feet of separation at all times.
Kidney-Friendly Pantry Food List
- Bagels (except bran)
- Bread (except bran)
- Breadsticks (plain)
- Couscous
- Crackers (unsalted tops) or "reduced sodium")
- Cooked cereals: grits, cream of rice, cream of wheat
- Dinner rolls
- Dry cereals: Apple Jacks®, Cornflakes®,Corn Pops ®
- Corn or Rice Chex®,Fruit Loops®,Honeycomb®, Honey Smacks® Puffed Rice®, Rice Krispies®
- English Muffins
- Flour tortilla (6 inch)
- Hamburger or hotdog
- Hominy
- Malt-O-Meal® Matz
- Melba toast
- Muffin, small (no bran or nuts)
- Noodles, pasta, macaroni
- Oyster crackers
- Pita bread
- Rice (white or wild)
- Rice cakes
- Canned or Sealed: Applesauce
- Apricots
- Fruit cocktail
- Mandarin oranges
- Peaches and Pears
- Pineapple
- Juice: Cranberry Apple, Grape Pineapple, Fruit Punch, Lemonade, Limeade 1/2 Cup = 1 serving. Limit 2-3 servings per day
- Beef
- Chicken
- Egg or egg whites/
- Egg substitute
- Fish
- Lamb
- Fresh pork
- Peanut Butter
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Turkey
- Tofu *Freeze Meats to increase shelf-life
- Canned or Frozen: Bamboo shoots
- Water Chestnuts
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Corn
- Green beans
- Jicama
- Mushrooms
- Mustard Greens
- Peas (green)
- Pumpkin
- Butter
- Margarine
- Cream cheese
- Mayonnaise
- Miracle Whip
- Non-dairy creamers
- Salad dressing
- Sour Cream
- Vegetable oil ( olive oil, canola & grapeseed are good choices)
- Animal crackers
- Candy corn
- Chewing gum
- cinnamon drops (Red Hots)
- Cakes: (butter lemon, pound, spice, strawberry, white, yellow)
- Cookies (shortbread, sugar cookies, vanilla wafers)
- Cotton candy
- Doughnuts (cake or raised, sugar or glazed)
- Fruit ice
- Graham crackers (original)
- Gum drops
- Gummy bears
- Hard candy
- Hot Tamales® candy
- Jell-O®
- Lifesavers®
- Lollipops
- Marshmallows
- Newtons® (strawberry, apple, blueberry
- Non-dairy frozen topping (Cool-Whip® )
- Pie (apple, cherry, blueberry, peach, lemon)
- Popcorn (unsalted or reduced sodium)
- Pretzels (unsalted or reduced sodium)
- Rice cakes
- Rice Krispy bars
- Butter crackers (lowsodium)
- Sherbet
- Skittles®
- Strawberry shortcake
- Sweet rolls
- Sweet Tarts®
- Apple butter
- Artificial sweeteners
- Fresh brewed coffee, tea
- Jelly
- Ketchup
- Rice milk, unfortified
- Syrup,honey
- Sugar-free sodas without phosphate additives:
- sprite®
- Slice®
- rootbeer
- 7-Up®
- grape soda
- ginger ale
- cream soda
- Sierra Mist®
- Mountain Dew®
- Measuring cups, teaspoons, tablespoons
- Plastic knives, spoons, forks in case of water problems
- Napkins
- Disposable plates
- Disposable bowls
- Disposable cups
- Paper towels
- Can opener
- Soap or alcohol-based hand wash
- Thermometer
- Hand sanitizer
- Scissors
- Garbage bags
- Bottle of household chlorine bleach/cleansing agents
- Blood pressure cuff
- Surgical masks
- Sharp knife
- Sterile gloves
- First-AidKit
- Photocopies of dialysis information
- Diabetes supplies (if applicable)
- 2-week supply of medications