Products by day - what to eat during Lent. Nutrition during fasting: what you can and cannot eat, strict and non-strict fasting days

That's all today large quantity people decide to fast. This is due to a person’s desire to become closer to God. However, many people mistakenly believe that fasting is just a strict diet designed to pacify the flesh.

They are deeply mistaken, in addition to food restrictions, we must cleanse ourselves spiritually, not use foul language, be kinder to the people around us, and then a piece of God’s grace will definitely descend on us.

Also if you are being followed bad habits, Related excessive consumption alcohol or smoking, then give them up at least for a while.

Practical guide. How to eat during fasting?

During fasting, you should give preference to products of plant origin.

Among them:

• Cereals;
• Fruits;
• Vegetables;
• Mushrooms;
• Nuts.

On certain days you can eat fish and drink small amounts of red wine. However, there are also days when eating food is strictly forbidden - these are Good Friday, preceding the bright holiday of Easter. If a person does not strictly adhere to fasting due to feeling unwell, then on this day you can eat vegetables and fruits, as well as drink water.

In order not to make a mistake and during Lent to eat the food that you can, you need to look into the Church orthodox calendar. According to it, it is prohibited to eat products of animal origin, which include:

• Dairy products (as well as fermented milk);
• Domestic meat and game;
• Eggs.

An exception is made only for nursing mothers, pregnant women, and sick people.

But not only all of the above is undesirable on our table during preparation for Great Easter. Treats such as chips, crackers, rich cakes, sweets and chocolate should also not be included in the daily menu of fasting people.

When depriving yourself of your usual diet, you must take care to support the body with a complete replacement of the foods excluded from the diet. Here are a couple of tips on how to do it correctly.

Since the main ban is on foods containing a lot of protein, it is important to find a worthy replacement animal protein to vegetable protein.

• Fish;
• Beans;
• Mushrooms;
• Legumes;
• Wheat;
• Nuts.

2. Since the meat and liver of animals contains iron in abundance, care must be taken to replenish its reserves and prevent the occurrence of anemia. To do this, you can include in your diet:

• • Buckwheat;
  • Apples;
  • Bananas;
  • Cocoa drink.

If you suffer from iron deficiency, then this may be a reason to eat meat even during fasting.

A couple of recipes for Lenten dishes

Here are a couple of recipes Lenten dishes, which you can pamper yourself and your loved ones without fear of breaking church rules.

Lenten food recipe - dumplings with cabbage

Knead the dough in water without eggs. We use it as filling sauerkraut, which should be thoroughly stewed with tomato. After you remove the finished dumplings from the boiling water with a slotted spoon, serve them on the table with a special frying mixture. It is prepared as follows. Finely chopped onion and sauté it until golden brown in a frying pan, generously sprinkled with vegetable oil.

Recipe from lean products - potatoes baked in jackets

Medium sized potato tubers Wash thoroughly under running water and cut into four parts. Salt and place on a baking sheet greased with vegetable oil. Potatoes should be baked at a temperature of 200 degrees. You can tell that the dish is ready by piercing the skin of the potato with a match or toothpick; it should pierce the flesh right through. You can serve potatoes as a separate dish or use them as a side dish for fish.

How to leave a post correctly?

In addition to the fact that you need to fast correctly, you also need to be able to break fast correctly. To do this, we recommend a smooth transition to consuming lean food. Without adhering to this rule and on the very first day of the festival, leaning on rich dishes and meat, you can put too much strain on the stomach, pancreas and liver. Try to break your fast slowly and gradually, including new dishes in your menu every day.

We wish you to pass all the trials of Lent with dignity and meet the Easter holiday purified both spiritually and physically!

Humility of the body is considered the first step towards humility of the spirit, according to Christian beliefs. When starting to fast, it is also necessary to abstain spiritually. In this way, a Christian cleanses himself of bad emotions and learns to restrain negativity. Without observing spiritual rules of behavior, fasting becomes a common diet.

What to eat from cereals during Lent

Porridge is one of the most important components of the Lenten table. Of course, cereals should be cooked in water without adding butter. However, such a restriction does not mean that the porridge will be tasteless. First, there are many different grains that can add variety to your menu. Take a closer look in the supermarket: on the shelves with cereals you will find many more options than the usual buckwheat, rice, and pearl barley.

Secondly, during fasting you are allowed to eat many foods that can improve the taste of any porridge. For example, you can add raisins, dried apricots, nuts, carrots, and mushrooms. In this matter, you can safely rely on your imagination and experiment with tastes.

