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Navratri Vrat Me Kya Khana Chahiye? Full Food List, Kya Nahi Khana + Easy Recipes
During a Navratri vrat most families avoid grains, pulses, onion, garlic and regular salt, and eat sabudana, kuttu, singhara, rajgira, samak, potatoes, fruit, milk and sendha namak. Rules differ from family to family, so follow your own tradition.
- Common vrat foods: sabudana, kuttu, singhara, rajgira, samak, potato, sweet potato, paneer, curd, fruit, nuts, makhana.
- Usually avoided: wheat, rice, dals, onion, garlic and regular salt.
- Balance the plate with protein (paneer, curd, makhana, nuts) and some vegetables.
Navratri fasting is a beautiful tradition, but many people end up eating only fried snacks and feeling tired by day three. A good Navratri vrat food list helps you plan simple, filling meals that follow the rules and keep your energy up.
What to eat during Navratri vrat
| Group | Common vrat options |
|---|---|
| Flours & grains-substitutes | Kuttu (buckwheat), singhara (water chestnut), rajgira (amaranth), samak (barnyard millet), sabudana |
| Vegetables | Potato, sweet potato, arbi, raw banana, pumpkin, lauki, cucumber, tomato (in many families) |
| Protein | Paneer, milk, curd, makhana, peanuts, almonds and cashews |
| Fruits | Banana, apple, papaya, pomegranate and seasonal fruits |
| Seasoning | Sendha namak, black pepper, cumin, green chilli, ginger, ghee |
What to avoid
- Wheat, rice, maida and suji
- Dals and other pulses
- Onion and garlic
- Regular table salt (use sendha namak instead)
- Packaged snacks that contain any of the above
Some families allow tomatoes or certain spices; others don't. Use this list as a guide and follow the rules your family keeps. If you have diabetes, are pregnant or take medicines, talk to your doctor before a long fast.
Write tomorrow's vrat menu now: one flour item, one vegetable, one protein and one fruit. Soak sabudana tonight if you need it.
Build a balanced vrat plate
Instead of only fried food, aim for: one vrat flour or sabudana item, one vegetable, one protein (paneer, curd or makhana) and some fruit. Drink enough water, lassi or nimbu pani made with sendha namak.
Easy vrat recipes to try
- Breakfast: Sabudana Khichdi, Samak Rice Upma, Kuttu Aloo Paratha, Singhara Atta Cheela
- Lunch & dinner: Samak Pulao, Vrat ki Kadhi, Kuttu Puri with Aloo, Arbi Fry, Khatta-Meetha Kaddu
- Snacks: Sabudana Vada, Masala Makhana, Shakarkandi Chaat, Vrat Aloo Tikki
- Drinks & sweets: Sweet Lassi, Banana-Makhana Shake, Makhana Kheer, Singhara Atta Halwa
Plan all nine days in advance
Write a simple menu for nine days, buy vrat flours and makhana in one trip, and soak sabudana the night before. Planning saves money and keeps you away from expensive ready-made vrat snacks.
A sample vrat day
| Meal | Idea |
|---|---|
| Morning | Banana-makhana shake or fruit with curd |
| Lunch | Samak pulao with vrat kadhi |
| Evening | Masala makhana or shakarkandi chaat |
| Dinner | Kuttu paratha with jeera aloo and cucumber raita |
Tips for an easier fast
- Soak sabudana the night before – it should be soft, not mushy.
- Bake or air-fry vadas and tikkis sometimes instead of deep-frying.
- Drink water, lassi and nimbu pani through the day.
- Keep roasted makhana and nuts handy to avoid long gaps.
Cooking for the whole family during the festival? Our budget meal plan helps you plan the non-fasting meals, and the pressure cooker whistle chart saves time on sabzi and kheer. More festival books are in Indian Recipe eBooks, for the back of the hand see easy back hand mehndi, and for Karwa Chauth and Diwali try simple mehndi designs.
A look inside the eBook: Navratri & Vrat Recipes
This article covers the basics. The full eBook goes step by step – these are real sample pages from the 27-page PDF. Tap any page to see it bigger.
What you get for ₹99
- 30 recipes with pictures
- 9-day Navratri meal plan
- Diwali sweets bonus
- Vrat Basics – What to use, what to avoid and a balanced vrat plate.
- Vrat Breakfast – 5 recipes like sabudana khichdi and kuttu paratha.
- 27-page PDF · read on phone or print at home · instant download after payment
Coming soon.
Frequently asked questions
Can we eat tomato in Navratri fast?
Many families include tomato during vrat, while some don't. Follow your own family's tradition.
Is sendha namak compulsory in vrat?
Most families use sendha namak (rock salt) instead of regular table salt during Navratri fasting.
Which flour is used in Navratri vrat?
Kuttu (buckwheat), singhara (water chestnut) and rajgira (amaranth) flours are the most common, along with samak and sabudana.
Can we drink tea or coffee in vrat?
Many families allow tea or coffee with milk during the fast. Follow your family's rules.
Is makhana allowed in Navratri fast?
Yes. Makhana (fox nuts) is one of the most common and filling vrat foods.
