1. Nutrition Management for Kidney Disease Patients
  2. Emergency Diet

Emergency Diet

Emergencies happen every day and the more prepared you are for an emergency the better your outcome will be. Depending on the situation and on the stage of your kidney disease, you may be without your normal clinic or unable to grab all of your home supplies. 

You should have an emergency survival kit that includes:

  • Food and water for each person for three days
  • Flashlight with fresh batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Three days’ worth of medications
  • Prescriptions and instructions to administer in case you are unable to communicate
  • Emergency numbers for your doctors and or dialysis center

If you are a dialysis patient, your emergency three day meal plan should have about 40-50 grams of protein, 1500 mg of sodium, 1500 mg of potassium and 16 ounces of fluid for each day. (1) An example set of materials from Davita can be found here. 

The following food items will be needed for the 3-day emergency diet and should be stored in your emergency kit (2):

  • 3 packages of dry milk or four 8-ounce cans of evaporated milk
  • 1 to 2 gallons of distilled or bottled water
  • 2 packages of powdered fruit flavored drink or one large bottle of pre-mixed fruit flavored drink
  • 1 to 2 cans or bottles of soft drink (no dark cola due to high phosphorus)
  • A six pack of 4-ounce cans or boxes of low potassium fruit juice (apple, grape, etc.)
  • 6 boxes of single serving cereal (no raisin bran)
  • 1 box of sugar, sugar packets or artificial sweetener
  • 12 four-ounce cans of low potassium fruit or fruit bowls (peaches, pineapple, oranges, mixed fruit, applesauce or pears. No raisins.)
  • 8 small cans of unsalted tuna, salmon, chicken or turkey
  • 1 jar of peanut butter
  • 1 small jar of grape jelly
  • 1 small jar of honey
  • 3 small jars of mayonnaise (you will open a new jar each day) or 8-12 single serving foil wrapped packets
  • 1 loaf of white bread (this can be stored in the freezer and replaced every 3 months until needed for emergency)
  • 1 box of vanilla wafers or graham crackers
  • 4 to 6 bags of hard candy (jelly beans, mints, sourballs, lollipops)
  • 1 package of marshmallows. (2)

It is important that you don’t panic and missing a dialysis treatment or two is bad, but in all likelihood not life threatening, especially if you follow the further restricted emergency diet. 

If you have to evacuate, follow the emergency instructions and immediately alert support personal of your medical conditions.

  1. Preparing for Emergencies: A Guide for People on Dialysis. Department of Health and Human Services.  www.kcerocoalition.com/pdf/101501.pdf
  2. Emergency Preparedness for People with Kidney Disease. DaVita. http://www.davita.com/kidney-disease/overview/living-with-ckd/emergency-preparedness-for- people-with-kidney-disease/e/4930
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