Navratri Special: 12 Healthy Food Items to Eat during Fasting

Aloo Chaat for Navratri

“Aloo” is like the king of vegetables when navratras come. And Aloo Chaat is like the king’s right hand- we all relish it a lot, Navratras or No Navratras. Want to eat aloo chaat but worried it might give you those extra calories? Bake the potatoes or Air Fryer them instead of deep or shallow frying. Add your favorite masalas and lemon juice and have it as a meal in itself.

Kuttu Ka Atta during Fasting

Buckwheat, commonly known as “Kuttu ka Atta” in India, is a highly nutritious cereal (yes, even more than the normal atta/flour we eat) and also aids weight loss as it is a rich source of fibre, protein, iron and magnesium with very little calories. Very few people know that kuttu is actually free of saturated fat and helps a great deal in curbing our appetite (thanks to the excellent fibre content), controlling our blood sugar levels and maintaining good digestion.

So, instead of switching from kuttu ka atta to fruit chat, switch your cooking methods, as it’s the ghee/oil content that makes kuttu ki roti fattening. Go for baking the rotis in oven, oil free rather than deep-frying.

Tomato Soup as Navratri Snack

We all love the basic tomato soup since childhood but never really have it during navratras. Have 1-2 bowls of homemade tomato soup with a bowl of roasted makhanas as a proper meal. Healthy and tasty with negligible calories, all at the same time.

Suhang Ke Chawal ka Uttapam/Idli for Diet

Yes! You read it correct. Make a batter out of suhang ke chawal ka atta and make small tomato uttapams with it. Eat it either with tomato chutney or coconut chutney (some people eat coconut, some don’t). Make the uttapam in a non-stick pan with very little olive oil.

Another alternative is that you can also make idli out of the same batter and have it with tomato or coconut chutney. These are very non-fattening yet tasty meals but make sure to check your serving portion also.

Paneer Tikka for Navratri Cravings

Bored of eating home made food in a week and want to go for an outing but worried you might put on weight with the fried foods? Paneer Tikka is your answer. Go to your nearest Bikanervala or Haldirams and treat your taste buds a plate of paneer tikka and its salad and mint chutney. You can accompany this with a glass of salted lassi or chaach as per your choice. But remember to keep rest meals of the day light so as not to gain weight.

 Makhanas for Weight Loss

These are again a very ignored yet extremely healthy and low fat snack item (which should be eaten besides fasting also). Technically makhanas are the seeds of louts flower (not many of us know this) and thus are very rich in anti oxidants. Makhanas are also one of the natural richest sources of calcium. These can be eaten just by roasting them for 3-4 minutes in your microwave oven and sprinkling common salt for taste. Eat them in evening or as mid morning snacks, instead of going in for the vrat ki patti or laddoos.

Fruit Yoghurt as Navratri dessert

Have a sweet tooth and craving for a tasty sweet dish during your fast? Go to your nearest COCOBERRY and have a small portion of fruit yoghurt. But make sure to have this as a meal in itself rather than eating it post dinner or an evening snack. Also ask them to make it sugar free.

Milk Shakes for Hunger Pangs

Bored of eating fruits and milk as your breakfast? Switch to banana, strawberry shake instead. Wondering how can you eat banana if trying to lose weight? Trust me and try for yourself. But do not add any extra sugar to milk shake and have it as a proper meal in itself.

Baked Sabut Dana Tikki for Weight Loss

Be it a small kid in the family or an old man, we all love the sabut dana tikki in navratras. Don’t worry as you can still eat this in your weight loss diet. The only change- bake it in oven or Air Fryer it instead of deep-frying. It might seem like some extra effort, but it tastes yummier than the deep-fried ones as they are very crispy and oil free. Aaah Haaa..Dont forget to watch your portion size.

Sabut Dana Khichidi for Navratra Diet

This is again a classic food item people relish during navratras. But I am not really a fan of sabut dana khichidi as it is entirely carbohydrates with little nutrition. Plus the peanuts and potato that we add in it further add on the calories. So, I say just have a small portion during the entire navratras if looking to lose weight.

Kadhi Chawal for Dinner

The Word Kadhi Chawal in itself brings water to everyone’s mouth. Navratra special kadhi can be made using suhang ke chawal ka atta. This can be eaten with a bowl of makhanas or a small portion of suhang ke chawal. If opting for rice, make sure to look out for the portion size.

Suhang ke Chawal ka Pulao for Navratri Dandiya Night

Again you read it absolutely correct. Make a tasty vegetable pulao with carrot and boiled potato. Eat it with cucumber tomato raita or even plain curd and relish it completely.

With all these Navratra Special foods mentioned above, I am pretty sure you will not get bored eating majorly “Aloo” or “Fruits” all 7 days. Rather enjoy the navratras with such variety of tasty foods and lose weight at the same time. But always remember, MODERATION is the key to success. And switch your cooking methods, than switching the food items. A lot of people have different food menus during fasts so do consult your elderly before going ahead.

About the author: To Eat is a Necessity, But to Eat Intelligently is an ART. Join this Art and be the best version of YOU. Experience the healthy way of indulging in food with Nutritionist and Dietitian Shreya Katyal at Diet Manta- Eat Healthy, Stay Healthy, based in Rajouri Garden, New Delhi. She can be contacted for Personal Diet Counselling for Weight Loss, Weight Gain, Pregnancy & Lactating and Therapeutic Diet Plans. Online Diet Counselling is also available. Check her on facebook HERE

Image source 1, 2, 3, 4

Which is your favourite Navratri food? Share your recipes with us.