What Should You Eat Before the Yom Kippur or Tisha B'Av Fast?

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ACTIVE PREP TIME: 30-45 MIN
PASSIVE PREP TIME: 2-4 HRS TO SOAK CHIA SEEDS

Fasting is a popular topic these days. Whether you are doing intermittent fasting or alternate-day fasting, it is crucial to prepare beforehand so your body is prepared. It is the same for religious fasting, which arguably puts even more stress on your body, since these fasts are longer and even liquids are not consumed.

How do you prepare for Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av – and what foods should eat for your seudat hamafseket (the pre-fast meal before Yom Kippur and Tisha B’Av)? The more thoroughly that you prepare, the better you will feel during and after the fast itself.

Why We Fast on Yom Kippur

Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement and the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. Neither food nor water is allowed during this 25-hour period of fasting, which is spent mostly in prayer in the synagogue.

Why We Fast On Tisha B‘Av

The other long fast that we observe is Tisha B’Av. This 25-hour fast day commemorates the destruction of the 2nd Temple in Jerusalem in the year 70 CE, as well as many other national tragedies that have befallen the Jewish people. Neither food nor water is allowed during this period.

The Traditional Pre-Fast Meal: Refined Carbs And Crashing Blood Sugar

When I was younger, and into my mid-30s, I would eat a seudat hamafseket high in protein and refined carbs, drink tons of water and have fairly easy fasts. But then, as my body evolved, fasting began presenting a dilemma for me: I would become dehydrated, my blood sugar would crash by lunchtime and I would get light-headed and nauseated. Once this happened, the fast was over for me.

The Meal Before Yom Kippur or Tisha B’Av: A Better Alternative

Over the years, I’ve discovered that preparing ahead of time and eating the right foods has enabled me to once again get through the fast with flying colors.

The most important aspects to consider are eating fiber and complex carbohydrates, consuming foods that retain water and electrolytes and avoiding copious amounts of sodium.

Before The Pre-Fast Meal

Preparation beforehand is vital as well. Slowly wean yourself from salty, sugary and fat-containing processed foods a couple days prior to the fast, and dial down the coffee and soda because they have a diuretic effect.

I often begin preparing the day before, gradually dialing down the sodium in my meals and drinking chia seeds soaked in water. Chia seeds are wonderful for fasts because of their ability to absorb up to 20X their volume in water, resulting in a gelatinous mixture that slows the release of your meal’s carbohydrates into sugar. All that water gets broken down slowly due to chia’s high fiber content, regulating body fluid levels and electrolytes in the blood, curbing dehydration and keeping you full longer. They are also very high in Omega-3 fatty acids and contain tons of antioxidants, protein, calcium, iron, potassium and vitamins A, B, D and E – a powerful punch for such a tiny food! Remember to soak a tablespoon or two a couple hours prior to the fast, so they are bloated and ready to go.

You can also prepare a homemade electrolyte beverage.

The Pre-Fast Meal

For the actual seudat hamafseket, sweet potatoes provide carbohydrates in the form of complex starches, as well as potassium to make up for what will be lost doing the fast. We love the organic Hannah sweet potatoes. These can be purchased at Whole Foods.

Plain quinoa adds protein and fiber, in addition to providing more complex carbs. You can also add olive oil for some flavor.

Wild salmon provides more Omega-3 fatty acids, protein and vitamin D. A small piece is all that is needed before the fast. Do not eat sardines, white fish or pickles before a fast. The high salt content will dehydrate you.

Finally, a small salad that includes Persian cucumbers and bell peppers is very hydrating.

This year we are including oyster mushrooms to add flavor, variety and more vitamin D. This neither hurts nor helps the fast, as far as I know.

The Dessert

For dessert, a handful of fresh grapes works very well, followed by a bowl of non-dairy cashew yogurt. The cashews contain good fats, which will contribute to a longer feeling of fullness. It is important that the cashew yogurt is unflavored to avoid taking in unnecessary sugar. We buy Forager’s unflavored cashew yogurt, toss in a half dozen organic frozen blueberries from Costco and add 2-3 drops of stevia extract to provide minimal sweetness.

Pace Yourself

The final learning is to eat slowly and pace yourself so that your body has time to feel satisfied. Overall, I have found that following this routine, with small variations each year, has consistently helped stabilize my blood sugar and hydration levels for over 7 years now and resulted in a good outcome every time. And it has allowed me to once again focus on the purpose of the fast rather than becoming anxious and uncomfortable from the dehydration.

The Ingredients

All of the ingredients are easily available in most major American cities.

Wild Salmon

Side Dishes

  • Sweet potatoes (organic Hannah sweet potatoes from Whole Foods)

  • Quinoa (red quinoa from Trader Joe’s)

  • Oyster mushrooms (Whole Foods)

  • Salad with romaine lettuce, Persian cucumber, red grape tomatoes and yellow plum tomatoes, topped with olive oil and apple cider vinegar (from Costco)

  • Chia seeds (Nutiva brand from Thrive Market)

  • Organic grapes (Larchmont Village Farmers Market and Whole Foods)

How To Prepare The Meal

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.

  • Slice 2 large organic Hannah sweet potatoes. Place slices flat on a baking sheet, on top of a piece of unbleached parchment paper. Lightly baste the slices with avocado oil. Bake in the oven 15-20 minutes or until soft.

  • Wash 4 medium oyster mushrooms thoroughly and place in the oven with a little bit of avocado oil on top. Bake on the same rack as the potatoes.

  • Cook 2 cups of quinoa according to the package instructions.

  • Preheat oven to 425°F.

  • For the fish: Defrost 4 pieces of wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Bake on a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper for about 15 minutes.

  • To make the fish sauce, chop 2 medium green onions. Add 2 Tbsp of lime juice to 1/4 cup of mayonnaise and toss in the chopped green onions, drizzle some olive oil on top and add in 1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder and dill.

My personal experience with eating this meal and similar meals before a fast is that I do not feel overly lethargic or dehydrated at the end. In fact, my energy often rebounds slightly after 4pm as my body adjusts to the lack of food and water.

Breaking The Fast: Pace Yourself Again

Just as it makes a difference what you eat to start the fast, what you eat to break the fast is crucial as well. Traditional break-the-fast meals consist of foods very high in sugar, salt and inflammatory fats. These include noodle kugels, bagels and lox, salads slathered in mayonnaise and salty whitefish. In my experience, these foods shock the body and send it into a food coma fairly quickly.

To avoid these unnecessary complications, eat a modest break-the-fast meal. You can try these healthy break-the-fast suggestions.

Most importantly, you first want to rehydrate. I break my fast with a glass or two of water that is at room temperature or slightly warmed.

Then I typically eat a cucumber or mild vegetable. The goal is to not overwhelm your body with sugar and salt too quickly.

The meal often includes:

  • A slice of watermelon to introduce some sugar and electrolytes into the bloodstream

  • A salad that includes leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale and beet leaves

  • A piece of fish and some quinoa from the night before

I find that I am more clear-headed and less foggy than I used to be with the traditional foods.

Have a safe and easy fast!

(Revised and expanded September 10, 2021)