For me, the difficult question ‘Aaj khanay
mein kiya pakaoon?’ is never tougher than in Ramzan, on an
empty stomach, and when the need for delivering a filling and nutritious meal
for my family is crucial.
I need to lure and reward the children especially, after a
full day of abstinence, with a feast that will motivate them, replenish lost
nutrition and recharge them for the next day’s fast.
With several years of trial and error, I’ve
been fine-tuning a 30 day meal plan based on one drink, one iftari item
and one meal item for the family. There’s no need to makes dozens of items every day.
This is more than filling enough, and easier on the stomach and the pocket. And
also on my brainpower and the cooking lady’s (wo)manpower.
Now I can be prepared with recipes and ingredients, and also
have enough time to rest and pray.
Feel free to use this for your convenience! And share your
meal plans too!
Point-to-note: this isn’t a nutritionist’s meal plan; it’s
a mummy’s meal plan for her bachas and includes their favourite
foods.
If you haven’t made something before then it’s
best to try it out from before to avoid last-minute panic and disappointment.
You can also order any of these from the several home-based
food suppliers and caterers, including frozen foods that you can use at your
convenience.
Drinks can be made more interesting by adding a dash of
lemon, ginger, mint or yogurt where possible.
Needless to say, keep a side of fruits and vegetables for a
balanced diet and good digestion.
Sehri items don’t need too much planning, with staples
like parathas, eggs, shami kababs, mangoes, bananas, dates,
yogurt and muesli.
DRINK
|
IFTARI ITEM
|
MEAL
|
|
Day
1
|
Rooh Afza with basil seeds and lime
|
Fruit chaat
|
Aloo qeema
|
Day
2
|
Mango milk shake
|
Chicken sesame strips
|
Dal chawal, bhindi jalfrezi,
kachumar
|
Day
3
|
Apple, carrot, ginger and lime juice
|
Humus and pita platter
|
Rotisserie chicken, potato wedges
|
Day
4
|
Banana and mango smoothie
|
Sweet and savoury crepes
|
Lasagne
|
Day
5
|
Date and dry fruit shake
|
Dahi baray
|
Mutton karhai
|
Day
6
|
Ice cream soda
|
Fruit trifle
|
Pizza, chicken cutlets
|
Day
7
|
Sweet and salty lassi
|
Assorted pakoras
|
Bhunnay beef pasanday, aloo tarkari
|
Day
8
|
Falsa juice
|
Channa chaat
|
Aloo anda curry, zeera rice
|
Day
9
|
Limopani
|
Assorted samosas
|
Chicken ginger
|
Day
10
|
Lychee lime
|
Chicken corn soup
|
Beef chilli dry, chicken Szechuan, rice/chow mein
|
Day
11
|
Sattu drink
|
Aloo bonday
|
Mutton achar gosht
|
Day
12
|
Coconut water
|
Chicken samosas
|
Biryani
|
Day
13
|
Banana milkshake
|
Tuna salad
|
Wraps, potato and sweet potato wedges
|
Day
14
|
Shikanjbeen
|
Dahi phulki
|
Haleem
|
Day
15
|
Ginger lemonade
|
Aloo chaat
|
Chicken karhai
|
Day
16
|
Zaafrani doodh
|
Bhel/sev puri
|
Arvi gosht
|
Day
17
|
Sugarcane juice
|
Beans sprout chaat
|
Chicken tikka, seekh kabab
|
Day
18
|
Dried apricot drink
|
Fruit skewers
|
Chapli kabab, kabuli pulao
|
Day
19
|
Chikoo shake
|
Baked stuffed potatoes
|
Chicken roast, steamed vegetables
|
Day
20
|
Watermelon sorbet
|
Lentil soup and fatoush
|
Chullo kabab, saffron rice
|
Day
21
|
Zaljira (cumin, tamarind, ginger juice)
|
Assorted vegetable tempura
|
Aloo gosht
|
Day
22
|
Kiwi cooler
|
Chicken sesame strips
|
Khao suey
|
Day
23
|
Chocolate malt
|
Greens salad
|
Burgers and french fries
|
Day
24
|
Thandai
|
Fruit cocktail
|
Green chicken, peas pulao
|
Day
25
|
Zeera lassi
|
Kachori
|
Galawat kabab
|
Day
26
|
Tamarind juice
|
Fruit and yogurt parfait
|
Chicken shashlik
|
Day
27
|
Mango lassi
|
Corn chaat
|
Nargisi koftay
|
Day
28
|
Cucumber lemonade
|
Aloo qeema cutlets
|
Club sandwiches
|
Day
29
|
Ayran (salted lassi with garlic)
|
Falafel/ lentil pakoras
|
Yakhni pulao
|
Day
30
|
Plum juice
|
Couscous/ quinoa salad
|
Chicken or beef steaks, roasted vegetable skewers
|
