Lent - What Can We Eat?

  • Thread starter Thread starter irish2171
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
I’ve had no breakfast and probably will have no dinner too. I got only one meatless lunch (salad and fish). But I’m drinking tea during the day frequently, and eat cookies. I hope this is okay 🙂
I’m going to abstain from meat through all Lenten wednesdays as well. It would be hard to abstain from meat during other days when I have lunch at work, but I’ll try to avoid meat at home.
I’m glad that milk and eggs aren’t forbidden - it would be hard for me without them 🙂 (Though I used to keep Orthodox fasting rules in the past, and survived)
It was first time for me to receive the blessed ashes, I didn’t happen to do it before. I’m glad that I managed to visit church before work today.

It was nice though that when we were discussing in the company I work, the possibility of having pre-paid “business lunches” for us, and I mentioned my need for meatless meals at fridays. My boss said that to the cafe we’re getting our lunches from, and they said that they will try to care about more meatless options at fridays. I don’t know if they’ll follow the promise, but it was very nice to hear 🙂
If I’m early enough for lunch, I’m usually able to get some tasty fish 🙂
 
Im fasting

Its 2-35pm here in the UK and i have only had a egg sandwich that was about 12pm.I intend to have a main mail about 5pm (no meat) then a very light snack later maybe about 9pm.Also abstaining from eating meat every Friday during lent.

I have also cut down smoking so far only had 2 cigarrettes today i would have had something like 5-8 by now.Im going to the no smoking clinic tomorrow and i am attempting to pack in totally for Lent.

PS Im going to church 6-30pm Uk time to receive the blessed ashes.
 
ibkc said:
I am fasting, although not as strictly as you are. I’m following this:

I did this last year also, and it was difficult. This year I am using my allowed food wisely. My two small meals with be very protein-heavy.

I will also be abstaining and fasting all Fridays of Lent.
Click to expand...
ibkc - the quote you grabbed says meat is acceptable. Meat is not allowed on Ash Wednesday.

~Liza
 
Ash Wednesday and Good Friday are days of fast and abstinence. Fridays in Lent are days of abstinence.
Lenten Fasting Regulations
Click to expand...
Directions
  1. Abstinence on all the Fridays of Lent, and on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Click to expand...
No meat may be eaten on days of abstinence.
Click to expand...
Catholics 14 years and older are bound to abstain from meat. Invalids, pregnant and nursing mothers are exempt.
2) Fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Fasting means having only one full meal to maintain one’s strength. Two smaller, meatless and penitential meals are permitted according to one’s needs, but they should not together equal the one full meal. Eating solid foods between meals is not permitted.
Click to expand...
Catholics from age 18 through age 59 are bound to fast. Again, invalids, pregnant and nursing mothers are exempt.
Click to expand...
catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=1013
 
mkipp said:
I am only going to consume water and a single meal this evening.
Click to expand...
I believe you are also permitted two collations (snacks) that together consist of less food than the meal. Liquids, as I understand it, are unregulated.

I follow the 1962 rules, and turned 21 last month, so this year is my first fasting.

Good luck!
 
lizaanne said:
ibkc - the quote you grabbed says meat is acceptable. Meat is not allowed on Ash Wednesday.

~Liza
Click to expand...
No, it says meat is acceptable on days that we are not called to also abstain. That includes Ash Wednesday.
 
I’ve just had two crumpets with melted cheese for my snack, is this excessive? Aside from that Im just drinking water and will be eating fish pie for my main meal later on. I havent consumed anything else. Someone ease my worry!! haha.

Matt
 
Two years ago, I attended Mass daily and fasted daily. I’m doing that again this year, so yes, I’m fasting today. My motto (with a pun, of course!) then was “two square meals and one round one” (referring to regular food and Holy Communion). It’s not entirely accurate since only one meal should be “square” (that is, full). But the point is made.

This year I’ve come up with a Latin translation which retains a play on words: Duo cibi iusti; unus cibus ad iustitiam. (Check my signature for the meaning…)
 
I am not eating meat for Ash Wednesday.

For breakfast, I had scrambled eggs with a light touch of organic “Fire roasted” salsa. Had a few organic “guacamole chips” b/c we didn’t have bread.

For lunch, something from the salad bar. I hope today they have hardboiled eggs. (The tuna is nasty!) They often have little hummus kits, but sometimes they don’t look appealing. Maybe today they will be. I will have one can of Diet Pepsi, as a “soda a day keeps the migrains away!”

For dinner… light and meatless.🙂 With a glass of water.

FYI, I am abstaining from meat on Wednesday and Fridays throughout Lent.

For Lent, foodwise, I am fasting from all things chocolate and ALL unhealthy desserts. Fruit parfait (vanilla yougurt) with berries OR vanilla instant pudding is okay.
 