Also don't forget about prosers. This is the name given to sprouted grains of wheat, oats, and corn. These products contain over 30 percent vegetable protein, as well as many macro- and microelements. Regular use prosers even not during fasting, will provide the body with the necessary amount of vitamins and nutrients, will prevent the development of a large number of diseases.

You can prepare a huge number of delicious lean dishes based on cereals:

• Vegetable pearl barley porridge. You will need pearl barley, carrots, onions, salt, and spices to taste. We wash the cereal, add water in a ratio of 1:3 and cook until soft. In the process, add chopped carrots, onions, salt, and seasonings.
• Fruit pilaf with nuts. Take two glasses of steamed rice, some raisins, dried apricots, dates, prunes, some walnuts, a couple of tablespoons of honey, and salt. Cook rice in slightly salted water. Halfway through cooking, add scalded raisins, chopped dried fruits and roasted nuts to the porridge. Cook the porridge and add honey after cooling.
• Semolina porridge with cranberry juice . Take a glass of cranberries and pour 6 glasses of water, bring to a boil and add half a glass of semolina and the same amount of sugar. Cook the porridge until tender, cool and serve with honey.
• Smolensk porridge with fruit drink. Prepare the fruit drink by analogy with the recipe described above. Add to ready-made decoction half a glass of rice cereal and the same amount of sugar. Cook until done and serve cooled.
• Pilaf with dried mushrooms. To prepare you will need several large dried mushrooms(preferably forest), one glass of rice, three onions, one carrot, three tablespoons sunflower oil, one and a half glasses of mushroom broth, tomato paste, salt. We sort the mushrooms and soak them in water for three hours. We cook them in it until done. Cut the boiled mushrooms into strips, fry them together with carrots and onions, add tomato paste and a little “mushroom water”. Add rice to the mixture and cook over low heat until tender.
• Mash porridge. We mix two types of cereals, for example, millet and barley, rice and wheat, corn and rice, and so on. In this case, one of the cereals should be crushed, and the other whole. We grate a couple of types of any vegetables. For a glass of cereal mixture, take a glass of vegetable mixture. Place 1/3 of the vegetables on the bottom of the pan, a layer of cereal on top, then again vegetables, and so on all the products in layers. Pour in hot salty water to cover the entire mixture. Place in the oven for 10 minutes.

What can you eat from vegetables during Lent?

IN Lent It is allowed to eat various vegetables and root crops. They can be either raw or heat-treated. Do not get carried away with heat treatment: the less vegetables are boiled, stewed, or fried, the more nutrients are retained in them.

Various varieties of cabbage (white cabbage, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts), potatoes, celery, pumpkin, bell pepper, tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs (parsley, dill, basil, cilantro, sorrel).

You can make salads from fresh vegetables, and also eat pickled and pickled foods.

Let's look at a few popular lean vegetable dishes:

1. Cabbage salad with prunes. Take a quarter of a small head of cabbage, a handful of prunes and half a lemon, one carrot and salt and sugar to taste. Chop the vegetables and pour in lemon juice, season with salt and spices to taste.
2. Salad with carrots and pickled cucumber. You will need 800 grams of carrots, a couple of pickled cucumbers and 200 grams tomato juice. Cut the cucumber into small cubes, add juice, and add black pepper to taste. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater and add to the cucumber mixture. Mix and serve.
3. Potato salad with pomegranate and walnut . Boil a couple of potatoes in their skins. Peel and cut into cubes. Prepare the dressing: crush the chopped nut kernels together with garlic in a mortar, add salt and pomegranate juice. Pour the mixture over the potatoes and sprinkle with herbs.
4. Vinaigrette with champignons. Take about 300 grams of mushrooms, 4 tomatoes, one apple, a few tablespoons of vegetable oil, a tablespoon of mushroom broth, lemon juice from half the fruit, a tablespoon apple juice, onion, mustard seeds, salt, sugar, spices, herbs. Chop the mushrooms and simmer in oil until tender. Cut tomatoes and apples and mix with champignons. Add grated carrots and onions to the broth remaining after cooking the mushrooms. Pour this dressing over the prepared vinaigrette and sprinkle with herbs.
5. Lenten cabbage soup. To prepare this dish we need 50 grams white cabbage, three onions, one carrot, a couple of potatoes, parsley and celery roots, spices, herbs, garlic. Finely chop the potatoes and roots. Shred cabbage with herbs. Fill the vegetables with water and add spices. Cook for about 15 minutes. Grate the carrots, mix with chopped garlic, and add to the semi-finished cabbage soup. We bring it to readiness.
6. Vegetable soup. Prepare about a dozen pods of green beans, a couple of stalks of green onions, a clove of garlic, a couple of carrots, parsley, spices, salt, a couple of drops of vinegar. Pour about five glasses of hot water into the container, adding vinegar. Add beans, chopped carrots, and greens. Cook for about ten minutes over high heat, then reduce it and cook for another half hour.
   Before serving, sprinkle the soup with herbs.

