Ramadan is one of the holiest months in the Islamic calendar and a time of fasting, prayer and reflection, and while food isn’t eaten during the day, there are many food traditions that are observed.

“Fasting teaches us self-discipline, empathy for people in need, poor people who cannot afford food or clean water, and gratitude. It’s like a spiritual reflection,” explained Hassan Haj Mustafa, owner of Kitchener’s Palmyra Grill and Desserts.

There are two daily meals during Ramadan. Suhoor is eaten just prior to the start of the day’s fast, while iftar breaks the fast at sunset. For able-bodied adults, no food or beverages can be consumed during daylight hours.

Sarah Shafiq, director of administration at the Coalition of Muslim Women of KW, noted Ramadan is a time to gather around food.

“There’s a lot of emphasis on sharing food. So, inviting friends, inviting neighbours, sending food for those who … cannot afford to eat,” she said. “Ramadan is really a time for community.”

For those without family or who are struggling to afford food, some mosques provide free, daily communal iftar meals, thanks to volunteer support and community donations.

Members of the community also collect donations for the food bank, serve meals at shelters and organize meal sharing.

Growing up in Syria, Mustafa said food sharing also happened between friends and neighbours.

“For example, if I am making a grilled chicken today and our neighbour has black bean soup, we’ll send plates of food to each other,” began Mustafa. “When you come to your meal, you just don’t see one plate of food. You see many plates.”

Suhoor

Since the fast can last 17 hours, depending on the time of year, what’s eaten at suhoor needs to be nutritious and provide energy throughout the day.

It’s generally advised to avoid foods that can lead to thirst, sluggishness or digestion issues, such as salty, greasy, sugary and processed foods.

Foods that help avoid those issues include eggs, oatmeal, legumes and lean meats.

“Yogurt is pretty popular in many cultures, especially in summer … if you’re not drinking water, then having yogurt in the morning, it really helps with controlling thirst,” said Shafiq.

Iftar

With dozens of ethnicities within the local Muslim community, what’s served at iftar reflects individual food traditions and seasonality since Ramadan doesn’t fall on a fixed date on the Western calendar.

Regardless, a date often breaks the fast, mirroring how the Prophet Muhammed broke his fasts. Importantly, dates regulate blood sugars, are easily digestible and are hydrating.

More replenishing foods often follow. These could be soups, watermelon, cucumber and oranges. Drinks like apricot juice, tamarind water or coconut water can be sipped until dawn.

Being from Pakistan, Shafiq serves fruit chaat, made with bananas, oranges, pears and grapes.

“I cut them up into smaller pieces and then add guava juice. I also add chickpea in it and then the chaat masala. I add a lot of chat masala,” Shafiq said.

Mains reflect family and cultural traditions — chicken mandi in Yemen, beef maafe in Senegal or tavuk sote in Turkey.

But here in Canada, pizza, fried chicken or pasta can also be part of iftar. For many, third culture foods that blend tastes of home and local foods also appear.

“I think we adopt and, as minorities, we tend to experience [dominant] food culture [by] participating in and experimenting with our spices. So, my lasagna would be different because my keema and my spices will be different than a pure Italian one,” said Shafiq.

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr, the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” marks the end of Ramadan. It’s a joyful celebration, where Muslims offer thanks for spiritual endurance, faith and blessings received.

Like Ramadan, Eid is celebrated with family and loved ones. And while dinners are often featured, an array of sweets and desserts are the highlight of the festival.

In Middle Eastern homes, you’ll find baklavas, Bangladeshis may have falooda cake or truffles, and Nigerians may have fruit custards.

“In Ramadan, when you are fasting, your body [wants a] lot of sugar,” explained Mustafa. “When you break the fast after one month, it’s a sweet celebration.”