Pre-Fast Meal Plan (Tisha B’av 2022)

Although a fast day is not a time to celebrate it is important nonetheless to do everything you can to have an easy and successful fast. Following this pre-fast meal plan can help ensure that the fast goes smoothly.

We handpicked a few dishes here to help fill you up properly. This pre-fast meal plan includes foods that are rich in fiber, high in protein, and have a high water-content. These foods aren’t necessarily that exciting but eating foods that are filling and easily digestible will have you thanking yourself the next day when fasting is manageable!

There are around four servings in this meal plan, but you can easily double or cut down the grocery lists and recipes if you need.

Because both fasts this year fall out on a Sunday, we made a Shalosh Seudos/Melava Malka-style pre-fast meal plan. If you don’t mind having meat or chicken twice a day (once for Shabbos lunch and once in the evening) feel free to add that in.

pre-fast meal plan Dishes:

• Tuna Patties
• Roasted Eggplant and Zucchini Pasta Salad
• Chickpea Salad
• Whole Wheat Buns
• Honeydew
• Cherries
• Cinnamon Raisin Banana Muffins

If one of these recipes doesn’t work for you feel free to replace it with a different recipe from our comprehensive recipe index.

pre-fast meal plan Grocery List:

The quantities listed here are the amounts for the original recipes but adjust if you are doubling or halving the recipe. If you already have anything on this list you can cross it off.

Non-Perishables:

• 2 cans of tuna (5 oz.)
• 1 container of matzah meal
• 1 box of pasta of your choice (penne, fusilli, bowties, etc.)
• 1 bag of rolls or bread of your choice (buns, subs, challah rolls, etc.)
• 1 can of chickpeas
• 1 container of almond milk
• 1 bag of whole wheat flour
• 1 container of raisins
• 1 bottle of extra virgin olive oil

Perishables:

• 1 container of eggs

Fruits & Veggies:

• 1 eggplant
• 1 green zucchini
• 1 yellow zucchini
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 avocado
• 1 big cucumber
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 honeydew
• 1 bag of cherries
• 2 bananas

Things you most probably have at home:

• Brown sugar
• Honey
• Olive oil
• Vanilla
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cinnamon
• Mayonnaise
• Onion powder
• Garlic powder
• Ketchup

pre-fast meal plan recipes:

tuna patties:

Ingredients:

• 2 cans tuna
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 3/4 cup matzah meal
• 1 teaspoon ketchup
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions:

1. Add all of the ingredients except the olive oil to a medium-sized bowl.
2. Mix everything really well.
3. Heat oil in a nonstick pan on a medium flame.
4. Form a patty in your hand by scooping a 1/4 cup of the tuna mixture at a time.
5. Add the patties to the pan and cook until they are lightly browned (around two minutes per side).

Roasted Eggplant Salad:

Ingredients:

• 1 eggplant, cubed
• 1 green zucchini, cubed
• 1 yellow zucchini, cubed
• 1 box of pasta of your choice
• Salt & Pepper
• Olive oil

Dressing: (optional before a fast day)

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or any oil of your choice)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 1 clove of garlic
• Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Place the cubed eggplant and zucchini on a lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Roast for around 30 minutes, mixing them once during the process.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Once it’s ready, drain it and place it in a big bowl.
5. Make the dressing and set it aside.
6. Once the vegetables are finished roasting add them to the pasta and pour the dressing on top.
7. Mix well.

chickpea salad :

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
• 1 big cucumber

Avocado dressing:

• 1 avocado
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon cilantro

Instructions:

1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas and add them to a bowl.
2. Add the cucumbers and tomatoes to the chickpeas and mix.
3. When you are ready to serve or eat the salad prepare the avocado dressing. (This will prevent it from browning.) Add the avocado, salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to a small bowl. Mash everything together to turn it into a guacamole-like texture.

any storebought rolls:

Ingredients:

• 1 pack of rolls

cinnamon raisin banana muffins:

ingredients:

1. 2 eggs
2. 1/4 cup brown sugar
3. 1/4 cup honey
4. 1/3 cup olive oil
5. 2 ripe bananas
6. 1/3 cup almond milk
7. 1 teaspoon vanilla
8. 1/2 teaspoon salt
9. 1/2 teaspoon cinammon
10. 2 cups whole wheat flour
11. 1/2 cup raisins

instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Add the eggs, brown sugar, and honey to a bowl and mix well with a hand whisk or hand mixer.
3. Add the olive oil and mix.
4. Mash the bananas really well in a separate bowl and add them to the liquid mixture. Mix well.
5. Add the almond milk, vanilla, salt, and cinammon and mix well.
6. Slowly add the whole wheat flour and mix.
7. Add half of the raisins and mix.
8. Pour the muffin mixture into a lined muffin tin.
9. Add the rest of the raisins to each of the muffins.
10. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until a toothpick gets inserted and comes out clean.
11. Let them cool for 15 minutes.

Honeydew

Ingredients:

• 1 honeydew – let it sit on the counter for a few days to ripen and once it’s cut up place it in the fridge.

cherries:

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of cherries – the darker the cherries, the sweeter they will be.

Instructions:

1. Wash and rinse the cherries and place them in an airtight container.

Notes:

And that’s it! Everything will stay fresh in the fridge for around four days. The tuna patties and roasted eggplant salad can be served warm or at room temperature. If you are serving the eggplant salad warm make sure not to add the dressing until it is out of the oven.

Have an easy and meaningful fast.