Many people ask me which food should they eat before Yom Kippur fast to keep them full for longer and less hungry. The answer is actually pretty simple and if you think about it makes a lot of sense. When we enter a fast we have to prepare our body that for the next 24 hours no food is going to be eaten and therefore we need to eat nutrient dense foods that break down slowly in the body to keep us feeling full the day of the fast.
Remember, vegetables and soups digest very fast in our bodies and therefore will not keep you full for a long period of time. I usually recommend eating vegetables and soups on a daily basis, but when it comes to the last meal before Yom Kippur it is kind of a “waste”.
What should you be eating during the day before Yom Kippur fast?
The last meal before Yom Kippur fast is usually around 5pm.
Breakfast
I recommend starting the day with a nutrient dense breakfast such as:
Oatmeal porridge topped with raw sesame paste (tahini)
Apple and nuts
My favourite is slicing the apple into wedges and spreading almond butter on it, you will be surprised how satisfying this is and will keep you full for a long time.
Lunch
Soup loaded with vegetables
This will ensure you are getting all the essential minerals prior to the fast and also will make you hungry for 5 pm since vegetable digest very quick.
During the day I recommend munching on fruit and nuts if you feel like snacking
Last meal before Yom Kippur Fast
By now you know that I am into meals that take less than 30 minutes to make so here is a great solution if you are a busy mom:
Chicken Wings and Brown basmati rice with lentils – a source of good quality protein, vitamins, minerals and complex carbohydrates that break down very slow in our bodies (which will keep you full longer).
Baked Sweet Potato fries – a source of good quality carbohydrate and essential vitamins
Here is a recipe:
Brown basmati rice with lentils
Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups brown basmati rice (or any other whole grain rice)
1 cup green lentils (preferably sprouted. If you didn’t have the time to sprout them ahead of time, soak them for two hours in cold water)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
sea salt black pepper (to taste)
3 tbsp olive oil
appx. 1 kg chicken winges
1 tspn soya sauce (or more if needed)
Directions
Sauté the onion on a medium heat until it becomes translucent. Add the rice, lentils and spices and mix. Add 5 1/2 cups of filtered water. Bring to boil, lower to minimum heat and cover. Let cook for about 40 minutes until the rice is ready. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (appx. 180 Celsius), transfer everything into a deep baking dish, put the wings on top and spread soya sauce on the wings. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes until wings brown a little.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes
1 1/2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/2 tsp garlic powder
sea salt (to taste)
If you like spicy add chilli powder or cayenne pepper
Directions
Preheat the oven to 420 degrees and line a baking sheet with a parchment paper. Cut the sweet potato into wedges (not too thick and not too thin). In a large bowl combine the sweet potatoes, coconut oil, garlic powder and salt (and chilli powder and cayenne pepper if using). Use your hands to evenly coat the potatoes with the spices. Spread the fries out in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, or until crispy and brown on one side. Carefully turn the fries over using a spatula, and bake for another 15-20 minutes or so, depending on how thickly you have cut them, or until all are crisp on the outside and tender inside.
Dorit
p.s. Tell me if you made this meal and how did it go? Did you feel full longer? See you at the comments below!