Search Foods
Home › Guides › ordering at restaurants

Dining Out with CKD: How to Order at Any Restaurant

20 foods rated from this table

What to know about restaurant meals with CKD

Restaurant food is the hardest environment for the three daily limits this site tracks: sodium is added for flavour, sauces hide phosphorus additives, and portions run large. The strategy is not to skip eating out but to order with the numbers in mind — plain protein, sauce on the side, vegetables instead of fries. The ratings below show which common menu items stay inside the limits.

How to order at any table

Ask for grilled or broiled protein with no added salt, sauce and gravy on the side, and a vegetable or salad instead of the starch. Water with lemon replaces the soda. These three moves keep a restaurant meal close to the friendly end of the list.

Ratings for ordering at restaurants

Kidney-friendlyOil, soybean, salad or cookingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, rice branK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, sesame, salad or cookingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, cottonseed, salad or cookingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, safflower, salad or cooking, linoleicK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, safflower, salad or cooking, high oleicK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, corn, industrial and retail, all purpose salad or cookingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, peanut, salad or cookingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, soybean, salad or cookingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyVegetable oil, palm kernelK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyShortening, household, lard and vegetable oilK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyShortening bread, soybean and cottonseedK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyFish oil, herringK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyFish oil, menhadenK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyFish oil, menhaden, fully hydrogenatedK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyFish oil, salmonK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, industrial, canola with antifoaming agent, principal uses salads, woks and light fryingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, industrial, canola for salads, woks and light fryingK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyOil, vegetable, soybean, refinedK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mgKidney-friendlyFat, chickenK 0 · P 0 · Na 0 mg

Practical tips

Related guides

Condiments & Oils food ratingsCKD diet guideLow potassium dietLow sodium dietDialysis dietHow we rate foods

Frequently asked questions

How do I order steak at a restaurant with CKD?

Ask for it grilled or broiled with no added salt and no marinade. Steak rates moderate in the database — the sodium usually comes from seasoning and sauces, not the meat itself.

Can I eat soup when dining out with CKD?

Restaurant soups are among the highest-sodium items on the menu, and canned condensed versions rate high-risk in the database. If soup matters to you, ask for the broth on the side and keep the portion small.

What is the safest restaurant order for CKD?

Grilled chicken or fish with a vegetable side and salad with dressing on the side, water to drink. The friendly list below shows the menu items that stay inside the daily limits.