Kidney Community Kitchen

Information and tools to help you manage your renal diet

What’s in Season?

By Julie Hutter, RD, CDE

With warmer weather and the smell of barbeque in the air, an abundance of fruits and vegetables are available to us locally.

Enjoying in-season* produce has many benefits. Seasonal produce is at its freshest which maximizes flavor, provides important nutrients to support our health, and reduces our environmental footprint. Purchasing in-season produce also helps to support our local communities and farmers. In-season produce is also more widely available at local grocery stores and tends to be less expensive than out-of-season varieties.

There are many low-potassium fruit and vegetables to enjoy in the late summer months. These include:

July 

  • Fruits: apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, gooseberries, pears, plums, raspberries, Saskatoon berries, strawberries, watermelon
  • Vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, lettuce, peppers, snow/green peas, onions, radishes, summer squash, yellow/green beans

August 

  • Fruits: apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cherries, cranberries, gooseberries, grapes, pears, plums, raspberries, Saskatoon berries, strawberries, watermelon
  • Vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, peppers, snow/green peas, onions, radishes, summer squash, yellow/green beans

September

  • Fruits: apples, blueberries, cranberries, grapes, pears, plums, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon
  • Vegetables: broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, corn, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, snow/green peas, onions, radishes, summer squash, yellow/green beans

You might be wondering “What can I do with this in-season produce once it’s in my home?” Produce is quite versatile, and can often be enjoyed between appetizers, entrees and dessert! Below are three ways to enjoy strawberries:

#1: In a beverage

Seasonal Berry Refresher from https://www.kidneycommunitykitchen.ca/kkcookbook/recipes/seasonal-berry-drink/  

Quench your thirst, and beat the summer heat, with this colourful pink drink.

#2: In a salad 

Zippy Strawberry Salad from https://www.kidneycommunitykitchen.ca/kkcookbook/recipes/zippy-strawberry-salad/ 

This seasonal salad pairs the sweetness of strawberries with the crunch of grapes, pretzels and almonds, providing great texture and of course flavour. Add animal-protein or a low potassium legume choice to create a balanced meal, or serve on its own as a side dish.

#3: In a dessert

Fresh Berry Fruit Salad With Yogurt Cream from https://www.kidneycommunitykitchen.ca/kkcookbook/recipes/fresh-berry-fruit-salad-with-yogurt-cream/ 

Enjoy this refreshing dessert using only strawberries or combine various in-season berries. An added benefit of this dessert is that it makes eight servings, so it’s perfect to serve to a group at a summer holiday party or BBQ. 

*In-season produce may vary depending on your location and access to fresh fruits and vegetables in your area.

The material contained on this website does not constitute medical advice and is intended for informational purposes only. No one associated with The Kidney Foundation of Canada will answer medical questions via email. Please consult a health care professional for specific treatment recommendations.