Mattjolley said:
I’ve just had two crumpets with melted cheese for my snack, is this excessive? Aside from that Im just drinking water and will be eating fish pie for my main meal later on. I havent consumed anything else. Someone ease my worry!! haha.

Matt
Click to expand...
I’m also worrying about my cookies!! 🙂 I consumed 6 of them during the day, while drinking tea. I don’t think they are as big as a whole meal 🙂 And, they are surely meatless 🙂
 
well, I threw a third away because I worried that then i would be too full and that would constitute a meal! I think I worry too much but I think I did the right thing.
 
ibkc said:
No, it says meat is acceptable on days that we are not called to also abstain. That includes Ash Wednesday.
Click to expand...
I think your wording is confusing. We Fast AND Abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
 
Ok, I can handle this one.

I work out every morning before work. Today, I also went to Mass.

So, I woke up at 4, I drank my NO-Xplode mixture (energy supplement - which is a beverage, not a food product).

I worked out from 4:30 to 6:30 (approximately). At 6:40, I consumed my first small meal – technically, a beverage (a protein shake). Protein shakes are completely vegetarian and great to curb appetites (and for anyone athletic – it is highly recommended to drink protein shakes).

I was at Mass from 7:00 to 7:45.

Now, I’m at work. It is 9:10, I’ve had no actual solid food, I’ve worked out intensely for about two hours.

For lunch, I will have a fish entree from a cafeteria. But, I will keep this as my “large” meal and make it small to medium. My “full” meals are typically small to medium, but there are usually five throughout the day (three medium, two small).

I try to make my diet consist of 74% protein, 10% fat and 16% carbs. The carbs – in bulk, are normally consumed right after the workout to spike my insulin levels.

I did not have those carbs today.

For dinner, I will have one fish piece and some edamame.

I’m not worried at all about becoming hypoglycemic or anything of that sort. It’s all in how you do it, and choosing food or supplements wisely. Remember, the key here is two small meals not summing to the larger meal (or less).

Fish is not considered a meat, and beverages are not considered food. However, I AM counting my protein shake as a meal. It is only fair, as it is giving me about 250 calories of nutrition.

I hope this helps!
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
I think your wording is confusing. We Fast AND Abstain on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
Click to expand...
I didn’t write it (it comes from the Fisheaters site), but I personally don’t have any trouble understanding it.

Fasting is the taking of only one full meal (which may include meat) and two smaller, meatless meals that don’t equal the large one meal. No eating between meals is allowed, but water, milk tea, cofee, and juices are OK. Meat is allowed at one meal (assuming abstinence isn’t also expected on a given day).

My humble apologies for posting something that is obviously confusing. I think it may help to read the whole article, because it includes definitions of “abstinence” and a table of what is expected on the various days of the liturgical year.

fisheaters.com/fasting.html
 
**
SuperH said:
I hope this helps!
Click to expand...
I can’t even get my kids to remember to feed the dog every day! 😃
Br.Rich_SFO said:
More often then you think.
Click to expand...
You’re probably right about that…

There’s other stuff that goes on that one might not expect at a Catholic High School, not unknown to the faculty and staff as well as parents. Disappointing, to say the least.
 
I have been ill since Friday with the flu. I did not eat a full meal from Friday to Tuesday. Today, I am just now able to return to work. My question is this: do I still need to keep the fast?
 
Newbie2 said:
**

I can’t even get my kids to remember to feed the dog every day! 😃

You’re probably right about that…

There’s other stuff that goes on that one might not expect at a Catholic High School, not unknown to the faculty and staff as well as parents. Disappointing, to say the least.
Click to expand...
Well, I must say this I am twenty-four now. But, that’s really not too far off from eighteen. If they’re educated athletes, they should have a method.

Where there is a will, there is a way!

I’m on the edge about education and my (future possible) children. I’d love to teach them about Catholicism and have them brought up with a fully developed moral conscience, but I want to make sure that they are learning the facts and not misconceptions - or they should encounter other things that would drive them away from the faith.

That’s not my goal, for sure!

If that were the case, I’d send them to a public school in a heartbeat. Ultimately, though - they’ll have their choice of school (within reason). If they’re willing to go to a Catholic school, I’d be more than willing to provide that.

If they don’t want to go, pushing them there will only push them away from the faith, in my honest opinion. And then you have these issues of Catholic schools being very non-Catholic at times. It’s simply mind-boggling!
 
If you are sick, or just getting over being sick, your body needs nutrients. You need to heal. Others may not agree with me on this, but I would advise you to eat today as you usually would and pick another day, when you are healthy, to fast and abstain. You need to regain your strength. It is damaging to your body if you don’t give it what it needs to heal itself and get better.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top