Do you want to maintain a perfect shape, while still eating healthy throughout the holy month of Ramadan?

 

Then welcome to Wehalal Ramadan Meal Guide.

 

In this guide, we will explore a 30-day meal planner for Ramadan.  

 

Goal: Keep you healthy, save you stress of what to eat during Ramadan while ensuring that you maintain that perfect shape.

 

In a haste? Download the Wehalal Ramadan Meal Planner Now.

 

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and holds deep spiritual significance for Muslims worldwide. It is a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community for Muslims, commemorating the moment when the Quran, the holy book of Islam, was believed to have been revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from food, drink, smoking, and certain other physical needs from dawn (Fajr) until sunset (Maghrib), focusing on self-discipline, self-purification, and heightened devotion.

 

 

Why Eating Healthy During Ramadan Is Important?

It takes discipline and braveness to fast from pre-sunrise till after sunset. While observing Ramadan fasting, one is restricted from eating and drinking for certain hours, not even water, which means the body system is starved.

 

In response to this, the body is trying to adapt to what it is not used to, which often leads to several discomforts such as hunger, headache, dehydration, reduction in weight, and body size.

 

This post’s aim is to teach you how to retain and sustain your energy level as well as maintain good shape. To effortlessly survive the fasting hours without having to think about food or hunger, the first rule is to eat healthily and drink enough water.

 

By doing this, your body system is actively running. It is also advised to eat slow-burning food (carbohydrates), foods, or fruits rich in fiber, and wholegrain foods.

 

Eating a healthy meal will help you supply all the nutrients your body needs, and a good meal plan will just take care of all that. 

 

Importance of Making a Meal Plan

Nothing is fascinating in running helter-skelter looking for ingredients and overthinking what to cook, then ending up preparing a meal you are not interested in. By having a meal plan, you tend to save stress, and manage time. It will also save you the stress of overthinking and running, which is one of the most common people go through.

 

Eating a balanced diet throughout Ramadan is so important as fasting can cause changes in the body. Once the body exhausts the blood glucose and fat stores for energy, it might start to use protein which can cause muscle breakdown. 

 

You could also experience changes like tiredness, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and dizziness. For this reason, it becomes imperative to carefully select the combination of food that you will be eating. Ensure it contains fiber, protein, carbohydrates, and other healthy nutritional values.

 

Also, ensure you stay away from deep-fried foods and take more vegetables, whole grains, starchy foods, and fruit.

 

 

 

Planning Your Meal for Ramadan

 

 

Muslims only get to eat at some odd times of the day. It may sound weird based on societal standards but it goes a long way in the Islamic religion.

 

To begin fasting, one has to indulge in a startup meal known as Suhoor- a meal eaten before the sun rises. After eating Suhoor, the next time you get to eat is until Iftar – a time Muslims for their breakfast.

 

Making preparations for these two meals by “making a meal plan” will put you a step ahead. You will no longer have to stress your brain or run helter-skelter after using the whole hours to think about what to eat.

 

30 Day Ramadan Meal Planner

Day	Suhoor	Iftar
Day 1	Oatmeal with fruits and nuts	Lentil soup, whole-grain bread, salad
Day 2	Greek yogurt with honey and berries	Grilled chicken, quinoa, steamed vegetables
Day 3	Whole-grain toast with avocado	Vegetable biryani, cucumber raita
Day 4	Scrambled eggs with spinach	Chickpea stew, whole-grain pita
Day 5	Chia pudding with almond milk	Moroccan couscous with vegetables
Day 6	Cottage cheese with sliced peaches	Lentil and vegetable curry, brown rice
Day 7	Whole-grain pancakes with syrup	Grilled fish, roasted sweet potatoes
Day 8	Smoothie with spinach and banana	Foul medames (fava bean stew), whole-grain bread
Day 9	Quinoa porridge with dried fruits	Spinach and cheese stuffed chicken, salad
Day 10	Omelette with tomatoes and herbs	Vegetable and chickpea tagine
Day 11	Whole-grain cereal with milk	Lentil soup, whole-grain bread, salad
Day 12	Greek yogurt with granola	Grilled shrimp, quinoa, roasted vegetables
Day 13	Whole-grain waffles with berries	Eggplant and tomato stew, brown rice
Day 14	Peanut butter toast	Tofu and vegetable stir-fry
Day 15	Fruit salad with cottage cheese	Spaghetti with tomato sauce, salad
Day 16	Oatmeal with banana and almonds	Red lentil dal, whole-grain bread
Day 17	Smoothie with kale and pineapple	Chickpea and spinach curry, quinoa
Day 18	Whole-grain muffin	Baked falafel, hummus, pita, and salad
Day 19	Scrambled eggs with mushrooms	Vegetable and lentil stew
Day 20	Greek yogurt with mixed nuts	Grilled beef kebabs, couscous, cucumber salad
Day 21	Whole-grain pancakes with fruit	Stuffed grape leaves, tabbouleh
Day 22	Chia pudding with coconut flakes	Black bean soup, whole-grain bread
Day 23	Cottage cheese with pineapple	Chicken and vegetable curry, brown rice
Day 24	Whole-grain toast with almond butter	Moroccan vegetable tagine
Day 25	Smoothie with spinach and mango	Lentil soup, whole-grain bread, salad
Day 26	Quinoa porridge with dried apricots	Grilled salmon, roasted asparagus
Day 27	Omelette with bell peppers	Spinach and mushroom pasta
Day 28	Whole-grain cereal with berries	Chickpea and potato curry, naan
Day 29	Peanut butter and banana toast	Vegetable biryani, cucumber raita
Day 30	Fruit salad with Greek yogurt	Grilled vegetable platter with tahini sauce

 

Suhoor Ideas

Suhoor meal is mentioned earlier, where it discussed it being the first meal to start the day. The best tip to consider when indulging in your suhur meal is to eat food with high amounts of carbohydrates, starchy foods provide slow-release energy to keep you going. Below are meals to eat during suhoor.