What can you eat from fruits during Lent 2017?

Lent is a time when you can treat yourself to various fruits every day. Until the first spring harvests ripen, you can eat preparations - preserves, jams, dried fruits. You can also eat exotic fruits.

You can eat both raw and heat-treated fruits, add them to salads and prepare desserts from them. Fruits go well with various nuts.

You can prepare the following quick fruit dishes:

• Apple salad with pumpkin. Let's take three sour apples, two hundred grams of pumpkin and half a glass of berry jelly. Peel apples and pumpkin and grate them on a coarse grater, add jelly and mix.
• Cranberry salad. Grind two or three glasses of cranberries with sugar. Add a couple of grated carrots and the same amount of chopped turnips. Finely chop one celery root and mix with the salad.
• Lingonberry salad. Grind a couple of glasses of lingonberries with sugar, add peeled and chopped two carrots and a piece of rutabaga. Mix thoroughly.
• Salad with dried fruits. Wash thoroughly in warm water 250 grams of prunes, cut into strips, mix with 50 grams of sugar, add a pinch of cinnamon, cloves and pour over lemon juice. Salad with dried apricots is prepared in the same way. Only instead of cinnamon, vanilla is added to it.
• Baked apples. To prepare, take four large apples, a couple of tablespoons of sugar, a little thick jam, cinnamon and nuts to taste. We wash the fruits, remove the core and stuff the fruits with a mixture of nuts, spices, sugar and jam. Bake in the oven for about twenty minutes.

What can you eat during Lent 2017 from sweets?

In general, sweets during Lent should be limited. In addition, the consumption of fatty confectionery products, in the preparation of which oil, fats, dairy products and other prohibited categories were used, is not allowed.

It is allowed during Lent to eat marmalade, Lenten marshmallows, halva (on certain days), oat cookies, dark chocolate, sugared cranberries, honey, Turkish delight, lollipops. These products are classified as meatless, but please read the label carefully before purchasing them.

You can prepare a Lenten sweet dish for dessert yourself. Choose the appropriate recipe:

1. Rice with lemon jelly. To prepare you will need one hundred grams of rice, three sugars, one tablespoon of agar, a couple of glasses of water, six lemons. Cook the rice until tender with 1.5 cups of sugar. Pour the agar with two glasses of water, heat until dissolved, add a glass of sugar, pour in the juice of three lemons. Place the rice in a deep container, fill it with hot jelly, and put it in the refrigerator. You can use oranges instead of lemons.
2. Cranberry mousse. Take three glasses of water, half a glass of cranberries, half a glass of semolina, half a glass of sugar. We wash the berries and squeeze the juice out of them. Boil the “dry” berries and strain. Add sugar and semolina to the liquid and cook until tender. Cool the porridge, add juice and beat with a mixer. Place into bowls and decorate with cranberries.
3. Orangeade. This sweet drink will be a great addition to dessert. You will need eight oranges, a couple of lemons, half a kilogram of sugar, 2.5 liters of water. Wash the citruses and remove the peel. Place the zest in a container with water and add sugar. Place on low heat and cook, stirring and pressing on the zest until the oil comes out. Cover the broth with a lid and cool. Cut oranges and lemons in half and squeeze out the juice. Pour it into a decoction of zest. Cool the drink before serving.

What to eat during Lent by day from seafood

According to Orthodox canons, you can eat fish for only two days during Lent. For this there is the Annunciation and Palm Sunday. But on the Saturday before Palm Sunday it is allowed to eat fish caviar.

As for other seafood, opinions differ regarding their intake during fasting. Some believers claim that sea creatures are akin to fish and can only be eaten on strictly designated days. Others believe that fish is not comparable to shrimp or squid, so you can eat the latter on other days of Lent.

Even if the opportunity arises to eat fish, it is better to cook it not by frying. Optimal method heat treatment will be stewing, boiling, baking.

