First of all, no, you don’t have to avoid fast food and restaurants. Diabetics have to learn what they can and can’t eat; they don’t need extra-special meals. In fast food places, you avoid things like the fries and the huge hamburgers, but I never had problems eating Wendy’s single hamburgers. Hamburgers are better diabetic choices than the fried chicken/fried chicken sandwiches at fast food. Most fast food places have salads now. Baked potatos are ok. Wendy’s chili would be good. Pizza’s not always a good choice; it messes w/ some people’s blood sugar. One potential problem w/ fast food is it’s high sodium.

In restaurants, you just make the same smart kind of choices, and you usually shouldn’t eat the huge amounts of carbohydrates they bring you. She can still have them, just in reasonable sizes. Aim for one roll, for example, or half a roll if it’s big, half a potato, etc..

I’ve had a kidney/pancreas transplant; my nephrologist never told me to limit the protein prior to dialysis.. I did get a strict diet once I was on dialysis. She’s not on dialysis and has not been given instructions on a special diet, so if she just tries to keep things low sodium (avoid hot dogs, cold cuts, canned vegetables/sauces unless they are lower sodium, most frozen dinners) she’ll be ok til she sees a dietician.

As an fyi, I stayed off dialysis for 15 years with no special diet except low sodium (and of course controlling my blood sugar as much as possible).

I included a food link from the American Diabetes Association Allison

She can try some of the store bought pasta meals, just watch the carbs and avoid tomato sauces. And you can microwave them.

Most veggies should be OK.

Sugar free Jello is OK too.

Many berries are OK, just avoid any food that has a high acid content, like tomatoes, tomato sauce, grapefruit, etc. Watermelon is bad for blood sugar, and most if not all citrus fruits are too.

Just be aware that dietitians should be CLOSELY monitored. Mine wanted me to eat 75g of carbs 3 times a day plus 2 snacks. They were planning meals for a normal person that needed a low fat diet, and totally ignored the diabetes complication.

Make sure that whatever dietitian you see, can plan meals to accommodate BOTH the kidney problems AND the diabetes.

Note: If you are on insulin, this eases the constraints regarding food. You can eat carbs like grains. Bux - Type 2 Diabetic (NIDDM)