Ramadan

We often welcome Ramadhan with a mixture of excited trepidation and anxiety about the changes to routines that are inevitable during this month.  Whilst we try to reconnect with the natural sunrise/sunset routine we have our usual children’s routines to juggle too, as well as work, family and other commitments.

Whilst Ramadhan is an opportunity to reconnect with the Almighty, we need to remind ourselves that being a mother is in itself an Ibaadah.  So whilst we may feel that our prayers or dedicated Quran time may be lacking, we should be secure in the knowledge that our every action in raising our children is Ibaadah. Renew your intentions in this matter and console yourself with this good news!

Below are a few useful resources we found when presenting our Ramadhan & MomLife Series:

Fasting when pregnant or breastfeeding: Please consult your own scholars regarding this, though you may find the articles below useful:

Meal planning, Diet & Nutrition During Ramadhan: Let’s make our long term health resolutions with these boosting tips for use in Ramadhan (and beyond!):

Fuel your body with the correct foods during Ramadhan so you will be able to make the most of your  worship, maintain increased energy levels and feel less hungry (and hangry!).

1. Fill up on high protein foods such as: Eggs, greek yoghurt, beans/lentils, fish, chicken and meat. These help you feel fuller for longer.

2. Wholegrain carbs: Wholemeal bagels, bread, naans, oatmeal and barley. Include these in your diet as they release  energy  slowly so you feel  fuller and have (some) energy  during the course of the day!

3. Healthy  fats such as avocado, flaxseed, nut butter and nuts & seeds.

4. Smoothies are a great snack to have  between iftaar and Suhoor and can be made using fruits with a high water content eg watermelon and cucumbers.

5. Protein balls are also handy to batch make before  Ramadhan  and can be nutritious  when made with good wholesome  ingredients such as  dates, seeds, coconut,  and honey.

6. Cut down on caffeine and increase your water intake during the month. Have a glass of water next to your musalla to sip from between your Taraweeh Salah.

7. Use fruits and other flavours to infuse water such as lemon and mint. Melons, watermelons, cucumbers and berries all taste great!

8. Plan your meals, smoothies, snacks and desserts for the month ahead of time with your family and prep as much as you can beforehand using the meal planners below.

7. Marinade and freeze your meals as much as possible beforehand (eg kebabs, chops, chicken fillets, wings etc).

8. Avoid eating fried foods at iftaar, as they reduce your energy levels for Taraweeh and Tahajjud. Air fry or bake samosas etc instead.

9. Assign tasks to everyone for between iftaar and Isha to make sure no one is overtired from all the cleaning.

10. Eat plenty of salad and fruits at iftaar with your dates and zamzam to keep your vitamins and mineral levels high.

We found these recipe compilations particularly good:

Ramadhan Journals/planners: Plan to have your best Ramadhan with these handy Ramadhan journals and guides.

Essential Duas for Ramadhan: All in one place, Ameen!

Children’s Ramadhan Resources: Let’s limit the screentime in this Blessed month and learn through play with the many craft ideas in here!

Eid Resources: Colouring to prepare for all our celebrations.

Please remember the HappyMOMents team in your Duas, particularly during this Blessed Month. Ramadhan Kareem & Eid Mubarak!