Plant-based, lower-sodium meals suitable for stage 3 and 4 kidney disease, with potassium and phosphorus kept in check and protein kept moderate. No meat or fish, and full nutritional transparency for every meal.
Endorsed by a Registered DietitianFormulated with reference to KDOQI 2020Keep forever, no subscription
“As a registered dietitian, I feel comfortable recommending MedMenu.” Susan G. Rodder, MS, RDN, LD
Why it's different from other meal plans
Accurate per-serving numbers you can trust, so every meal is one less thing to second-guess.
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You see the numbers that matter, per serving, and they are accurate.
Sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein for every meal, calculated from USDA and other published food databases for each ingredient, not estimated or copied from a blog.
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Only recipes that pass the criteria make it in.
Each meal is measured against published guidelines (KDOQI, KDIGO) and included only when it clears the thresholds for lower-sodium, moderate-protein eating.
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It fits more than one condition at once.
Lower sodium and moderate protein handled together, so kidney and blood pressure needs are met in the same meal. A diabetes-inclusive version is available.
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Guidance, not just recipes.
Portion sizes, timing, and plain-language notes on why each meal fits.
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Cross-referenced with the research.
Cited references behind the choices in the plan.
Sample day, worked out in full
A day by the numbers
Here is Day 1, exactly as it appears in the plan: every meal with sodium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, and calories for the portion you eat, added up into one day.
Breakfast2.0 servings
Rice and Soft Egg Breakfast Bowl
Sodium
249.2 mg
Potassium
361.4 mg
Phosphorus
442.2 mg
Protein
26.8 g
Calories
913.0
Lunch1.0 serving
Grilled Cheese with Zucchini
Sodium
256.1 mg
Potassium
267.2 mg
Phosphorus
224.9 mg
Protein
13.1 g
Calories
359.1
Dinner1.0 serving
Zucchini and Bell Pepper Pasta Primavera
Sodium
13.4 mg
Potassium
479.4 mg
Phosphorus
159.3 mg
Protein
9.2 g
Calories
331.8
Snack1.0 serving
Berry Panna Cotta
Sodium
55.2 mg
Potassium
226.4 mg
Phosphorus
114.7 mg
Protein
5.9 g
Calories
193.9
Day 1 totalall 4 meals
Sodium
0 mg
Potassium
0 mg
Phosphorus
0 mg
Protein
0 g
Calories
0
Every one of the 7 days is calculated the same way, meal by meal, so the whole week adds up like this one does.
Information, not medical advice.
What can you eat on a stage 3-4 renal diet?
Lower-sodium, moderate-protein meals, with potassium and phosphorus kept in check. Here is where every day of this plan lands:
✓Sodium stays under 2,000 mg every day (weekly range 574 to 1,741 mg).
✓Potassium stays under 2,000 mg every day (1,334 to 1,946 mg).
✓Phosphorus stays under 1,000 mg every day (777 to 999 mg).
✓Protein is moderate at 46 to 55 g a day, all from plant sources.
✓Calories run 1,412 to 1,798 a day across the week.
KDOQI 2020 (National Kidney Foundation) sets a sodium target under 2,300 mg a day for kidney disease. It does not set a single potassium or phosphorus number, so this plan uses practical ceilings of 2,000 mg potassium and 1,000 mg phosphorus and shows the per-serving figures, so you and your renal dietitian can adjust to your own labs. Nutrition is calculated for each ingredient from USDA and other published food databases.
How is this different from a free meal plan?
Most free renal meal plans skip the numbers that matter. This one calculates them for every meal.
This plan
A typical free meal plan
Sodium, potassium, phosphorus
Shown per serving for every meal
Usually missing or estimated
How numbers are sourced
Per ingredient from USDA and other published databases
Copied from a blog, if shown at all
Recipes
28 distinct meals, no repeats across the week
Often repeated or generic
Guidance
Portion sizes, timing, cited KDOQI and KDIGO evidence
Little or none
Format
76-page illustrated PDF, yours to keep
A blog post or thin printable
Standard or vegetarian: which kidney meal plan should you pick?
Both are built for stage 3-4 kidney disease, not dialysis, and hit the same lower-sodium, moderate-protein targets. The difference is the protein source.
Standard plan
Pick this if you eat meat and fish. Includes lean poultry, eggs, and fish in renal-appropriate portions, 50 to 58 g protein a day.
Dialysis and diabetes-inclusive kidney plans are coming.
Ungated preview
See exactly what's inside
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Download the free sample PDF
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What's inside the vegetarian 7-day kidney disease meal plan?
✓7 days of vegetarian breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, no repeats
✓Every recipe about 35 minutes or less, with everyday supermarket ingredients
✓An aisle-by-aisle grocery list with a weekly budget estimate
✓A Sunday prep plan and storage tips to make the week easy
✓Plain-language notes on why each meal fits, with cited evidence
What people are saying
This is a comprehensive website! Recipes look great and represent a variety of cuisines. You have emphasized the appropriate nutrients. Guidance tips are helpful. Science tab provides evidence-based references and are appropriate for the diseases addressed. Links to Drugs.com, WebMD & Medline are nice. As a registered dietitian, I feel comfortable recommending MedMenu.
Susan G. Rodder, MS, RDN, LD
Registered Dietitian
MedMenu offers all the data you need to plan meals based on specific dietary needs. There are lot of great recipes from a variety of cuisines to choose from, or you can test your own recipe to see how well it fits into your dietary guidelines.
Valerie B.
MedMenu user
Diabetically Speaking with SmartMove360
Common questions
What can you eat on a vegetarian renal diet?
A vegetarian renal diet may include lower-sodium plant proteins, grains and vegetables chosen to keep potassium and phosphorus in check for stage 3-4 kidney disease. Those targets are individualized, so set them with your care team based on your labs.
Is this medical advice?
No. MedMenu is an information tool, not medical or nutritional advice. Your nephrologist and renal dietitian set your personal targets from your labs, so use this plan alongside their guidance.
What exactly do I get?
A downloadable PDF you keep forever, a full week of vegetarian stage 3-4 kidney-friendly eating. Here is everything inside:
7 full days of vegetarian meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, with no repeated recipes
Every recipe with an ingredient list, step-by-step instructions, prep and cook times, and servings
Per-serving numbers that matter for kidney health: sodium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein, plus calories
A short plain-language note on why each meal fits a lower-sodium, moderate-protein pattern
A full-color photo for every recipe
A week-at-a-glance planner so you see the whole week at once
One aisle-by-aisle grocery list for the entire week, with an estimated weekly budget
A make-ahead prep plan, plus storage and reheating tips
Simple ingredient swaps for foods you cannot get or would rather skip
Cited references from published kidney guidelines and research
Instant download after checkout, readable on your phone or printed at home
How do I get it?
You get an instant download right after checkout, plus a link emailed to you that is good for 30 days.
I'm on dialysis, can I use this?
This plan is designed for stage 3-4 and not for people on dialysis. Dialysis nutrition is different, it generally calls for more protein, so a separate dialysis plan is coming.