Try treating yourself to these fish dishes during Lent:

1. Jellied pike perch. To prepare you will need about one kilogram of pike perch, a couple of onions, two carrots, black pepper, Bay leaf, salt, agar (instead of gelatin), a couple of lemons, pickles, green peas, bell pepper, parsley. We remove the scales from the fish, take out the entrails, remove the fins, bones, and head. We put the latter in a container and fill it with water (one and a half liters). Add peeled onions and carrots. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam and add pepper and bay leaf. Cook the broth for an hour. At the same time we fill cold water agar-agar. Let it brew for an hour and strain. Add the liquid to the broth and add salt. Place the pre-boiled pike perch fillet on large dish, pour a small amount of agar mixture and put it in the refrigerator. After hardening, decorate the top with slices of lemon and pepper. Fill the dish again and cool until completely solidified.
2. Fish okroshka. Fry any fish in vegetable oil, remove the bones, cut into pieces and place in a deep plate, add pickles, green onions, dill, tarragon and pour in kvass. If desired, you can salt the dish.
3. . Take half a kilogram of any fish, three potatoes, one carrot, one onion, parsley root, half a glass of green peas, four tomatoes, a little vegetable oil, herbs, salt, spices. Boil the fish until cooked. Add chopped potatoes, pre-fried vegetables, and roots to the hot broth. Five minutes before complete readiness, add tomatoes and peas. When serving, sprinkle with herbs.
4. Fish pie. For the filling you will need fillet of pink salmon, pike perch, onion, a little sunflower oil, salt, and spices. We take it ready puff pastry and roll it out onto the pie. Place the pink salmon fillet, salt and pepper, and place the fried onion on top. Place pike perch on top of pink salmon and salt it. Cover the top with another layer of dough and form a “fish”. You can draw a pattern of scales with a knife. Bake the pie in a hot oven.

What can you eat during Lent from fats by day?

In general, eating fats of vegetable and animal origin is not recommended during Lent. You cannot fry food on them, or add them to baked goods, salads and other dishes. However, there are certain days of so-called “relaxation”. At this time, you can eat fish, which is also prohibited on the other days of fasting, drink a little red wine and add it to dishes vegetable oil.

These days you can eat any oil: sunflower, flaxseed, olive, sesame. It is advisable not to fry food with them, but to add them to salads and ready-made dishes.

Palm Sunday and the Annunciation are considered days of relaxation.

But animal fats (lard, lard, butter) cannot be eaten on any days during Lent. Moreover, they are prohibited even as part of various dishes and products. For example, even bread should be prepared without them.

What can you eat from flour products during Lent?

Eating bread and pastries during Lent is not prohibited. The main condition is that they do not contain prohibited foods, such as eggs, milk, oils, and fats. You can flavor bread with vegetable oil only on fasting days.

Of course, all kinds of baked goods that are prepared on dough cannot be eaten during Lent.

TO flour products This includes various pastas. You can eat spaghetti, vermicelli, pasta, noodles.

For example, in many Italian recipes you can find lean pasta dressings. Vegetable sauces and spices will help diversify dishes.

You can experiment with these lean dishes:

• Pasta with vegetables. Take half a kilogram of pasta, a couple of carrots, 50 grams of parsley root, three onions, a glass of canned peas, a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste, one hundred grams of sunflower oil, and herbs. Chop the onion, carrots and greens finely and fry in tomato paste in vegetable oil. Add peas to the vegetables and mix them. Boil pasta, drain the water and combine them with vegetables. Serve the dish hot, sprinkled with herbs.
• Noodle soup. To prepare, you will need one onion and one carrot, parsley root, a couple of tablespoons of sunflower oil, spices, salt, a glass of flour, and a little water. Sauté the onions, carrots and parsley with the addition of salt and spices. For the noodles, prepare the dough in water. Roll it out thinly and cut into narrow stripes. Boil the noodles until tender and add the prepared vegetables to the water. Before serving, sprinkle with herbs.

What not to eat during Lent

First of all, during fasting you should avoid products that are of animal origin. These include:

1. Meat, poultry, and products based on it. These are sausages, sausages, broths and more.
2. Dairy. This category includes dairy products, as well as butter and ice cream.
3. Eggs. You should not eat raw or cooked eggs or foods that contain them. For example, baking confectionery, mayonnaise and more.
4. Gelatin. It is made from cartilage tissue, which means it cannot be eaten. Agar-agar can replace it on the fasting table; jelly is also made from it. It is worth remembering that many sweets, marmalade, and chewing gum are made from gelatin.
5. Alcohol. Strong alcoholic drinks are especially prohibited. On relaxation days, you can drink red wine, for example, Cahors in small quantities.

The first and last weeks of Lent are considered the strictest. You should also not overeat during Lent. Otherwise, the whole tradition loses its meaning. Noisy celebrations are not recommended during this period.

According to strict rules, on weekdays you are allowed to eat only once a day. On weekends - twice a day.

