Low Salt diet

[HawaiiRN]

I have seen on the Board where you can make arrangements with the Mater D the night before and he will help you select low salt items for dinner or make arrangements for something else. I was recently placed on a very salt restricted diet and am wondering how this will work in anytime dining. Does anyone know as we well could be at a different table every night?

 

Thank you

[emmak8]

Mention to your waitstaff. Usually before you leave your table ,someone will bring the following day's salt-free menu so you can make selections. I think they will record your name and cabin number so it will not be a problem if you are on anytime dining.

[MandD]

Tell your waiter you have dietary restrictions and they will send a headwaiter to your table who will take your order for the next day. Then when you go into the dining room, tell your waiter you have pre-ordered and your cabin number. The headwaiter should come to your table towards the end of the meal with the next day's menus.

[Alaskanb]

We have not done this on anytime dining but do so on traditional dining. It works beautifully. We select from the normal menu and items are prepared low-salt.

Edited August 2, 2015 by Alaskanb

[baggal]

First, add the request in your cruise personalizer so they have a record of your request - although I doubt the headwaiter really checks.

 

Second, if you like your waiter at dinner the first night, request that you sit in his/her section. That way, if you feel the waiter is attentive to your needs, you can utilize anytime dining but with the same waiter.

 

The headwaiter will bring you the next night's menu at some time during your dinner. A good headwaiter will be able to guide you and make suggestions. Also, if you plan to eat breakfast and lunch in the MDR, they can pre-order some menu items as well. Be very careful -besides the obvious - most everything that is prepared on the ship, especially at the buffet, has some salt. Things you wouldn't think about - oatmeal, the pre-made scrambled eggs, all have salt added.

 

Drinking the ship's water is very controversial. IMO the ship's desalinated water isn't 100% desalinated. I drink bottled water and limit myself to one, maybe 2 cups of coffee, maximum per day.

 

And finally, if you haven't gotten used to a low salt lifestyle and the food tastes a little bland, remember you're still on a cruise!:)

[jawhoffman]

A couple of weeks ago I filled out the form online for special dietary needs requesting a low/no salt diet. This is the response I received.

 

"Good day,

 

Thank you for contacting us with notification of your request for low

sodium/salt meals. Please take a moment to review the following

information.

 

We cannot guarantee the sodium/salt levels in certain foods. Some of the

meals prepared onboard may use frozen, canned or prepackaged goods, which

could contain sodium/salt. We do have a salt substitute available onboard,

as well as unsalted butter. You can also request that no additional salt

and/or seasonings, be added to your meals.

 

 

It will be at your discretion to order meals allowable. The Maitre d’ Hotel

will be happy to assist with selections from the menu that might be

suitable. Please contact the Maitre d’ Hotel, once onboard, to discuss the

special dietary needs and meal preparation you may have.

 

 

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact

me. In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you onboard.

 

Kind Regards,

Dietary Coordinator'

 

I certainly understand but guess I was hoping for a little more.

[cr8tiv1]

After my first couple of cruises, I started to notice the readings on my blood pressure. My doctor told me to cut out my salt intake, especially while I am cruising. Princess does a cry good job about recommending dishes and preparing your meals. I often have to "argue" for my parmesan cheese on my eggplant parmesan or my cheese on my caesar salad. And what is French Onion soup without the cheese (do you see a pattern here)?

 

Anyway, I digressed....

 

I once joined the most frequently traveled couple for dinner (at a different dining room, different time). I had ordered my dinner the night before and was assured that it would be in the kitchen, under my cabin number. To my surprise, no dinner waiting for me.

 

I am only salt sensitive...so am very careful what I order and eat. I do stray from my diet but eat carefully the rest of the day.

 

It is possible to order breakfast and lunch if you eat in the MDR for those meals.

