Wife needs to start a renal diet looking for a milk substitute for cooking

[Revanchist]

Because she needs to try to avoid the "three P's" (potassium, phosphorus, and protein) I'm trying to find a good substitute for the whole milk she normally uses when making dishes like mashed potatoes and the like. My initial research shows that almond has the lowest numbers but I would like to hear from anyone that normally cooks with non-dairy alternatives and which ones work the best for them.

Thanks for the input.

[pinto]

1. Has she consulted with a professional nutritionist in collaboration with her MD?

I'd encourage that course. All the best to you both.

[Revanchist]

2. Not yet, she's still inpatient

That will be done once she's released but I'm trying to get a jump on the whole situation and have some food in the house for when she comes home. She just found out that she shouldn't have dark soda's because of the phosphorus, and she normally drinks Dr. Pepper or its generic so we'll have to change that out. I'm want to have stuff she can eat in the house before hand though.

[pinto]

3. If her insurance covers it, inpatient is the best time for a consult if possible. Pre-release.

Then you and she can plan ahead a bit. Encourage that she asks for that as part of discharge planning. It's a comprehensive picture.

[Revanchist]

4. Apparently the dialysis center has a nutritionist to talk to

and they have free classes to help you out.

[pinto]

5. Cool. Wish her the best.

[Warpy]

11. A nutritionist would tell her that an occasional splash of milk in the mash

won't hurt her but she needs to be aware of how many of those "splashes" she's eating per day. In other words, if she's eating potatoes whipped with milk, she needs to lay off the milk in her coffee or tea.

I've found non dairy milk to give a lot of foods an off flavor, especially savory foods, so I'll opt for water, instead, and compensate with a little extra fat for richness. If she can find unflavored rice milk, it's not as weird as the soy or nut milks.

For drinks, you can't beat sparkling water, cheap with a Soda Stream setup. However, she can still have some of the fruit flavors of soda.

A list of lower phosphorus "swaps" is here: http://www.davita.com/kidney-disease/diet-and-nutrition/diet-basics/phosphorus-and-chronic-kidney-disease/e/5306

I'm only stage 3 right now and the only one that's shown up as a problem is potassium. So much for those wonderful heirloom bananas at the international grocery. Those are the only things I miss.

[japple]

6. I love almond milk for cereal, but don't know what kind of mashed potatoes it

would make. I liked soy milk a lot until I figured that it is what was causing explosive flatulence. Rice milk would probably work well for a lot of things. You can buy Rice Dream milk in small quantities and do a test run. The small containers are on grocery store shelves in the non-refrigerated section. My grasp of basic/organic chemistry is very weak, so I'll hope others can give you better advice.

[GoCubsGo]

12. For mashed potatoes...

Chicken broth. It's quite good that way.

The various nut milks, soy, and hemp milk are good for dessert type dishes. The unsweetened forms can also be used as a substitute for cream in soups with decent results.

[The empressof all]

7. Can she use vegan "sour cream"

Tofutti makes a great sub that tastes great in mashed potatoes and in some sauces. I would suggest that after you check with a dietician, that you check out some vegan sites or just google for vegan recipes to modify her normal ingredients.

You can't expect any of the non dairy "milks" to have exact results of dairy in any recipe....Some are good...some not so much....

That being said I do prefer Almond milk for drinking and for smoothies...But I hate it in coffee and will use soy for that. I think it all comes down to personal taste for the easy stuff.

[Glassunion]

8. This...

http://www.califiafarms.com/products/coconut-almondmilk/

This milk holds up to baking, mashin' potatoes, and making sauces. I do not recommend it for coffee, however it's great in tea.

Double check with the dietician before buying it.

[Revanchist]

10. I'll have to look it up on the home computer

the site doesn't list potassium or phosphorus and I'd have to see if I can get it locally, thanks for the info

[rdharma]

9. You might also post this in the "Chronic Health Conditions Discussion and Support (Group)"

Under the Health topics.

[Trailrider1951]

13. I've had vegan "cream soups" made with coconut milk

That tasted every bit as good as those made with dairy. You can get the canned milk in the Asian section of your grocery store. Here are some ideas:

http://allrecipes.com/search/default.aspx?qt=k&wt=cocoanut%20milk&rt=r&origin=Home%20Page

Hope this helps.

[dem in texas]

14. Talk with a nutritionist

My nephew is a diabetic and has kidney failure. His parents are deceased and his aunts and uncles look after him. I am one the aunts and I talked with his doctor and the doctor arranged for a nutritionist to meet with him. The meeting took place in the doctor's office and Medicare paid for it.

Get a good cookbook for someone on a renal diet, there are a lot of good ones out there.