What you can eat during Lent - watch the video:

Eating during Lent is not just a diet, but a conscious restriction of oneself in food and usual entertainment. Remember that you need to leave the fast carefully, without immediately leaning on it. animal protein. Allow your body to adapt after eating plant foods.

During this period, it is customary to strictly monitor nutrition and not consume fatty foods, meat and alcohol. However, there are days when you can treat yourself to fish. At the same time, many fasting people tame their flesh too hard, and instead of improving their health, they lead themselves to exhaustion and gastritis. You should also break fast gradually, diversifying your diet a little every day.

HOW TO FAST CORRECTLY: 7 RULES

1. Eat small portions 6-7 times a day.

2. Drink more water to maintain water balance in organism.

3. As a replacement for meat, include in the diet mushrooms rich in protein, vitamins D and PP, as well as legumes - beans, lentils, peas, which are also a source of protein.

4. Don’t forget about another protein supplier - nuts - which also contain calcium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, folic acid, vitamins E and A. An additional advantage of nuts is their low glycemic index, which protects against surges in blood sugar and prevents appetite.

5. Include cereals in your diet, as they contain many different vitamins, minerals, trace elements and biologically active substances.

6. Remember that during fasting the most healthy vegetables are potatoes, eggplants and cabbage: white cabbage, Beijing cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and kohlrabi. You can eat vegetables in any form, but the less heat treatment, the better.

7. For sweets, limit yourself to fruits, dried fruits and honey.

WHAT NOT TO EAT DURING LENT

• It is not allowed to consume meat and any meat products, including poultry, eggs, milk and dairy products - butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, kefir, cheeses, yogurt, etc. You should also not eat dishes that contain these products as components, such as mayonnaise.
• Fish and fish products, as well as vegetable oil, are allowed, only in non-strict conditions. fast days.
• Fatty sweets, chocolate, baked goods and any fast food are prohibited.
• Drinking alcohol is prohibited.

WHAT CAN YOU EAT DURING LENT?

• seaweed;
• Korean salads;
• seeds;
• nuts;
• pasta that does not contain eggs;
• flour products from flour, water and salt;
• bread (without milk or eggs), unleavened pita bread, crisps; sauces (ketchup, lean mayonnaise, adjika, soy sauce, tomato paste);
• balsamic, apple, table vinegar.

FEATURES OF GREAT LENT

• First and last week During Great Lent in 2017, fasting is observed with particular strictness. All animal products should not be eaten.
• Eating is allowed only in the evening; on Saturdays and Sundays, only the morning meal can be excluded.
• On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, food is eaten only cold, and on Tuesdays and Thursdays, hot food is allowed without oil.
• On Saturdays and Sundays, in addition to vegetable oil, moderate consumption of grape wine is allowed (this does not apply to Saturday of Holy Week).
• On Good Friday, it is better to abstain from eating all day.
• Many Christians also abstain from food until Easter.

LENT: FOOD MENU BY DAY

February 27 – Clean Monday. Refrain from food.
February 28 – Tuesday. Refrain from food.
For those who have health problems, as well as for the elderly, bread and kvass are allowed on Tuesday after Vespers. You can eat bread with salt and drink water or kvass (optional)/
March 1 – Wednesday. Dry eating: bread, water, herbs, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (one dish to choose from).
Dill infusion or decoction of berries/fruits with honey.
Food is taken once a day, during the day.
March 2 – Thursday. Refrain from food.
March 3 – Friday. Baked or boiled hot food without oil once a day, during the day.
March 4 – Saturday. Baked or boiled food with vegetable oil twice a day. Olives and black olives are acceptable. Allowed in small quantities is grape wine without alcohol and sugar, diluted in hot water, but abstinence from wine is recommended.

First week of Lent (first Sunday of fasting). Triumph of Orthodoxy
On the week of the Triumph of Orthodoxy, the victory of Orthodoxy over the iconoclastic heresy is celebrated. Iconoclasts believed that the veneration of icons was idolatry. Thanks to the patronage of the emperors, the persecution of icons continued for almost a hundred years. Icon veneration was finally restored in the 9th century by Empress Theodora on the first Sunday of Great Lent, on which the Triumph of Orthodoxy has been celebrated ever since.

March 6 – Monday.

March 7 – Tuesday.

March 8 – Wednesday.
Once a day, around 15.00.
9 Matra – Thursday.
Finding the head of John the Baptist (first and second discovery) - Orthodox holiday in honor of the most revered part of the relics of John the Baptist - his head.
Hot food passed heat treatment, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g). Once a day, around 15.00. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, mostly diluted hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
March 10 – Friday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
March 11 – Saturday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.

