The Kidney Stone Former’s Guide to Dining Out  

Navigating restaurant menus can feel like a minefield when you’re on a mission to prevent kidney stones. After all, it may seem like every dish harbors a hidden stone trigger waiting to strike. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Melanie Betz, better known as The Kidney Dietitian, is here to share her ultimate do’s and don’ts for a worry-free night out.  

The #1 trigger you should watch out for 

When eating out, your #1 priority should be moderating your sodium intake – anything above 2,300 mg in one day is a red flag for kidney stones and your general health¹! That’s because sodium plays a major role in kidney stone formation, by elevating calcium levels in urine². This means there’s more free calcium present in your urine, increasing its chances of binding with oxalate to form calcium oxalate stones³.  

Before you head out, make sure to: 

1. Plan for the Day Ahead
   If you’re planning to eat out, opt for lower-sodium choices for the rest of your meals eaten that day. Takeout food usually contains way more sodium than home-cooked meals, which is why you have to be extra diligent during your meals at home and consume less sodium⁴.Melanie: Be sure to leave room in your daily sodium budget for a saltier meal!
    
2. Do Your Research 
   Once you’ve arrived at your dining spot, take a couple of minutes to figure out what you’d like to order. Most chain restaurants provide the nutritional information of their menu offerings online, so take the time to check it out! 
   On the other hand, when dining in most sit-down restaurants, it can be difficult to estimate how much sodium is actually in your food. In these cases, it is necessary to use your best judgment. This article offers some good tips on how to place an order when you’re watching your sodium!

At the restaurant, keep an eye on…  

• Hidden Salt
  Don’t be fooled by seemingly healthy dishes – they can be laden with sodium. Take salads for example – toppings like dressings, cheese and bacon can seriously increase their sodium content. A mere 30g of Thousand Island Dressing contains 289 mg of sodium (around 2 tablespoons)⁵. So when you order salad the next time, remember to scan through every ingredient and eliminate that hidden salt culprit to keep the sodium down!

Melanie: Ask for salty salad toppings and salad dressing on the side to control the amount you eat, or you can have them removed entirely if you don’t like that ingredient!

• Portion Sizes
  One reason why meals outside tend to be so high in sodium is because of their generous portion sizes⁶. To cut down on your sodium intake, why not consider eating less of it? If smaller portions leave you craving for more, go ahead and fuel up on lower sodium sides like fruit, steamed vegetables, or a salad! 

Melanie: So often, we leave restaurants feeling icky and too full anyway. By eating only 50% of your food, you only eat 50% of the salt!

• Routine Choices
  Rather than falling back to your “usual”, seize the opportunity to challenge yourself! Is there a way to change up your typical order to make it a little more kidney stone-friendly? Perhaps by adding a vegetable, asking for sauce on the side, or swapping fries for a salad?

And if you’re feeling brave, try ordering something new! It could help you to expand your horizons, and who knows, you may find your next go-to meal. Ultimately, asking yourself these questions could help you branch out and opt for more kidney stone-friendly options.

When in doubt, reach out for: 

• Basic Salads
  Simple salads have a greater variety of vegetables than other typical salad options⁵. They also contain less high sodium ingredients like dressing and parmesan cheese, which are commonly found in variants like Caesar salad.

• Cheese or Margarita Pizzas 
  Processed meats like pepperoni, ham and sausage are very high on the sodium front. By cutting down on meats and adding more vegetables to your pizza, you can reduce your sodium intake for the day and still enjoy some pizza!

Melanie: My personal favorite pizza toppings are mushrooms, peppers, onions and tomatoes!

Conclusion

Don’t let kidney stones ruin your dining experience. As long as you keep an eye on your sodium intake, dining out can be a pleasant experience. And – why stop there? Go ahead and apply these healthy habits to all your meals as well.

Melanie: “Healthy eating is about what you eat MOST of the time – your diet for months to even years is what counts!”

When it comes to kidney stones, tiny adjustments to your lifestyle can make a world of difference. With persistence and effort, you may find yourself bidding farewell to kidney stones.