The holidays are coming, and it’s the perfect time to bake some delicious treats! Whether you’re new to baking or a pro, these tips from Emily Campbell – registered dietician and certified diabetes educator – will help you make kidney-friendly goodies that everyone can enjoy.

Planning

Holiday baking is about enjoying the process as much as the final treats. Take your time, put on your favourite holiday music, and involve family or friends for extra fun. A little planning can make things easier and more enjoyable. Here are some tips to help you get ready:

Choose Recipes Early

Decide what you want to bake in advance, so you can make a shopping list and ensure you have all the ingredients. When looking online for recipes, read the nutrition information and look for recipes that fit your nutrient needs with PKD, considering nutrients such as:

Sodium

• Many websites or cookbooks will have the nutrition information available for recipes. Aim for 5% daily value or 120 mg per serving when reading the nutrition information in recipes.
• Reduce the amount of sodium in a recipe by 25% without noticing any changes in texture or flavour. For example, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of salt, you can reduce it to ¾ teaspoon. Remember that 1 teaspoon of salt has 2300 mg sodium in it.

Potassium

• If you’re on a low-potassium diet, look for recipes with less than 200 mg or 5% daily value of potassium per serving when reading nutrition info.
• Choose low-potassium fruits if needed in your baked goods, like apples or berries instead of banana.

Phosphorus

• Store-bought baked goods often have added phosphorus. By baking at home, you can choose lower-phosphorus alternatives.
• Make your own kidney-friendly baking powder that is lower in phosphorus to leaven your baked goods by mixing ½ teaspoon cream of tartar with ¼ teaspoon baking soda as a swap for 1 teaspoon baking powder.
• If using non-dairy beverages, look for ones with no added phosphorus in the ingredient list.

Sugar

• Most Canadians eat too much added sugar, and a large source can be from baked goods. Extra sugar can add extra calories, which may lead to weight gain, as well as contribute to high blood glucose and high cholesterol levels.
• Try adding sweetness with vanilla, almond, maple, orange, or lemon extracts; double the amount for added flavour.
• Sweet-tasting, calorie-free spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cardamom, and ginger are another great way to add flavour to recipes.
• Try replacing sugar with an artificial sweetener like sucralose (Splenda). One cup (250mL) of Splenda is equal to one cup (250mL) of sugar.

Prep Doughs and Batters Early

Many cookie doughs or cake batters can be made ahead and stored in the fridge or freezer, saving time, reducing stress on baking day, and allowing flavours to develop.

Safe Baking

When baking for people with kidney disease, food safety is very important. Here are some tips:

• Store raw flour, baking mixes, dough, and eggs separately from ready-to-eat foods.
• Before baking, tie back long hair, clean counters, assemble ingredients and equipment, wash hands, and wear an apron.
• Keep the measuring, mixing, and handling of unbaked batter or dough separate from the cooling, serving, or packaging of baked products.
• Test baked products with a food thermometer at the centre, to ensure products are completely baked, and are a safe internal temperature.
• Remember to wear oven mitts when removing hot items from the oven.
• Cool baked goods on a wire cooling rack, not countertops.
• Clean tools, work surfaces, and equipment with hot, soapy water, or in the dishwasher.
• Wash hands before you taste, serve, or package baked goods.

Prepare Baking Sheets and Pans

Lining your pans with parchment paper and greasing them properly can make all the difference when removing your treats.

Measure carefully

Baking is a science, so measuring accurately is crucial. Use proper measuring cups and spoons, and level off dry ingredients with a flat edge for the best results.

Pantry Essentials

A well-stocked pantry can help make your baking experience organized and efficient. Remember to take out all the ingredients before you get started.

Baking Staples

• Keep essentials like flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, butter, and eggs on hand.
• Check expiration dates, as ingredients can lose potency over time.
• Fresh ingredients give better flavour, and ensure that your baked goods rise properly.
• Look for sales using online apps like Flipp to check out local flyers.
• Try bulk food stores if you only need a small amount of an ingredient.

Substitutions

• You may want to add some nutrients like fibre to your food. Try using whole grain flour or adding oatmeal to your recipe.
• Aim for fruit-forward desserts like apple crisp or lemon and cranberry loaf.
• Reduce the sugar in your recipe by a quarter, or swap in pureed fruit like unsweetened applesauce for half* of the sugar.

*Note that when making modifications to sugar in dessert recipes, the more sugar you cut out, the drier and crumblier your baked goods will be. Less sugar may also prevent them from caramelizing or browning, as well as shorten their shelf life.

Gifting

Holiday treats make wonderful gifts! Bake a few batches of cookies, brownies, or mini loaves and package them in decorative tins, boxes, or cellophane bags tied with ribbon. Pick up some supplies at your local dollar store or grocery store.

Make Them Last

To make your treats last longer, try freezing things like cakes and tarts ahead of time, and bring out the portions that you need for events. This allows you to enjoy the process of baking, but not be tempted to eat all the delicious treats at once.

Some kidney-friendly baked goods include:

• Lemon Loaf
• Apple and Pear Cinnamon Cake
• Berry pie
• Gingersnap cookies
• Cinnamon rolls

Summary

Baking with PKD can be a fun experience and can fit into your PKD diet. The best way to prepare foods that are kidney-friendly is to be aware of your dietary requirements and focus on those that may need substitutions. With these tips and a little creativity, your holiday baking will come together in a snap, and you’ll have treats everyone will love!

About the author: Emily Campbell, RD CDE MScFN is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator with a Master’s Degree in Foods and Nutrition. Emily specializes in helping those with kidney disease overcome the confusing world of nutrition to promote health. Emily and her team of dietitians can be found at kidneynutrition.ca.

More

• Looking for more information about what to eat with PKD? Check out Love Your Kidneys, a PKD cookbook and nutrition guide written especially for people with PKD.
• Watch one of Emily's webinar or PKD Summit recordings on the topic of Nutrition and PKD, here or 
• Browse through Emily's Kidney Nutrition blogs on our website.