March 12 – Sunday.
Second week of Lent (second Sunday of fasting). Memorial Day of St. Gregory Palamas.
St. Gregory Palamas lived in the 14th century. According to Orthodox faith he taught that for the feat of fasting and prayer, the Lord illuminates believers with His gracious light, as the Lord shone on Tabor. For the reason that St. Gregory revealed the teaching about the power of fasting and prayer and it was established to commemorate him on the second Sunday of Great Lent.
March 13 – Monday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
March 14 – Tuesday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. No oil. Once a day, around 15.00.
March 15 – Wednesday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
March 16 – Thursday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. No oil. Once a day, around 15.00.
March 17 – Friday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
March 18 – Saturday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
On Saturday of the third week, during Matins, the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord is brought into the middle of the church for the worshipers to worship, therefore the third week and the next, fourth, week are called the Worship of the Cross.

March 19 – Sunday.
The third week of Lent (third Sunday day of fasting) is the Worship of the Cross.
On this day, they read legends, consecrate prosphyra, do not work, visit churches to venerate the cross, reflect on the concept of “carrying one’s cross,” and fast (eating boiled oil with oil and wine).
March 20 – Monday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
March 21 – Tuesday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. No oil. Once a day, around 15.00.
March 22 – Wednesday.
Memorial Day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste.
The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste are Christian soldiers who accepted martyrdom for their faith in Christ in Sebaste (Little Armenia, modern Turkey) in 320 at Licinia.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With wine (one cup 200g). One meal a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
March 23 – Thursday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. No oil. Once a day, around 15.00.
March 24 – Friday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
March 25 – Saturday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.

March 26 – Sunday.
Fourth week of Lent (fourth Sunday of fasting). Memorial Day of the theologian John Climacus.
John Climacus was the abbot of the Sinai Monastery, he wrote the famous “Ladder of Virtues,” where he showed the steps of ascent to spiritual perfection. (“Ladder” from Old Slavic “ladder”. Options – Paradise Ladder, Spiritual Tablets). The image of the "Ladder" is borrowed from the Bible, which describes the vision of Jacob's Ladder, along which angels ascend (Gen. 28:12).
The calendar memory of John Climacus falls during Lent, it was moved to Sunday, and it was assigned to the 4th Sunday of Lent.
On the day of memory of John Climacus, “ladders” were baked.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
March 27 – Monday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
March 28 – Tuesday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. No oil. Once a day, around 15.00.
March 29 – Wednesday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
Wednesday evening at Orthodox churches A special service is performed - “Standing of Mary”. At this service, the only time a year the Great Canon of St. Andrew of Crete is read in its entirety, which was read in parts from Monday to Thursday of the first week of Great Lent, and the canon of St. Mary of Egypt.
March 30 – Thursday. Standing Rev. Mary of Egypt.
On this day, according to ancient custom, the sequence of the Great Canon is sung. The Monk Andrew composed it at the same time that Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, wrote down the life of Mary of Egypt. Father Andrei first brought the Great Canon and the word about the Venerable Mary to Constantinople when he was sent by Patriarch Theodore of Jerusalem to help at the Sixth Council.
On Standing Rev. Mary of Egypt - hot food that has undergone heat treatment, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (200g). Once a day, around 15.00. Some statutes only allow wine and no oil (oil).
March 31st – Friday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
Before the Feast of Praise Holy Mother of God some statutes allow wine. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
April 1 – Saturday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.

April 2 – Sunday.
Fifth week of Lent (fifth Sunday of fasting). Memorial Day of Rev. Mary of Egypt
The Venerable Mary was born in Egypt in the middle of the 5th century. At the age of 12, she left her parents and went to Alexandria, where she spent 17 years living in sin. One day, Mary arrived in Jerusalem on the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and tried to enter the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, but some force held her back. Realizing her fall, she began to pray in front of the icon of the Mother of God, located in the vestibule of the temple. After this she was able to enter the temple. The next day, Mary crossed the Jordan and went into the desert, where she spent the rest of her life, 47 years, in fasting and repentance. The Church gives in the person of the Venerable Mary of Egypt an example of true repentance and shows in her an example of God's ineffable mercy towards repentant sinners. The calendar memory of Mary of Egypt falls during Lent, it was moved to Sunday, and it was assigned to the 5th Sunday of Lent.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
April 3 – Monday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
April 4 – Tuesday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. No oil. Once a day, around 15.00.
April 5 – Wednesday.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time). Once a day, around 15.00.
April 6 – Thursday.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. No oil. Once a day, around 15.00.
April 7 – Friday, Feast of the Annunciation.
The name of the holiday - Annunciation - conveys the main meaning of the event associated with it: the announcement to the Virgin Mary of the good news about the conception and birth of the Divine Infant Christ.
Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine. Fish allowed. Once a day, around 15.00.
April 8 – Saturday. Lazarev Saturday.
On this day, Christians remember the miracle of Christ’s resurrection of the righteous Lazarus (John 11:1-45), which was performed as evidence of the coming resurrection of all the dead. The celebration of Lazarus Saturday has been established since ancient times; it precedes the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem
Fish caviar up to 100 grams is allowed. Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.

