How do I avoid repeating sabudana every day of Navratri?

Rotate the base ingredient each day: sabudana, kuttu, samak rice, singhara, rajgira, then potato or paneer dishes. A 9-day plan written in advance keeps the fast varied and saves a daily 'what to cook' debate.

How do I tell my cook what to make for the vrat?

Plan the menu in Cookietup and share it with your cook on WhatsApp, together with audio instructions in Hindi, so they know which ingredients to skip, such as onion, garlic and regular salt.

Navratri & Vrat Meal Planner for Indian Homes

Q: What can I eat during a Navratri vrat?

Common vrat foods include sabudana, kuttu (buckwheat) and singhara (water chestnut) flour, samak (barnyard millet) rice, rajgira, potato, sweet potato, arbi, pumpkin, paneer, curd, fruits, nuts and sendha namak (rock salt). Onion, garlic, regular grains and table salt are usually avoided. Customs vary by family, so follow your own household's practice.

Nine days of satvik fasting food without eating sabudana khichdi every night. Plan the week once and send each day's dish to your cook on WhatsApp.

Indian family sharing a home-cooked dinner

A 9-Day No-Repeat Navratri Vrat Menu

Day 1: Sabudana

Sabudana Khichdi + Peanut Curd Chutney.

Day 2: Kuttu

Kuttu Puri + Jeera Aloo (sendha namak).

Day 3: Samak Rice

Samak Rice Pulao + Lauki Raita.

Day 4: Singhara

Singhara Atta Roti + Arbi Sabzi.

Day 5: Paneer

Paneer Tikka (no onion) + Kaddu ki Sabzi.

Day 6: Rajgira

Rajgira Paratha + Dahi Aloo.

Day 7: Light Day

Sweet Potato Chaat + Fruit Bowl + Makhana.

Day 8: Ashtami

Halwa + Kala Chana (no onion or garlic) + Puri.

Day 9: Navami

Sabudana Vada + Samak Kheer.

Navratri Fasting FAQs

What can I eat during a Navratri vrat?

Sabudana, kuttu, singhara and rajgira flour, samak rice, potato, sweet potato, arbi, pumpkin, paneer, curd, fruits, nuts and sendha namak. Onion, garlic, regular grains and table salt are usually skipped. Customs vary, so follow your family's practice.

How do I avoid repeating sabudana?

Rotate the base ingredient each day, as in the menu above. Writing all nine days down up front ends the nightly "what to cook" debate.

How do I brief my cook?

Plan the menu in Cookietup and send it to your cook on WhatsApp with audio instructions in Hindi, so they know to skip onion, garlic and regular salt.