If you would like to discuss your kidney diagnosis with our trained members of staff, ring our free-to-call number. The NKF Helpline is available Monday to Thursday 08:30 am - 5:00 pm Friday 8.30 am – 12.30 pm on 0800 169 09 36 or email [email protected]

Staying Safe with Food after Your Transplant
After a kidney transplant you need medicines that lower your immune system to protect your new kidney. This also means you are more likely to get
infections and takes longer to recover from food borne illness.

Food poisoning can:

• Make you very unwell
• Stop your medicines being absorbed properly
• Increase the risk of dehydration and kidney problems

Good food hygiene is essential for life after transplant

Follow the 4Cs recommended by the Food Stand Agency (FSA)

CLEAN

• Wash hands with soap before cooking and eating
• Clean worktops, chopping boards and utensils Use
• Clean tea towels and dishcloths (wash at 60°C)

COOK

• Cook food thoroughly until piping hot
• Ensure meat, poultry, eggs and fish are well cooked
• Avoid reheating if possible
• Or only reheat food to piping hot once (eg soup)

CHILL

• Keep your fridge at 0–5°C
• Refrigerate cooked food within 1–2 hours
• Use food within “use by” dates

AVOID CROSS‑CONTAMINATION

• Keep raw and cooked foods separate
• Store raw meat at the bottom of the fridge
• Use separate chopping boards for raw meat and ready‑to‑eat foods

Extra care is needed

• Food safety is especially important:
• In the first 6 months after transplant
• If your medication doses are being changed
• If your white blood cell count is low

Foods to Avoid & Safer Choices
High risk foods to avoid
Raw or undercooked meat, poultry or fish
Raw shellfish (e.g. oysters)
Sashimi
Raw or runny eggs
Unpasteurised milk, yoghurt or cheese
Soft mould‑ripened cheeses (e.g. brie, camembert) unless cooked till piping hot
Blue cheeses unless cooked till piping hot
Deli counter meats, pâté, rotisserie chickens and cured meat
Deli counter cheese
Ice cream from vans or soft‑serve machines
Unwashed fruit, vegetables or salad
Reheated rice
Rice from the takeaway

Safer Alternatives
Well‑cooked meat, poultry, fish and eggs
Pasteurised milk, yoghurt and cheese (check the label)
Hard cheeses (e.g. cheddar)
Pre‑packed cooked meats kept in the fridge
Thoroughly washed fruit and vegetables
Freshly cooked rice eaten immediately
If needed to reheat food, eg soup, make sure it is piping hot and avoid reheating the same portion for more than once.

Food safety – take extra care with:
Sausages and pork products – ensure these are well-cooked all the way through to lower the risk of Hepatitis E.
Smoked salmon and prawns – only safe if cooked, not raw.

Eating eggs safely

• Choose Lion Quality stamped eggs
• Avoid raw or runny eggs
• Avoid foods made with raw eggs (e.g. homemade mayo, hollandaise, Caesar salad dressing)

Cheese guide (quick check)
SAFE:
Pasteurised soft cheese eg cottage cheese, feta, cream cheese, mozzarella, halloumi
Pasteurised hard cheese eg Cheddar, red Leicester, Gouda and Edam
Cheese spreads

AVOID (unless cooked):
All unpasteurised soft cheese
Mould-ripened soft cheese eg Brie, camembert and chèvre
Soft blue-vein cheeses e.g. Gorgonzola, Danish Blue, Stilton

Eating Out, Eating Abroad & Medicines
Eating out & takeaways
Avoid eating out in the first 6–8 weeks
Afterwards you should
Choose places with good food hygiene ratings
Avoid buffets, salad bars and deli counters
Choose freshly cooked meals
Make sure food is piping hot
Avoid tap water
Avoid reheated food

Travelling abroad
Use boiled water
Drink canned or bottled processed beverages
Eat freshly cooked hot food
Peel fruit yourself
Speak to your transplant team before travelling
Avoid ice and salads washed in tap water
Avoid fresh fruit juice

Food & medicine interactions
Some foods can affect transplant medicines:

⚠Avoid:

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice
• Pomelo
• Star fruit
• St John’s Wart
• Mega dose of Vitamin C
• Turmeric (in large doses)

⚠Be Careful with:

• Large amounts of chamomile or Earl Grey tea
• Seville oranges (e.g. marmalade)
• Blood oranges
• Large quantities of pomegranate and pomegranate juice
  

Always check with your transplant team or pharmacist before:

• Herbal remedies
• Supplements
• “Natural” or alternative medicines
• Sport-enhancing supplements

Do old kidney diet rules still apply?
Often no, if your transplant is working well.
You may be able to:

• Relax potassium and phosphate restrictions
• Drink more normally
  But:
• Still limit salt to protect your heart and kidney
• Changes should be made with your transplant team

Healthy Bones, Weight & Diabetes Risk
Bone health after transplant
Bone thinning is common after kidney disease and steroid treatment.
Protect your bones
Aim For:

• Calcium: 1000 mg per day (1300 mg if post‑menopausal)
• Vitamin D as advised by your doctor
• Calcium Rich Foods Include
• Milk and yoghurt
• Cheese
• Fortified plant milks
• Tinned fish with bones
• Tofu and sesame seeds
• Stay active with weight‑bearing exercise (walking, dancing)
• Don’t smoke
• Limit alcohol
  

Phosphate
(Current limited evidence for the efficacy of nutritional intervention) Your serum phosphate may fall below normal range shortly after our transplant.

Make sure you have a phosphorus-rich diet. You may be prescribed with phosphate supplement if needed.

Protein food are good sources of phosphates, such as dairy, meat, tinned fish with soft edible bones, nuts, beans and lentils.

Weight gain
Weight gain is common after transplant, especially in the first year.

Tips:

• Eat regular meals
• Limit sugary and fatty foods
• Watch portion sizes
• Stay active
• Keeping a healthy weight helps protect:
• Your kidney
• Your heart
• Your blood sugar

Diabetes after transplant
Some people develop new‑onset diabetes after transplant.
Risk is higher if:

• You have excessive weight gain
• You take steroid medicines

To reduce risk:

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Eat a balanced diet
• Have regular blood glucose checks

When to ask for help
Contact your transplant team or dietitian if:

• You have vomiting or diarrhoea
• You’re unsure about food safety
• You gain weight quickly
• Your blood sugars rise
• You have concerns about supplements or diet changes

Key Message
Good food safety + balanced eating + healthy lifestyle

Written By: Yuko Ishida BSc (Hons) MSc Specialist Dietitian
Download this information in PDF
Written April 2026
Next review April 2029

The National Kidney Federation cannot accept responsibility for information provided.

The above is for guidance only. Patients are advised to seek further information from their own doctor.

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