April 9 – Sunday. Sixth week of Lent (sixth Sunday of fasting).
Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday). - (the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem on a donkey, when the people greeted him by throwing palm branches on the road - replaced by willow in Rus') - the last Sunday before Easter. Fish is allowed. Hot food that has been cooked, i.e. boiled, baked, etc. With vegetable oil and wine (one bowl 200g) twice a day. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
April 10 – Maundy Monday
On Maundy Monday, the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph, sold by his brothers to Egypt, is remembered as a prototype of the suffering Jesus Christ, as well as the Gospel story about Jesus’ curse of the barren fig tree, symbolizing a soul that does not bear spiritual fruit - true repentance, faith, prayer and good deeds. Matthew 21:18-22
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time).



April 11 – Maundy Tuesday
On Holy Tuesday we remember the sermon of Jesus Christ in the Jerusalem Temple. On this day He told the disciples about the second coming of Matthew 24, the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the talents Matthew 25:1-30. The chief priests and elders tempted him with questions, wanted to arrest Him, but were afraid to do this openly because of the people, who revered Jesus as a prophet and listened to him attentively.
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time).
To drink: dill (hot infusion or decoction of herbs or berries, fruits) with honey.
Once a day, around 15.00.
"As in the 1st week of this holy Lent."
April 12 – Holy Wednesday
On Great Wednesday we remember the anointing of Jesus Christ with myrrh and the betrayal of Judas. Matthew 26.6-16
Dry eating: bread, water, greens, raw, dried or soaked vegetables and fruits (for example: raisins, olives, nuts, figs - one of these every time).
To drink: dill (hot infusion or decoction of herbs or berries, fruits) with honey.
Once a day, around 15.00.
"As in the 1st week of this holy Lent."
April 13 – Maundy Thursday. Last Supper
On Maundy Thursday, the Last Supper and the establishment of the sacrament of the Eucharist (Communion) by Jesus Christ are remembered. Matthew 26:17-35, Mark 14:12-31, Luke 22:7-39, John 13-18
According to the usual (Palestinian) tradition, one dish is served, but eating boiled food with vegetable oil is allowed.
According to the Studio Charter, one boiled dish is supposed, but supplemented with sochivo (any porridge) and legumes; no oil.
According to the charter of Holy Mount Athos, two boiled dishes with oil and wine. Pure grape wine without alcohol and sugar, preferably diluted with hot water. At the same time, abstaining from wine is highly commendable.
April 14 – Great Friday. Good Friday. Crucifixion of Christ
On Good Friday, Orthodox Christians remember the arrest of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, the trial of the high priests, the trial of Pilate, the way of the cross of Jesus, the crucifixion, death and the signs accompanying it, the removal from the cross and burial.
They don't eat anything. For the elderly, bread and water are allowed after sunset.
April 15 – Holy Saturday. The Descent of Christ into Hell
Holy Saturday is dedicated to the remembrance of Jesus Christ's stay in the tomb and His descent into hell for the liberation of the souls of the dead.
On Holy Saturday, many believers also refuse food until Easter. For the rest - 200-250g of bread, 6 pieces of figs or dates and a cup of wine, or kvass, or honey drink. Or bread with vegetables. Once a day, around 19.00.
The end of Great Lent.

One of the strictest church calendar, Lent lasts seven weeks. In 2019, fasting should be observed from March 11 to April 27. Sputnik talks about acceptable and prohibited foods in the diet, as well as the rules of eating.

Fasting symbolizes a difficult path: in order to get to Easter, believers must overcome its strict restrictions. By the way, fasting is intended to cleanse both the body and the soul, so you will have to abstain from fun.

What not to eat during Lent 2019

It is worth noting that the clergy advise ordinary people take into account your health status, activities and eating habits, avoiding the strictest prohibitions. During Lent, food should be simple, but maintain physical strength person.

Basically, anyone who decides to fast is prohibited from eating food of animal origin on these days. This category includes any meat, milk, eggs and, of course, other products in which they may be found.

