If you’re looking for an easy snack idea that is good for people with Chronic Kidney Disease, I highly recommend a serving of low protein nuts and a piece of fruit. However, there are times when you might want or need something pre-packaged, which is where kidney friendly granola bars and snack bars come into play. If you’re out and about or traveling, I would MUCH rather you have a kidney friendly snack bar on hand rather than reach for fast food.
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Below are some things to keep in mind when shopping for bars:
Lower Protein Granola Bars
If you have chronic kidney disease and are NOT on dialysis, then you need to be searching for a snack bar that is lower in protein (if you’re on dialysis, then skip on over to my post about Protein Bars). A lot of bars are loaded with protein, which you just don’t need. My general rule of thumb is to aim for a bar with 5g of protein or less, but this will really depend on what else you eat in a day and what your protein needs are.
Phosphorus Additives in Granola Bars
A lot of snack bars and granola bars contain phosphorus additives, which are bad for people with kidney disease. Too much phosphorus can damage your cardiovascular system. People with kidney disease should avoid phosphorus additives whenever possible. If a bar does not contain any phosphorus additives, then it will be considered a low phosphorus snack bar. For some more detailed information about phosphorus additives, you can watch our video on YouTube.
Some bars will actually list the phosphorus content of the bar on the nutrition label. As long as the bar does not contain any phosphorus additives, I typically recommend that people ignore what is listed on the nutrition label for phosphorus. Natural phosphorus is poorly absorbed by the body, so the total amount is less important than where it came from.
Low Sodium Granola Bars
People with kidney disease (no matter what stage) should limit the amount of sodium that they eat to 2300mg per day or less. Too much sodium can raise blood pressure, cause you to retain fluid, put pressure on your heart, and increase your risk for osteoporosis. A good rule of thumb when reading food labels is to aim for a snack bar that has less sodium than calories. If you follow this strategy with all of your food choices, then you will easily stay under the 2300mg per day.
Low Potassium Snack Bar?
This will depend on your individual circumstances. Many people with kidney disease who are not on dialysis do not need to limit the amount of potassium they eat. You should not restrict your potassium intake from foods unless your healthcare provider has told you to do so. If you are unsure whether or not you should be restricting potassium, feel free to request an appointment to discuss.
There are many reasons why your potassium levels can be out of range that have nothing to do with the potassium content of your food. If you do need to watch your potassium intake, a good general rule is to see if there is less potassium than calories. If there is less potassium than calories, then I would consider it a low potassium food.
Also, you don’t necessarily need to avoid bars with chocolate either. Read our chocolate guide to learn more.
What kind of snack bars are good for kidney disease and diabetes?
If you have kidney disease and diabetes, you will want to select a bar that contains adequate fiber and fat. When comparing bars, I would pick the one that has the most fat and the most fiber. Both fat and fiber will help slow down how fast the carbohydrates are absorbed by your body, which will help prevent large spikes in your blood sugar. As a general rule, I would aim for at least 10g of fat and 3g of fiber in a bar.
Kidney Friendly Granola Bars and Snack Bars you Can Buy
These kidney friendly bars have an excellent nutrition profile for people with chronic kidney disease. In addition to being low protein, low sodium, and containing no phosphorus additives, these bars also contain Omega-3 fatty acids AND probiotics. These bars are also high in fiber and contain a good amout of fat, so they would be appropriate for someone with diabetes.
NOTE: only the Vegan flavors are appropriate for CKD. The rest are much higher in protein. Additional appropriate flavors include the Dark Chocolate Coconut and Dark Chocolate Lemon Coconut. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Kind Maple Glazed Pecan and Sea Salt
Calories: 200
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 14g
Fat: 17g
Sodium: 140mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 188mg
Calcium: 50mg
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 5g
Kind makes a several different kidney friendly bars that are appropriate for people with chronic kidney disease. Different flavors may contain slightly different amounts of protein, but they are all low sodium and contain no phosphorus additives. Most of these contain adequate fiber and fat to be appropriate for a person with diabetes as well. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Target Fruit and Nut Bar
Calories: 190
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrate: 19g
Fat: 13g
Sodium: 5mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 170mg
Calcium: 60mg
Fiber: 6g
Sugar: 8g
Target makes a variety of bars that are very low in sodium, contain no phosphorus additives, and are also relatively low in potassium and protein. These bars contain chicory root extract, which helps increase the fiber content of the bars, so these can be a good choice if you are looking for ways to get more fiber into your day – just be careful not to eat too many as too much chicory root can cause gas and bloating in some people. These bars are also higher in fat than many snack bars, which can be especially helpful for anyone looking to prevent blood sugar spikes. Note: Target also makes some “date and nut” type bars. These are also quite kidney friendly, but will be higher in potassium so be sure to review food labels if that is a concern for you. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Cascadian Farm Organic Chocolate Chip Bars
Calories: 140
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 26g
Fat: 3.5g
Sodium: 90mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 0mg
Calcium: 0mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 8g
These chocolate chip bars are very similar to the Annie’s bars, but a slightly larger portion size. They are low in sodium, protein, and phosphorus, but also low in fiber. I would consider these to be “filler” food. If you’ve hit your fiber goals for the day and just want a sweet snack, these can be a good fit. Otherwise, I’d probably try to find one with a bit more fiber in it. Also, many grocery stores carry their own store brand of chewy chocolate chip granola bar that have similar nutrition profiles, so feel free to browse your local grocery store if you want a more inexpensive option. Note: the nutrition label for these bars lists potassium as “zero” but they more than likely contain some potassium, but aren’t required to list it if it is less than 94mg. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Annie’s Organic Chewy Granola Bars
Calories: 100
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fat: 3g
Sodium: 75mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 0mg
