About Kidney Stone Nutrition School

For people with kidney stones

Are you confused about what to eat for kidney stone prevention?

Are you tired of sorting through endless lists of foods you "should" and "shouldn't" eat?

You are in the right place. It doesn't need to be that complicated.

There is NO SINGLE "kidney stone diet" that works for everyone. Kidney stone nutrition MUST be individualized to the type of kidney stone you have, and your 24-hour urine test results.

Kidney Stone Nutrition School will help you do just that! Know WHAT is actually causing your stones, and use personalized nutrition to prevent more stones!

FINALLY feel confident in your food choices.

No more food fear. No more Googling every single food you want to eat!

What Is Included?

  • 6 Weeks of Lessons

    Access to the 6 week course with recorded videos to walk you through everything from the science of nutrition and kidney stones, understanding your lab results, and how to plan and prepare a healthy meal!

  • Online Student Community

    Access our private online community with other students to connect with Melanie, meet other students and learn from their questions. Stay in touch via the community even after the course ends.

  • Meal Plans

    Example meal plan for 6 weeks to help you understand how to build a healthy menu for kidney stones!

  • Recipes

    Recipes are included with meal plans so you can start cooking right away!

  • Worksheets & Handouts

    Worksheets and handouts are included with each week to help you learn and implement your new knowledge.

  • Lifetime Access

    Course access for as long as the course and online community are in existence - including all future updates! Be the first to know about changes in kidney stone recommendations!

  • 24-Hour Urine Test Nutrition Feedback

    Submit your recent 24-hour urine test results for personalized advice from a Registered Dietitian.

    VIP Students Only

  • Live Calls with Melanie

    Three monthly live video calls with Melanie. Ask questions and learn from other students.

    VIP Students Only

Click to Meet Melanie!

And learn more about Kidney Stone Nutrition School

Your Teacher & Kidney Stone Expert

Melanie Betz MS, RD, CSR, CSG

Melanie Betz is a Registered Dietitian with over 10 years of experience. She is board certified in kidney nutrition, has a Master's degree in clinical nutrition and is passionate about kidney health and, most importantly, food and eating!

Melanie spends most of her time working with kidney patients at the University of Chicago. She created this course to share science-based information about nutrition and kidney stones with the world!

More About Melanie & The Kidney Dietitian

Under Construction!

Enrollment Re-Opening January 2022 with Exciting Changes!

Course Outline

  • 1

    Week 1: The Science of Kidney Stones & Understanding Your Lab Results

    • Welcome!

    • All About Stones

    • Urine Chemistry Lesson

    • 24 Hour Urine Collections

    • Important Blood Tests to Know

    • Homework: My Urine Risk Factors Worksheet

    • Week 1 Meal Plan & Recipes

  • 2

    Week 2: Nutrition & Kidney Stones

    • Translating Urine Risk Factors to Nutrition

    • What To Do Without a Urine Test

    • Translating Urine Risk Factors to Nutrition Cheat Sheet

    • Homework: My Nutrition Goals Worksheet

    • Homework: "What Am I Eating Now?" Worksheet

    • Fluid

    • Sodium

    • Calcium

    • Protein

    • Added Sugar

    • Fruits & Veggies

    • Oxalate

    • Citrate

    • Other Nutrition Factors

    • Summary

    • Week 2 Meal Plan & Recipes

  • 3

    Week 3: How To Meal Plan & Eat At Restaurants

    • MyPlate

    • Meal Planning 101

    • Nutrition Labels & Tracking

    • Snacking

    • Favorite Meal Ideas

    • Restaurants & On-the-Go Meals

    • Kidney Stone Grocery List

    • Homework: Meal Planning Worksheet

    • Week 3 Meal Plan & Recipes

  • 4

    Week 4: Kidney Stone Culinary School

    • Recipe Modifications & Substitutions

    • How to Add Flavor without Salt

    • Add Calcium

    • Sneak in Produce

    • Try New Cooking Methods

    • Sweets & Desserts

    • Cooking For More Than One

    • Goat Cheese Cauliflower Cakes Demo

    • Spicy Shrimp Spaghetti Demo

    • Chicken Kabobs & Tzatziki Demo

    • Homework: Modify Some Recipes!