[baggal]

Yes, in our litigious times, that is the formal Princess response. But, I have had very good experiences on Princess (the best on the Ruby last year) from MDR staff who made it their personal mission to make sure that I received well prepared meals that met my low sodium needs. (No sodium at all is a little more difficult but not impossible).

 

At one point, we dubbed our assistant waiter the "food police." He was several tables away from us but noticed out of the corner of his eye that my husband was about to give me a "taste" of his duck in an Asian (salty soy based) sauce. He was at our table in a flash to gently remind me that my husband's sauce was full of salt. Of course, we thanked him for the reminder and I never got to taste that wonderful duck.

 

Which leads me to another point. Order all your meals without the sauce. That's half the battle.

[kcfoxy]

You didn't mention your restriction, is it 500 mg, 1,000 mg or 1,500 mg?

 

In our cases, I've put us both on 1,500 mg sodium diets, with the blessings of my Internist and Nutrition counselor. We are both Type 2, non-insulin diabetics and have hypertension.

 

It didn't take much to retrain our tastebuds, and luckily we both like to cook, so herbs, spices and condiments such as lemon juice help. On board ship, it is just a bit of an issue, but I bring small packets of favorite salt free seasonings such as Mrs. Dash, Penzeys and Paul Prudhomme when I need extra flavor.

 

Often have the buffet breakfast on-board with a preference for made-to-order omelets. Mine is egg whites, DH likes regular eggs. We both request no salt added, and use onions, peppers and mushrooms. Occasionally a small sprinkle of cheese, which of course contains sodium.

 

Breakfast meats are all high in sodium, including preservatives such as sodium nitrate and sometimes MSG, (another source of sodium). Turkey bacon or sausage are no better, in fact sometimes more highly seasoned.

 

Plain oatmeal, or with fruit and milk is naturally low sodium if not made from Instant Packets. Bakery items including breads, pastry and the like are made with sodium and leavening which contains sodium, both baking powder and soda, so we will keep that to a minium or perhaps have half a bagel or single slice of multi grain bread.

 

Fresh fruit is fine, in fact many contain a goodly amount of potassium. It is one of the two electrolytes-sodium being the other, that counter-balance each other. A good thing to remember. Melon is also a natural diuretic, especially watermelon. It helps to flush retained water from our systems...I am speaking just about my own situation. This is advice I would share with my own beloved family, nothing more ;).

 

Plain coffee, tea and skim milk are also fine. Fresh and real juices in small quantities likewise fine. Breakfast potatoes are generally prepared in batches, and salted. For other meals, I enjoy half a baked potato...the skin is a good source of potassium and we skip the bacon and cheese but do like a small dollop of sour cream and sprinkling of chives.

 

For lunch, we steer clear of the pizza, hot dogs, and soups. Baked chicken, baked or broiled fish or a plain hamburger are generally what we enjoy, and a trip through the salad bar isn't out of question. Here we chose lettuce, cabbage, carrots, celery, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, oil and vinegar as a dressing instead of one of the prepared versions. A nice grind of pepper adds additional flavor as does a squirt of lemon juice when available.

 

For a truly low sodium diet skip the garbanzo beans, bacon bits, shredded cheese, olives and croutons. At home we have found good sources for wonderfully low sodium black olives, salt free garbanzo beans and much more.

 

On board ship, assume they will used the regular canned and brined products.

You would be amazed at the sodium content of just one serving of sauerkraut. Add in a nice bratwurst on German Day in the buffet and you've just consumed a whole day's worth of sodium on a regular diet :eek:

 

The always available menu in the MDR has plain items like chicken, fish and beef. All can be ordered without added sauces. Fresh, vs canned veggies and the lovely chilled fruit soups plus a fruit plate or sorbet, these are all fine and do help prevent pedal edema, (feet swelling), soaring blood pressure, headache, dry mouth and other symptoms of too much salt.

 

Since we are on a modified, vs either a salt-free or extremely low sodium diet, we do occasionally splurge for a particularly nice looking slice of cheese cake, chocolate dessert or pastry. Generally we split it, and try not to dream of pepperoni pizza or bangers and mash.