#1. Greek Yoghurt Oatmeal and Berries

Adding Greek Yoghurt to Oatmeal porridge and topping it up with your favorite type of berry boosts energy and provides protein, potassium, and calcium.

 

Greek Yoghurt is a slow-burning type of dairy product that builds muscle mass, reduces appetite and hunger, and improves health. When combined with Oatmeal which is rich in fiber and also burns slowly in the stomach, gives you all the energy you need throughout the day.

#2. Plantain Frittata and Fruit Juice

Borrowing from an Italian dish, plantain frittata is an egg and plantain dish that is made by cooking fried plantain in beaten eggs and adding meat and vegetables. While making plantain frittata, you can also put an extra by adding cheese, you know, just to make it cheesy.

#3. Wholegrain Bread Toast with Peanut Butter and Banana

Gain more fiber and protein as you combine wholegrain toast, and peanut butter, with banana. Bananas are a good source of carbs, potassium, protein, and dietary fiber. When combined with peanut butter in a wholegrain toast, you get more fiber and protein which is essential for the body.

#4. Omelette and Bread with Fruit Juice

Starting up your day with an omelet and bread gives you all the energy you need to fast throughout the day. Omelette which is made by frying egg with butter contributes a valuable amount of goodness to the body. Eating with wholegrain bread will also provide enough fiber. You can enjoy this meal with your favorite choice of organic fruit juice.

#5. Wholegrain Pancakes/Waffles with Home-made Smoothie

Cooking requires strength and time. At times, you don’t want to stress yourself. Here is an easy breakfast you can make without stressing too much.

 

Make a paste with wholegrain flour plus eggs, you may add optional milk, and make yourself some pancakes or waffles. Top it up with honey if you are a fan, and eat it alongside a homemade smoothie using the fruit of your choice.

 

 

Iftar Ideas

Iftar is the time when you have to break your fast and eat responsibly. You have starved your body for so long and it is not advised to overfeed yourself as this may lead to bloating or a feeling of discomfort. Before indulging in anything during iftar, it is advised to take water as the first thing to swallow.

 

Do not indulge in acidic fruits like oranges too, you may take it later after eating. If you feel like taking fruit, “dates” are fruit to think of. Date fruit replenishes the body with energy. Below are iftar meal ideas:

 

#1. Grilled Chicken and Quinoa Salad

Grilled chicken breast served with a quinoa salad mixed with fresh herbs, diced vegetables, and a light vinaigrette dressing.

 

#2. Baked Salmon with Asparagus and Brown Rice

Baked salmon fillets served with roasted asparagus and a side of cooked brown rice leaves you wowed as you will love the taste. This is a good meal to consume during iftar. Your body needs the nutrients, and this will provide an essential amount of nutrition to your body.

 

#3. Vegetable Stir-Fry with Tofu

Stir-fried mixed vegetables and tofu in a flavorful sauce, served over brown rice or whole-grain noodles.

 

#4. Baked Sweet Potato with Black Beans

Sweet potato when baked and stuffed with black beans, salsa, and a dollop of Greek yogurt is irresistible. You will enjoy this combination and will even go back for more.

 

#5. Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken with Quinoa

Everyone loves the taste of chicken. Grilled chicken when marinated in organic lemon juice and herbs, served with quinoa and steamed broccoli is mindblowing.

Halal Consideration

While making meals for Suhoor or Iftar, it is important to consider certain things. Ensure your meal and ingredients used stick with the halal dietary standard as it will help in saving against food-causing bacteria that may affect the health.

 

Make sure your meats whether it is chicken, beef, turkey, lamb, or fish are sourced from halal-certified stores that understand the importance of halal. If you are unsure of the meat you are getting, click here to get Dhabiha/Zabiha-certified meat.

 

Ramadan Hydration Tips

The body needs enough liquids. Taking water is the best option for dehydrating oneself. Other forms of liquids such as juice, tea, and milk can also help as they add extra nutrients to the body. You may also try vegetables and fruits that act as antioxidants such as blueberries, green tea, cucumber, spinach, tomato, raspberry, and more.

 

These fruits and veggies listed above may help prevent diseases, reduce oxidative stress, support eye health, reduce inflammation, and may even go as long as supporting brain functionality

 

Summary

Preparing meals, especially during the month of Ramadan is stressful but with a good meal plan, your stress can be managed. A good meal plan will get you steps ahead of time, reduce food wastage, save time, ensure a balanced diet, and help you maintain good body shape throughout the month of Ramadan.