Navigating Ramadan – Foodwise

by Iyath Adam

Ramadan is a time for spiritual growth, self-discipline, and community. That being said, fasting for long hours can take a toll on your body if you don’t prepare properly. 

Here are some essential tips to help you stay prepared, nourished and hydrated throughout the month.

Plan Ahead

Being prepared for Ramadan can make it easier. Stock up on food that you will need ahead of time and plan your iftar and suhoor for easy meal times. This can include essentials like rice, flour, sugar, different fruits and vegetables, canned foods and everyday cooking aromatics like onions, garlic, curry leaves etc… 

Prep Your Ingredients 

Some things which you can also do to make the cooking process easier is doing your own personal mise en place – which is preparing ingredients ahead of cooking – a couple of days ahead. This can be something simple like peeling and cutting onions and garlic, chopping up fruits and vegetables, making salad dressings, sandwich fillings etc… and refrigerating them so that you can easily and quickly whip up something, even on busy days. 

You can also prepare some food like desserts the night before or prepare your suhoor food weekly – just heat/thaw and eat as you go!

Eat a Balanced Suhoor

Suhoor, or the pre-dawn meal plays a very important role in setting you up for fastng the next day. A well-balanced suhoor must include slow-digesting whole grains (oats, brown bread, brown rice), protein (eggs, meat, yoghurt), healthy fats (nuts, seeds, small amounts of cheese) and fruits and vegetables. 

Some easy suhoor meals can be overnight oats (there are so many variations of this you can make!), breakfast burritos with wholegrain wraps or a protein smoothie. You can also have traditional Maldivian meals like rice, kirugarudhiya or garudhiya with some healthier add-ons like kopeefaiy salad. 

Avoid overly salty or sweet food, curries, and fried food for suhoor as they can make you feel dehydrated and tired. 

Stay Hydrated

To keep yourself hydrated, drink plenty of water between iftar and suhoor, aiming for at least 2-3 litres – that’s roughly between 8-12 (250ml) glasses of water. You can also eat water-rich foods like watermelon, cucumbers, and tomatoes a bit more, as they can also be included in your water intake. 

Avoid drinking caffeinated beverages too much (think coffee, tea, energy drinks, soft drinks) as these are very dehydrating for your body.