Fast food is strictly prohibited, and those with a sweet tooth will have to do without treats and baked goods.

It is also not recommended to use a lot of sugar, salt and spices - if you are not ready to give them up altogether, add them in small quantities. It is also not recommended to fry food - you should prefer other cooking methods.

What can you eat during Lent?

The list of acceptable food products during Lent seems insufficient only at first glance: in fact, you can prepare a variety of dishes from these products every day.

It is acceptable to eat such foods as black bread and cereal crispbreads, various cereals, all legumes, mushrooms in different forms, seasonal vegetables (particularly in the form of pickles), seasonal fruits, dried fruits, berry jam, nuts and honey.

You are allowed to treat yourself to fish twice during the entire fast. It can be eaten on holidays - for example, on Palm Sunday and the Annunciation.

Among the cooking methods, you should choose stewing, baking, boiling or steaming. Porridge can only be cooked with water and without adding oil. We recommend that you carefully consider the fact that, without wanting to harm the body, you need to replace the animal protein prohibited during fasting with vegetable protein - it is found in acceptable legumes, peanuts, soybeans and eggplants. At this time, soups are cooked exclusively in vegetable broth.

Nutrition rules for Lent 2019 by day

On most days of Lent, you are allowed to eat only one meal a day. The only exceptions are weekends - on Saturday and Sunday you can eat twice a day. Most strict restrictions will have to be adhered to in the first four days and in its last week - Holy Week right before Easter.

You will have to completely give up food on Clean Monday, as well as on Good Friday. Another strict day is the first Friday of Lent, which allows only wheat with sugar or honey.

By the way, each day has its own rules: on Monday, Wednesday and Friday you should stick to dry eating (drink water and compotes, eat bread, as well as raw fruits and vegetables). On Tuesday and Thursday you can eat hot food, but without oil. On weekends, you can add vegetable oil and wine to this list of products.

What to drink during Lent 2019

Drinking alcohol during Lent is prohibited (except on weekends when wine is permitted). Despite the fact that drinking tea and coffee is not prohibited for a strict seven weeks, it is recommended to significantly reduce their consumption and prefer drinks based on fruits and herbs.

By the way, coffee fans should think about the fact that fasting involves the renunciation of pleasures: this restriction will probably be a real humility of the flesh for you.

If you are fasting and would like to know what you can eat during this period and what is prohibited, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the list of products. Do not think that by fasting you will go hungry and not eat enough. A properly selected menu and knowledge of the main products containing fats, carbohydrates and proteins will allow you to easily carry out the holy cleansing, and even lose extra pounds.

You can eat any fruits and vegetables during fasting:

1. Potato
2. Cabbage, including sauerkraut
3. Mushrooms
4. Radish and radish, turnip
5. Beet
6. Carrot
7. Onion and garlic
8. Greens and lettuce
9. Eggplants and zucchini
10. Bell pepper
11. Cucumbers, including pickles
12. Pumpkin
13. Apples
14. Pears
15. Bananas
16. Tangerines, oranges, grapefruit and lemon
17. Persimmon
18. Plum and grapes
19. Peaches and apricots
20. Any berries

Vegetables and mushrooms can be boiled, stewed, baked without adding butter. A huge number of salads and snacks can be made from vegetables. Fruits can be eaten fresh, or baked, or made into salads. Adding vegetable oil is allowed only on Saturday, Sunday and holidays.

During Lent you can eat any cereals and porridges:

1. Buckwheat
2. Oatmeal
3. Pshenka
4. Pearl barley
5. Lentils, peas and beans
6. Corn porridge
7. Semolina

You can also eat dried fruits, nuts, pasta, cookies and bread (without eggs or egg powder). You can prepare delicious pastries and pies, most importantly without adding animal fats or eggs. Fish is allowed twice during the entire Lent: on the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and on Palm Sunday. If it is difficult for you to fast without fish, then it is better to replace it with soy products. Even on holidays, you can drink a small amount of wine.

During fasting you should not eat products of animal origin:

1. Meat and all meat-containing products
2. Bird and eggs
3. Milk and all dairy products (sour cream, cottage cheese, yoghurts, kefir, cheeses and milk drinks)
4. Baked goods and pasta with eggs and butter
5. Mayonnaise
6. Chocolate
7. Fast food because it's high in fat
8. Fish and vegetable oil, excluding weekends and holidays
9. Alcohol, with the exception of small amounts of wine on holiday

In fact, modern priests, speaking about fasting, note that this is a limitation that a person must make for himself. For some people, it is enough to give up only meat, while eating dairy products, while others need to adhere to fasting according to all the canons.