Low Sodium BBQ

Halloween is around the corner, don’t allow your chronic kidney disease (CKD) to spook you out of enjoying the day. If you have been told by your doctor or healthcare team to limit phosphorus and potassium in your diet, Halloween can be scary. Chocolate, caramel, nuts, and dried fruit are foods that are high in phosphorus and potassium and are common ingredients for Halloween candy. So, what can you have?

The following treats are some examples of low phosphorus and potassium treats, so enjoy! If you are a diabetic, consume with caution. You can also consider low sugar versions of treats.

Chewy/gummy candies:  starburst, skittles, taffy, tootsie rolls, chewing gum, gummy bears, jelly beans, dots and other chewable/gummy candies.

Baked goods: Rice Krispy treats, cookies (vanilla wafers, short bread, ginger snaps), cake (vanilla, strawberry, lemon, pound), animal crackers

Hard candies: jolly ranchers, lollipops, life savers, butterscotch, lemon drops, peppermints

Common Halloween treats: candy corn, candy apples, Halloween pumpkins, marshmallows (peeps)

Other: unsalted popcorn, unsalted pretzels, fun dip

Treats that should be limited or avoided for Halloween are: candy or cookies with chocolate, nuts, peanut butter or combination of these food like Snickers or Twix; caramel apples, pumpkin seeds, and dried fruit (raisins).

A few extra tips:

If prescribed a phosphorus binder, take as prescribed so phosphorus does not trend up.

If you are on dialysis, do not skip treatments or reschedule if you cannot make it on the holiday.

Read the ingredient list for added phosphorus (look for anything that has phos in it like monocalcium phosphate).

Consult with your doctor or dietitian if you have any additional question regarding which Halloween treats ae good for you.

Happy Halloween!