The warm weather is here, and summer holidays are creeping up. This is the time of year that people throw outdoor parties, backyard barbecues, and poolside picnics. While these parties and picnics are certainly a lot of fun, they can be daunting for someone who is living with a metabolic illness such as chronic kidney disease.

With chronic kidney disease, your diet is of the utmost importance. Diet, in fact, can make all the difference in slowing the progression of kidney disease. So even during these fun events, you really want to make sure that you are careful about what you eat. What you need, then, are a few ideas for low sodium picnic and potluck recipes.

Pasta Salad

• 1 box (16 ounces) rotini noodles, cooked al dente
• ½ cup apple cider vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic (or more to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dry oregano
• ¼ cup minced onion
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped broccoli florets
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a small bowl or jar, mix vinegar, olive oil, garlic, pepper, oregano, and onion. Let these ingredients sit while you work on the rest. Cook your noodles to al dente, drain and let cook while you chop up your vegetables. Once noodles are cool, mix all ingredients together and enjoy.

Shrimp Kabobs

• Large peeled and deveined shrimp (about 6 per kabob)
• 1 cup thick sliced mushrooms
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped into large pieces
• 1 large bell pepper in each color, chopped into large pieces
• Juice of 1 large lime
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
• ¼ teaspoon paprika

Arrange your vegetables and shrimp on skewers. Mix the lime juice, parsley, and paprika and brush the mixture over the kabobs before and during the cooking process. Kabobs are perfect for the grill, but can also be made in the oven. Substitute cilantro for parsley if you prefer.

Chicken Salad Zucchini Boats

• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped or shredded
• 2 large zucchini
• ½ cup chopped apple
• ½ cup chopped celery
• ½ cup quartered red grapes
• ¼ cup diced onion
• 1/3 cup low-fat mayonnaise
• ½ of one fresh lemon
• Spices to taste: cinnamon, black pepper, paprika

Cut the ends of the zucchini and then halve lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, and then cut the zucchini “shells” into two to three inch little “boats”. Mix chicken, apple, celery, grapes, onion, mayonnaise, and pulp from zucchini together in a large bowl. Squeeze lemon juice into the mixture and season to taste. Scoop chicken salad into the zucchini “bowls” and enjoy.

All of these easy and delicious recipes can be used for just about any of your upcoming summer events. They are just as great for your backyard barbecues as they would be at a potluck picnic. These recipes can help you enjoy your summer events and your diet as well.

If you’re looking for more recipes and an easy to follow diet plan that even includes grocery lists for you to make healthy choices, click here for more information.