 

Hopefully, you will find something useful here. Certainly do meet with your Maitre 'd or Head Waiter in whatever dining venue you choose and beforehand, be sure and run and food questions past your own health professional and have a game plan in mind :p

Edited August 3, 2015 by kcfoxy

[HawaiiRN]

Many thanks to all who responded with wonderful suggestions. I have been on a low sodium diet for the last 40+ years but recently my doctor placed even more restrictions on me hence my new problem. I agree with the poster about the desalinated water. On every cruise we had been on till our last 2 I was drinking the ships water and being careful with my food choices and every time I blew up like a blimp from water retention. 2 cruises ago we had a beverage package-immediate difference and ever since I'm a believer-only bottled water for me. Once again thank you.

[kcfoxy]

Many thanks to all who responded with wonderful suggestions. I have been on a low sodium diet for the last 40+ years but recently my doctor placed even more restrictions on me hence my new problem. I agree with the poster about the desalinated water. On every cruise we had been on till our last 2 I was drinking the ships water and being careful with my food choices and every time I blew up like a blimp from water retention. 2 cruises ago we had a beverage package-immediate difference and ever since I'm a believer-only bottled water for me. Once again thank you.

 

Totally believe it about the ship's reclaimed/recycled water! We lug on our own bottled water, which is a pain but not as much as trying to stuff very swollen feet, (talking pitting edema), into the extra wide shoes I've had to pack.

 

This is our first time with Princess Cruises, so I am not sure, but I believe the 16.9 oz bottles of water go for $2 each, which works out to $48 a case. I think we pay around $10/3 cases at home, (not counting CA CRV), so DH feels it is so worth it.

 

We've heard "no extra sodium in the water" before, but the proof is in the pudding, or what I like to term my Flintstones ;) Perhaps some of us are just more sensitive to any extra sodium, but please do have a wonderful cruise!

Edited August 3, 2015 by kcfoxy

[cr8tiv1]

My first indication that there was too much salt in my diet on a cruise ship was my swollen ankles.

 

It is always fun to compare my dinner with the rest of the table. Usually comes with no sauce, no potatoes, lots of really good vegetables. So choose your meal wisely. Salad dressing on the side, main dish that will not be too tough without the sauce, etc. The kitchen does a fantastic job preparing these meals. I don't salt anything at home and the meals to me are very tasty. They will even prepare escargots without the salt. Not the same, but very good.

[jawhoffman]

Thanks for your suggestions! After getting the response I got from Princess I was a little concerned but not now. I also cook with no salt so will be happy with items served without the saltly sauces. I appreciate knowing your thoughts about desalinated vs. bottle water. So glad I have the beverage package due to the Sip and Sail promotion currently being offered!

[waltd]

My first indication that there was too much salt in my diet on a cruise ship was my swollen ankles.

 

It is always fun to compare my dinner with the rest of the table. Usually comes with no sauce, no potatoes, lots of really good vegetables. So choose your meal wisely. Salad dressing on the side, main dish that will not be too tough without the sauce, etc. The kitchen does a fantastic job preparing these meals. I don't salt anything at home and the meals to me are very tasty. They will even prepare escargots without the salt. Not the same, but very good.

 

Have had the same problems on the last 3 or 4 cruises. After about 3 or 4 days first the right ankle then the left gets swollen. I do not add any other seasoning to the food once served. Do drink a lot of their water on board. Once home the swelling goes back down in about 3 to 4 days.

[kjets]

I have Meniere's Disease and cannot have any salt and was quite concerned before going on our first cruise this past Dec/Jan.

 

Can't speak highly enough about our head waiter and wait staff in the MDR on Sapphire Princess.

 

They made meals for me from scratch and I had no problems with vertigo for the entire 22 days we were on board.

 

Ordered everything the day before and was ready at all my meal times.