Are you done with the extra greasy pakoras and samosas during Ramadan? Do you want to shift from an oily or sugary Ramadan diet to a healthy one? The good news is, its not only possible, but also not that hard either.
We are about to share the best Ramadan meals to achieve your desired weight.
Now normally, we might munch all day and all night but come Ramadan and everyone’s meals are divided into three. These meals include the Suhoor meal, Iftaar, and finally dinner.
Let’s get into the healthy alternatives that you can try this Ramadan:
Contents
Suhoor Meals
Suhoor meals are very essential during Ramadan. A healthy Suhoor diet should include meals that are fulfilling. Another important thing to note is that skipping Suhoor meals will only make you want to binge during Iftaar time, which is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to harmful eating habits in Ramadan.
Let’s divide the Suhoor meal plans into 3 Ashuras of Ramadan.
Option 1
During the first ten days of Ramadan, when your body is not adjusted with fasting, it is important that you take a lot of carbohydrates, good fats, and lots of fluids. Here are the three things you should include in your Suhoor meal for a good headstart into Ramadan:
- Whole wheat parathas or stuffed potato parathas,
- semi-sweet curd,
- and fresh juice.
For the next 10 days, keeping in mind that your body has gotten used to the fasting routine, you should consider moving to lighter meals. It is also a nice time to try out different meal combos that suit your needs. Here are the three things you can try for a healthy yet tasty Suhoor meal:
- Pita bread,
- kebabs,
- and hummus.
The last Ashura is when most of the devotees want to make the most of it, hence committing their time to prayers. In the last ten days, it is best to keep the meal plans simple. Here’s something that is not only easy to prepare but it can also be prepared well in advance:
- Leftover pakoras,
- simple curry,
- paratha or,
- chicken roti rolls with mayonnaise and ketchup.
Option 2
If you’re someone who closely watches their diet, then this might be the meal plan to follow.
- Bread cubes with dal tadka (the most delicious combo you could try).
- add pickles to the mix to make it more scrumptious,
- and finish it off with a glass of lassi or milk.
Caffeinated drinks are very dehydrating and can cause you to feel lethargic and hungry throughout the day. Instead of those, you can give these a try:
- Lassi,
- milkshakes,
- leftover fruit salad blended with ice.
Option 3
Another way to reduce weight during Ramadan is by consuming oats for your Suhoor meal. Oats can be made in many different ways; it can be savory or it can be sweet. For the latter, all you have to do is add milk, water, berries, dried fruits, and honey. And VOILA! Your meal is ready to be devoured. Finish the meal off with a glass of fresh juice or infused water and you’re good to go.
Another great option is granola bowls; You can have a simple daal chaawal bowl or masala/mixed vegetable rice bowl to make your meal fulfilling.
Iftaar Meals
What most people miss out on while preparing Iftaar meals is that binge eating will only cause discomfort and make them unhealthy. Don’t get us wrong, we understand it is important to keep a variety of food items on the table for the whole family, but it is also important to keep it simple and healthy.
Option 1
Fried items might be an essential part of the Iftaar meals during Ramadan and it would be absurd to ask anyone to let go of their traditional dishes. Instead of skipping fried items, you can try making them healthier. For example, Pakoras can be made with semolina and the usual gram flour batter. Instead of deep-frying your food items, you can try shallow fry or even baking them.
For drinks, there is a variety of different options that you can try:
- Lemonades,
- milkshakes with seasonal fruits,
- date milkshakes,
- and low-fat yogurt-based milkshakes.
Option 2
For a lot of the traditional Ramadan meals, there is a healthier alternative. Instead of buying frozen items, you can switch it up with items like pre-prepared kebabs and pre-marinated chicken or paneer tikka.
French fries can be substituted with vegetable crispies, and though it sounds fancy it is very easy to prepare. Cut vegetables in julienne and bake them to crisp for 15 minutes.
If you’re looking for a variety here are a few other things you can add to the Iftaar mix:
- Pita bread pizza,
- chicken chunks,
- fruit salads,
- seasonal fruits platter,
- and fruit infused water.
Option 3
Usually, by the time of the last Ashura, everyone is fed up with the usual monotonous dishes. This is the time to mix things up and make everyone simpler.
Here are a few options for you to choose from:
- Soups like the chicken corn soup, hot & sour soup or lentil soup,
- slow-cooked or baked chicken,
- one-pot meals,
- almond milk,
- custard milk with fruit chunks or chia seeds,
- and sabudana kheer and sooji halwa sweetened with brown sugar.
Dinner Meals
Dinner is totally arbitrary during Ramadan and while some households keep either the Iftaar or the dinner light, most of the people (who love binging) keep everything on the heavier side.
Keeping in mind that dinner after a wholesome Iftaar should be lighter and vise versa. Let’s take a look at some of the meal plans that you can try this Ramadan.
Option 1
For those of you who keep their Iftaars lighter, here are a few dinner options that are fulfilling and healthy during Ramadan.
- Pulao,
- Chicken fried rice with veggies,
- add chutneys, raitas, and salads to the mix,
- and finish it off with kebabs or chicken tikka.
Option 2
If you are someone who likes to eat a heavy and fulfilling Iftaar meal then you should keep your dinner very light. A good way to do this is by making sandwiches and burgers with leftover Iftaar items.
While preparing your burgers and sandwiches, keep in mind that the buns and bread should be diet-friendly. Use whole-wheat brown bread and buns instead of the usual white flour ones.
Option 3
This option can be enjoyed by both young and adult Ramadan devotees. It includes whole wheat pasta with lots of vegetables and chicken. Other things you can try out, which are simpler, include:
- Semolina wheat puris with leftover chana chaat,
- and yogurt-based banana/apple smoothie with crushed granola.
This concludes our list of the top Ramadan meals that are best for weight-watchers and the diet conscious fellas looking to add some nutrients to their Suhoor, Iftaar, and dinner meals.
Is there anything else you would add to our meal plans? Let us know in the comments section.
via ReviewIt
