Summer brings outdoor dining, grilling, and fresh fruits and veggies. But some popular barbecue foods, like hot dogs, sausages, packaged veggie burgers, bottled barbecue sauces, and marinades can be high in sodium. Luckily, you don’t have to avoid firing up the grill because there are still many low sodium kidney friendly BBQ foods, we’ll cover them here.
Grilling plant-based foods can be nutritious, vibrant, delicious, and satisfying while helping you watch your sodium intake. By using fresh produce, plant proteins, herbs, spices, and making your own marinades at home, there are endless possibilities for a summer barbecue that loves your kidneys back.
Why choose low sodium kidney friendly foods?
For many people with chronic kidney disease (CKD), sodium can be something to watch. If your kidneys aren’t functioning at full capacity, your body may struggle to regulate fluids and sodium levels. Too much sodium in your diet can cause thirst, fluid retention, swelling, and high blood pressure.
Sodium can easily add up at the grill. Processed meats, vegetarian meat alternatives, bottled sauces and marinades, store-bought seasoning blends, pickles and other condiments can all pack a lot of sodium.
Season your food with salt-free flavours instead, such as:
- Fresh or dried herbs
- Garlic and onion
- Lemon and lime juice
- Vinegar
- Black pepper
- Smoked paprika
- Cumin
- Oregano
- Basil
- Rosemary
- Salt-free seasoning blends
Tip: Always read the ingredient list on salt substitutes prior to consuming. Some may use potassium chloride in place of sodium. If you’ve been told to watch your potassium intake, these substitutes may not be suitable for you.
Low sodium kidney friendly BBQ foods
You may be wondering what you can fire up on the grill. Here are some of our top low sodium kidney friendly BBQ foods.
Colourful Grilled Vegetable Skewers
Skewers are a simple way to brighten up your barbecue. Try chopping zucchini, bell peppers, onions and pineapple chunks.
For added flavour, brush the vegetables on your skewer with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper and fresh herbs instead of using a bottled marinade. Grill until tender and slightly charred.
Enjoy your colourful kebab alongside rice, couscous or another grain that suits your personal kidney diet.
Smoky Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
Cauliflower can become a delicious plant-based centrepiece on the grill.
Cut a head of cauliflower vertically into thick “steaks.” Brush each side with olive oil and season with smoked paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, and your favourite salt-free herbs.
Grill until the cauliflower is tender with slightly charred edges. Finish with fresh lemon juice for an extra burst of flavour.
You can also cut cauliflower into florets and grill them in a reusable grilling basket if steaks are difficult to prepare.
Lemon Herb Grilled Zucchini
Occasionally the easiest foods are the best summer sides.
Slice zucchini longways and brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with garlic, oregano, black pepper and lemon zest. Grill until cooked through and charred on each side.
Finish with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley or basil when removed from the grill.
Acidity, fresh herbs, and grilling create tonnes of flavour here without salt.
Grilled Cabbage Wedges
Believe it or not, cabbage is great on the grill.
Slice cabbage into thick wedges with some of the core left intact to keep the leaves together. Brush with olive oil and season with garlic powder, smoked paprika, and black pepper.
Cook until there are crispy, slightly charred edges on the outside and tender insides. Squeeze lemon juice or splash some vinegar on top when done.
Add some fresh dill or parsley for another flavour variation.
Grilled Tofu and Veggie Kebabs
If it’s included in your personalized kidney diet plan, tofu is a great way to get plant-based protein for your summer BBQ. Cut up firm tofu into cubes and pair it with veggies like zucchini, peppers and onions. Instead of marinating tofu in standard soy sauce or teriyaki sauce (both high in sodium), whip up your own marinade.
Try combining: 2 tbsp olive oil + lemon juice + garlic + smoked paprika + black pepper + fresh herbs.
Allow the tofu and veggies to soak up the flavour before threading onto skewers and throwing them on the grill. If you buy tofu, pay attention to Nutrition Facts tables as sodium levels can vary by brand.
Grilled Pineapple Dessert
Your grill doesn’t only cook savoury meals!
Pineapple gets even sweeter as it cooks and the natural sugars caramelize. Slice pineapple into rings or chunks. Grill pineapple until you get grill marks on each side.
Eat as is or sprinkle with cinnamon. Try grilling fruit skewers with pineapple and other fruits that work for your kidney diet.
You’ll have an easy summer dessert without any super processed foods.
Plant-based foods and sodium
Just because something is “plant-based” doesn’t mean it’s low in sodium.
Packaged veggie burgers, meatless sausages, cheeses, sauces and prepared marinades can all be high in sodium. When comparing packaged foods, look at the Nutrition Facts tables of each product instead of automatically picking the plant-based option.
Try to opt for foods that say “low sodium” or “no salt added” if they’re available.
Cooking more of your meal with fresh or minimally processed ingredients also allows you to have more control over the sodium content of your food.
Make your own low sodium kidney friendly marinade
There’s no need for an involved recipe to make grilled food flavourful. Begin with these three ingredients:
Oil + acid + herbs and spices
Such as:
- Olive oil + lemon + garlic and oregano
- Olive oil + lime + smoked paprika and cumin
- Olive oil + balsamic vinegar + basil and black pepper
Making up your own marinades means you can tailor flavours to your liking, without excess sodium in bottled sauces.
Enjoy your low sodium kidney friendly BBQ
Eating a kidney-friendly eating pattern doesn’t mean skipping summer BBQs. You can grill up delicious foods on the barbecue that follow your personalized eating plan! Grilling is a great way to add flavour to plant foods without relying on salt. Load up your grill with colourful veggies, get creative with herbs and citrus, whip up some homemade marinades, and top it all off with grilled fruit for dessert. Keep in mind kidney nutrition is personalised. There are many strategies that work well for one kidney patient, but may need to be modified for someone else. This is especially true if you are watching the intake of potassium, phosphorus, protein or fluid.
You can have a colourful, plant-forward, lower sodium BBQ every day this summer with some planning and creativity!
This article was written by Nadine Abdelmalak, Nutrition Student Volunteer.
This article was reviewed by Emily Campbell, RD CDE MScFN.
