The purpose of this work was to examine how different methods of foodstuff preparation and thermal processing influence the levels of calcium, phosphorus and protein in the final food. The results have been used to generate recommendations for preparing meals optimized for phosphorus, calcium and protein content for hemodialysis patients. Standard AOAC methods were used to determine content of dry matter, protein, calcium and phosphorus in potatoes, fresh and frozen carrots, frozen green beans, chicken, veal, pork, frozen hake, pasta and rice. These determinations were made before and after preparation and thermal processing. Thermal processing of most foodstuffs did not substantially affect protein content but significantly reduced phosphorus content, by 27-43% in fresh and frozen vegetables, 10-49% in various types of meat, 7% in pasta and 22.8% in rice. These results were used to design a controlled study involving 47 hemodialysis patients, all of whom received standard dietary education. A subset of 25 patients received additional education about methods for preparing and thermally processing food in ways that reduce phosphorus content while maintaining content of protein and calcium. Anthropometric measurements and standard biochemical tests were conducted on all patients at baseline and during 12-month follow-up. Daily intake of various nutrients was estimated based on 7- day food diaries. Over the 12-month study, the serum phosphate level fell in the patients who received additional education (average change, -0.3; interquartile range (IQR), -0.4 to -0.1) as well as in patients who received only standard education (-0.2; IQR, -0.5 to -0.1). In neither group were significant changes observed in serum albumin, normalized protein catabolic rate (nPCR) or anthropometric measurements. In contrast, the number of patients on phosphate-binder therapy significantly decreased during follow-up among patients who received additional education. Plasma levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in patients who received only standard education was significantly higher than baseline at 6 months (p = 0.031) and 12 months (p = 0.035), while plasma levels were significantly lower than baseline at 6 months (p = 0.035). Educating patients about these methods can result in lower levels of serum phosphate and plasma PTH as well as reduced need for phosphate-binder therapy, without increasing the use of Kalcitriol or compromising nutritional status.