Are you a chronic kidney disease (CKD) patient who struggles to know the best ways to eat and prepare your meals? This is a common concern for many patients. Fortunately, there are many resources available to help. Discover some trusted “go-tos” that will give you guidance and kidney-friendly recipes to get you on the right track. 

Cukebook

Anthony Valentine, the creator of Cukebook, was diagnosed with CKD in 2017. Fortunately, his degree in Culinary Arts and Nutrition helped make figuring out the CKD diet a little easier. He created Cukebook to share his knowledge, including recipes, nutrition guides, food analyzers, and more products that he loves. 

With a free subscription to Cukebook, you can:

• Save recipes to your recipe box
• Build meal plans in your recipe box
• Create and print shopping lists 
• Comment and review posts and recipes
• Receive a monthly newsletter
• Use the food analyzer 

AKF’s Kidney Kitchen

American Kidney Fund (AKF) is a leading resource for CKD patients. They realize food is tied to culture, family tradition, and even a sense of self. They kept this in mind when they created Kidney Kitchen and strived to help CKD patients navigate healthy eating. 

With the Kidney Kitchen, you may:

• Dive into what each nutrient means for kidney disease
• Learn how much nutrients common foods contain
• Learn what healthy eating means at each stage of kidney disease
• Discover practical cooking techniques and even some CKD cooking hacks
• Find kidney-friendly recipes and watch cooking videos

NKF’s Recipe Collection

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) is a pioneer of scientific research and a trusted source for both patients and clinicians. They believe nutrition is key for managing CKD and your overall health. They have over 100 recipes on their Recipes page, which can be narrowed down based on stage of CKD, other dietary restrictions, and meal type. 

Recipes from the ADA

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of CKD. Therefore, many patients must learn to combine the diet guidelines for diabetes and CKD. The American Diabetes Association recognizes this challenge and has helped create dishes to fit both diets. Their recipe tool allows you to narrow down recipes by ingredients, diet restrictions, cultural cuisine preferences, and meal type. 

Why Is A Registered Dietitian Important?

If you have CKD, it is recommended to speak with a registered dietitian (RD) before making any diet changes. Every person’s body absorbs and processes foods and nutrients differently. An RD can analyze your bloodwork, current diet, and overall health status to help give you guidance on your dietary needs.

Ask your doctor about getting a referral to see a registered dietitian. Some health insurance plans will cover visits to a dietitian for people in earlier stages of CKD. If you are on dialysis, your center will provide you with a dietitian. To check if your insurance covers a dietitian, call the phone number on the back of your insurance card or find the number online and ask to speak with a representative about your plan. 

American Kidney Fund, Inc. (2021, June 21). Home. Kidney Kitchen. https://kitchen.kidneyfund.org 

In-text citation

Diabetes FoodHub. (2021, June 1). Recipes to Help Manage Kidney Disease. https://www.diabetesfoodhub.org/articles/new-recipes-to-help-manage-kidney-disease.html 

Kidney-Friendly Recipes. (n.d.). National Kidney Foundation. Retrieved December 8, 2021, from https://www.kidney.org/recipes-search    

Valentine, A. (2021, October 20). Home. Cukebook. https://www.cukebook.org