Why Muslims Break Their Ramadan Fast With Dates

During Ramadan, observing Muslims refrain from eating or drinking from dawn to sundown; when the sun sets, they are allowed to break the fast and eat. (There are other restrictions in terms of what activities one can do during the fasting period, but we're a food website, so we're sticking with the culinary implications.) In fact, it's typical to break the fast with a specific food, dates, as suggested in the Quran.

It is believed that the Prophet Muhammad broke his fast with dates. The tradition continues to this day. If dates aren't available, then water suffices. These fast-breaking dinners, or "iftar", aren't just for dates, either: they are hearty meals, frequently communal in nature, serving various fruits and vegetables, breads, and halal meat dishes. But it remains customary for the first food you eat to break the fast to be dates.

Why dates, specifically? Well, Muhammad declared that dates were "blessed" when advising what food should be eaten to break the fast, but beyond that, there are practical reasons. Dates are sweet, satisfying, and packed with nutrients — a perfect pick-me-up after a day of fasting — and they have been cultivated and eaten in the Middle East for thousands of years.

Dates, of course, are delicious eaten as-is, no matter what kind you get. There are the small, wrinkled, dark-colored ajwa dates; there are the larger, richer medjool dates, a beloved part of Ramadan; the sweet, easygoing mabroom dates; and still more besides.

But you can also prepare dates in all sorts of ways. There are stuffed dates, for instance, where dates are cut open and filled with something savory (such as goat cheese), something sweet (such as other fruits), or even a mix of both. They can also be dipped in chocolates and coated in nuts, not unlike cookies or pretzels. Or you can even utilize them to other ends. Consider the fact that sticky toffee pudding, that beloved British dessert, is usually made from a cake made out of dates; cakes, muffins, and other desserts beckon, as well, a perfect capper to a meal that may include lentil soup.

Even if you're not celebrating Ramadan, it's helpful to learn about the reasoning behind these traditions, and to observe the recipes used to honor this age-old ceremony. And if you are celebrating, Ramadan Mubarak! Good luck with the caffeine withdrawal.