'Tis the season…to eat tasty food!

For many, the holiday season centers around family and food. While having kidney disease means you have to be more careful about what you eat, we're here to remind you that you can still enjoy plenty of delicious food – both savory and sweet – as you gather with loved ones to celebrate this special time of year. Here is a selection of kidney-friendly holiday recipes courtesy of AKF's Kidney Kitchen®: 

Cranberry bars 

These bars are very rich and contain a variety of textures. You can enjoy them during the holidays or any time of year! They take 30 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes to bake and require the following ingredients: almond flour, gluten-free oat bran, chopped pecans, baking powder, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, coarse salt, Lily's® no-sugar-added white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, unsalted butter, Swerve® granular sugar, Allulose sweetener, eggs, orange extract, vanilla extract, almond extract and orange zest.

Click here to see the full recipe and preparation instructions. 

Gingerbread cake 

This is a low carb treat to enjoy for the holiday season or any time of year. Cake is moist and springy, and the frosting carries a brightening kick of orange to complement. It takes 25 minutes to prepare, 35 minutes to bake and requires the following ingredients: sorghum flour, almond flour, baking powder, unsalted butter, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, kosher salt, ground cloves, molasses, heavy cream, cream cheese (or mascarpone), eggs, water, Swerve® brown sweetener, Splenda® brown sugar blend and baking soda.

Click here to see the full recipe and preparation instructions. 

Hot chocolate

This recipe uses oat milk, which is a great kidney-friendly dairy alternative that has a nice creamy texture and is well suited as a milk substitute. The hot chocolate only takes one minute to prepare, five minutes to make and requires oat milk, cocoa powder, honey and vanilla. 

Click here to see the full recipe and preparation instructions.

Non-alcoholic eggnog 

This light eggnog uses a non-dairy coffee creamer and only takes 10 minutes to prepare. The ingredients you need are liquid non-dairy coffee creamer, sugar, frozen eggs or liquid low-cholesterol egg substitute, vanilla and nutmeg. 

Click here to see the full recipe and preparation instructions.  

Green bean casserole 

You can make this favorite holiday recipe kidney-friendly by making your own cream sauce to replace the high-sodium store versions. This is creamy and savory with a wonderful crunchy topping, and it takes 30 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook. The ingredients you need are unsalted butter, gluten-free flour, chicken broth, heavy cream, white pepper, ground nutmeg, coarse salt, ground allspice, dry mustard, gluten-free/low-sodium Worcestershire sauce, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, arrowroot powder, water, reduced-sodium bacon (or tempeh bacon), onion, sugar, no-salt-added cut green beans and gluten-free crispy fried onions. 

Click here to see the full recipe and preparation instructions. 

Festive paella 

Paella is a traditional and very festive Spanish dish that is best prepared for a crowd. This one-pan rice recipe is teeming with aromatic spices and can be customized with preferred meats and seafoods, or just vegetables. Consider it for your holiday dinner as a kidney-friendly alternative. It takes 30 minutes to prepare, 35 minutes to cook and requires the following ingredients: onion, fennel, olive oil, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, black pepper, chili pepper, chicken thighs, saffron, water, garlic cloves, parsley, rice, fish stock, thyme, shrimp, frozen peas and red peppers. 

Click here to see the full recipe and preparation instructions. 

Disclaimer: The use of sugar substitutes as a replacement for sugar is a personal choice. While sugar substitutes may offer certain benefits, such as a lower calorie count and improved blood sugar control for people with diabetes, further research is needed to fully understand the long-term health effects of these products, especially for people with chronic kidney disease. It is important to discuss any diet changes, including the use of sugar substitutes, with a healthcare professional. The information provided here is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

For more recipes from our Holiday Favorites collection, click here. 

Visit our Kidney Kitchen® website for all our kidney-friendly recipes.