    • Week 4 Meal Plan & Recipes

  • 5

    Week 5: Healthy Eating for Other Health Conditions with Kidney Stones

    • Diabetes

    • Heart Health & High Cholesterol

    • Chronic Kidney Disease

    • Healthy Weight for YOU

    • Bariatric & Bowel Surgery

    • Vegetarian & Vegan Eating

    • Week 5 Meal Plan & Recipes

  • 6

    Week 6: How to Get Started - Motivation & Goal Setting

    • Where Do I Start!?

    • Goal Setting

    • Your Motivation

    • Healthy Relationship with Food

    • Thank You!

    • Homework: Goal Setting Worksheet

    • Week 6 Meal Plan & Recipes

  • 7

    VIP Call Recordings

    • Access VIP Call Recordings

  • 8

    VIP ONLY: Extra Urine Test Feedback & Monthly Calls

    • Additional 24-Hour Urine Test Feedback

    • Extended Monthly VIP Calls

  • 9

    Change Log

    • Change Log

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What type of kidney stones are covered?

    If you have calcium or uric acid kidney stones, this course will help you identify what YOUR urine risk factors are and how to target them with nutrition. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach to kidney stone nutrition. If you have any other kind of stone, this course may not be the best for you.

  • I don't know what kind of kidney stones I have. Can I still take the course?

    Even if you didn't get your actual kidney stones analyzed, a 24-hour urine test will give you a pretty good guess as to what kidney of stone you had. And (even better!), this test will tell you what you can do to prevent stones them from happening again. In order to get the most out of the course, it is ideal to have results from at least one 24 hour urine test within the past year.

  • I have kidney disease. Is this right for me?

    Maybe. Healthy eating for kidney disease can be different than healthy eating for kidney stones. If you have kidney stones, you do not necessarily also have kidney disease - and vice versa. If you do NOT have a history of kidney stones, this course is probably not the best for you. I recommend checking out Jen Hernandez's Plant Powered Kidneys Course. If you have both kidney disease AND kidney stones, both courses would help you understand healthy eating for you!

  • Do I need to have a 24 hour urine test?

    To get the most out of this course, it is ideal to have the results from at least one 24-hour urine test within the last year. However, students have told me they get a ton out of the course without a test as well! Because you have lifetime access to the course, you can always get a urine test later and go back and re-listen to videos to understand how to individualize your diet based on those results.

  • How much time does the course take?

    The course is not a huge time commitment! In total, the course includes about 7 hours of video lessons meant to be listened to over the course of 6 weeks. The beauty of recorded lessons is the ability to listen to them whenever it works for YOU. VIP students also have access to 3 hour calls with Melanie.

  • How long can I access the course?

    All students will have access to the course and online community for as long as they are in existence! You'll also be able to access all future updates to keep up to date with research and any changes in recommendations!

  • Is individual support included?

    The online community is an opportunity to ask Melanie questions directly, find support and get crystal clear on what kidney stone nutrition looks like for you. VIP students are also able to join in small group calls with Melanie. We are unable to offer direct 1:1 support due across-state licensing issues.

  • I have diabetes (or high cholesterol, bariatric surgery, etc.) AND kidney stones. Will this work for me?

    It can be SO confusing to combine diets for multiple health conditions. During week 5 of the course, I highlight the similarities and differences between kidney stone nutrition and common other health conditions to help you combine those recommendations.

  • What if I don't like the foods you recommend?

    As a dietitian, I NEVER tell people what you should eat. Instead, I am all about giving you the tools you need to build healthy meals using the foods you love! I focus MOST on what you SHOULD eat for stone prevention, rather than a list of "no's". I think focusing on what you should eat is a whole lot more helpful than what you shouldn't! Students are pleasantly surprised that they can actually eat WAY more foods than they thought they could!

Kidney Stone Nutrition School is for educational purposes only. Students will not be provided Medical Nutrition Therapy, or individualized nutrition recommendations. Kidney Stone Nutrition School should not be used in place of, or to delay, consulting a medical professional.