Calcium: 0mg
Fiber: 0g
Sugar: 7g
Annie’s makes several different types of granola bars that are low sodium, low protein, and contain no phosphorus additives – so feel free to explore the different varieties! These bars are also low in fiber and other nutrients though, so I mostly consider these kinds of bars to be “filler” food. If you’ve hit your fiber goals for the day and just want a sweet snack, these can be a good fit. Otherwise, I’d probably try to find one with a bit more fiber in it. Also, many grocery stores carry their own store brand of chewy chocolate chip granola bar that have similar nutrition profiles, so feel free to browse your local grocery store if you want a more inexpensive option. Note: the nutrition label for these bars lists potassium as “zero” but they more than likely contain some potassium, but aren’t required to list it if it is less than 94mg. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Blue Dinosaur Cinnamon Scroll Bar
Calories: 220
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrate: 21g
Fat: 14g
Sodium: 5mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 270mg
Calcium: 60mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 15g
These kidney friendly snack and energy bars come in several different flavors, all of which are low in sodium and contain no phosphorus additives. The majority are also low in protein with the exception of the Apricot and Almond bar, which is a bit high in protein. Note: their website indicates that they will soon have protein bars. These would need to be avoided by people with kidney disease and not on dialysis. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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All In Peruvian Dark Chocolate + Peanut Butter
Calories: 180
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 21g
Fat: 11g
Sodium: 150mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 151mg
Calcium: 21mg
Fiber: 6g
Sugar: 9g
These bars were formerly sold under the brand “This Bar Saves Lives”, and are low in sodium, contain no phosphorus additives, and are low in protein. They also contain added fiber and more fat than a typical snack bar, making them a good choice for anyone looking to increase their fiber intake or manage their blood sugar levels. They have one other flavor in their Nut + Seed varieties. They also make some whole grain bars, although those are lower in fiber and fat (but still low sodium, low protein, and no phosphorus additives).
Larabar Cashew Cookie Bar
Calories: 220
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 25g
Fat: 12g
Sodium: 5mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 300mg
Calcium: 0mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 15g
Larabars come in a TON of flavors (32 flavors last I checked!), most of which are great for people with Chronic Kidney Disease and not on dialysis. The Peanut and Peanut Butter Flavors tend to have a bit more protein than the other flavors. All are very low in sodium and contain no phosphorus additives, which make them kidney friendly bars. The protein content ranges from 2-6g of protein per bar, so definitely browse flavors and nutrition labels if you want to find ones with the least amount of protein. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Munk Pack Keto – Coconut Almond Dark Chocolate
Calories: 140
Protein: 3g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fat: 12g
Sodium: 60mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 130mg
Calcium: 30mg
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 1g
This is a high fiber, low protein bar that is good for people with CKD and diabetes with only 3 net carbs. They have a variety of flavors with varying amounts of protein, but all are low in sodium, contain no phosphorus additives, and are relatively high in fat and fiber. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Nick’s Swedish Style Snack Bar
Calories: 180
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 19g
Fat: 13g
Sodium: 65mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 130mg
Calcium: 50mg
Fiber: 10g
Sugar: 1g
Nick’s Swedish Style nut bars are high in fiber, low in sodium and protein, and contain no phosphorus additives, making them a kidney friendly snack bar. They are also low in potassium. These bars do contain some sugar alcohols, although their website indicates the main sweetener is erythritol, which may be gentler on the GI system. Note that they also make protein bars, so be sure you are looking at the right bars before purchasing! Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Atkins Endulge Bars
Calories: 130
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 16g
Fat: 8g
Sodium: 50mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 80mg
Calcium: 20mg
Fiber: 5g
Sugar: 1g
These bars can be a good option for someone who needs or wants a bar with zero added sugar – just be aware that these contain sugar alcohols that may cause some gastrointestinal discomfort if you eat too much! Otherwise, these bars are low in sodium and contain no phosphorus additives, and are also low in potassium. You may also want to note that these bars have a mix of both plant and animal protein. If you are trying to cut back on animal protein, consider an alternative snack bar. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Blake’s Seed-Based Chewy Granola Bars
Calories: 120
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fat: 5g
Sodium: 40mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 20mg
Calcium: 0mg
Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 6g
If you need a gluten free bar, Blake’s Seed Based bars may be a good option. These bars are low sodium, low protein, and contain no phosphorus additives. They are still somewhat low in fiber, so I would still consider these to be more of a filler food. If you haven’t met your fiber goal for the day, consider choosing a higher fiber bar. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Quaker Chewy Lower Sugar Granola Bars
Calories: 100
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 17g
Fat: 4g
Sodium: 75mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 50mg
Calcium: 110mg
Fiber: 3g
Sugar: 5g
These chocolate chewy bars have a very similar nutrition profile to other similar bars (e.g. low in sodium, potassium, and protein), but these are slightly lower in sugar, which is nice. Click the icon below to check prices and reviews for this product.
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Clif Kids Zbar
Calories: 140
Protein: 2g
Carbohydrate: 24g
Fat: 5g
Sodium: 105mg
Phosphorus Additives: None
Potassium: 92mg
Calcium: 15mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 10g
Clif Zbars come in a variety of flavors that are low in sodium, contain no phosphorus additives, and are low in protein. Clif bars tend to be higher in sugar though, so keep that in mind when choosing your bar. They are also fairly low in fiber. If you are watching your sugar intake or not getting enough fiber in your day, I would consider an alternative bar. Also, many of the regular Clif bars are also considered low sodium, low phosphorus, low potassium, and low protein – just be sure to avoid their protein bars and keep an eye on the sugar – the bigger bars will have even more sugar.
