Diet Restrictions after a
Kidney Transplant
After a kidney transplant your diet will change significantly. This is especially true during your first six months after surgery when your immune system is at its lowest.
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Meat must be cooked well-done
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No more cold cuts
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No more sushi or raw foods like smoked salmon
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Wood cutting boards are better than plastic boards
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Don't drink grapefruit juice
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Never take ibuprofen (Advil)
Be especially diligent about food safety during your first six months after surgery. It will take your immune system about six months to return to its new normal. Your immune system will never be 100% again, but after six months it will be much more intact than the days after surgery.
For more about recovering from ESRD and a kidney transplant, please read my book Why I Run.
Each kidney transplant recipient is different and might require additional diet restrictions. Always consult with your transplant team about what's right for you.
Your diet changes drastically after a kidney transplant. I can no longer eat uncooked foods: sushi, oysters, kombucha, and cold cuts, to name a few. I love sushi and oysters, and had my fair share right before my transplant, but don't risk a foodborne illness (after transplant) by eating these foods ever again.
Red meat, including steaks, must be cooked well done. My days of medium rare filet mignon are over. I’m now a stickler on food temps: 165 degrees for chicken, 145 for salmon, and 170 for red meat. In restaurants, salmon is usually served at 120 degrees, and 130 is medium rare for steaks.
Avoid buffets and food tables where people touch the food. Hands are dirty and they could get you sick. If you're at a party or event with a buffet, try and be the first person in line to minimize the number of hands near the food. Don't eat food that's been laying around for a long time.
Do not eat grapefruits or drink grapefruit juice. Grapefruit juice has a negative effect on immunosuppressants.
Get approval from your nephrologist before drinking herbal teas.
My transplant team recommended I take Tylenol Cold & Flu if I'm ever sick with a cold. Do not take anything with ibuprofen in it.
Wash your fruits and vegetables before eating. This summer (2026) there was a large Cyclospora scare in the United States in regards to lettuce. I was never worried about the lettuce I ate at home during this time. Since my kidney transplant I've only eaten lettuce from Little Leaf Farms in Massachusetts. Little Leaf is a state-of-the-art hydroponic greenhouse in which the lettuce never touches human hands or comes in contact with animals. I've toured the facility and it's impressive and comforting for an immunosuppressed individual.
This list does not include every item that should be excluded from your diet after a kidney transplant. However, from now on you should be conscious of food safety and food prep with every meal you eat.
Each kidney transplant recipient is different and might require additional or less diet restrictions. Always consult with your transplant team about what's right for you.
© 2026 Thomas O'Keefe. All rights reserved.