Great Lent 2022 nutrition calendar by day with menu

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There are several degrees of strictness of fasting. Everyone decides how strictly to fast for themselves, according to their own strength and understanding. You can consult about this with your confessor. Below is the nutrition calendar for Orthodox Christians during fasting days in 2022.

We give it in a strict version and in a more simplified version for the laity. The strict version (6 degrees) is used by monks and deeply churched people; for laity, some relaxations (3 degrees) are most often allowed.

January

Christmas post

The year begins with the Nativity Fast, which will last until January 6 inclusive.

Fast days in January - from the 1st to the 6th, 18th (Epiphany Eve), 21st, 26th, 28th.

All holidays in January fall on Wednesdays and Fridays (Christmas and the Circumcision of the Lord - on Friday, Epiphany - on Wednesday). Therefore, there is no fasting on these Wednesdays and Fridays.

For the laity, it is recommended to observe a stricter fast on January 5, 6, 18. And on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 21st, 26th, 28th, fish dishes are allowed.

Dry eating for those observing a strict version of fasting is prescribed on January 3, 5 and 6.

Signs and superstitions for Peter's Fast

According to the weather that stood on the day of Peter and Paul, they used to determine what kind of year it would be: a fruitful one or a famine one.

If it rained once, it meant a good harvest, twice, a good harvest, and three times, a harvest filled with generosity.

(Photo: https://pixabay.com)

Cold weather this year promised famine and crop failure, and hot weather promised a lot of snow for Christmas.

A week before this holiday, we listened to the cuckoo. If she doesn’t cuckoo, winter will be early; if she gives voice, it will be late.

February

In February, fast days will be Wednesdays - 2, 9, 23 and Fridays - 4, 11, 25. On the last day of February, the pre-cleansing week begins. Starting from this day, you should refrain from eating meat.

February 15, 2022 - Meeting of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Can everyone fast?

A person must make the decision to observe fasting independently, based on their sincere desires. In no case should you do this “weakly” in order to brag to your friends. Fasting is not a fashion, but a spiritual tradition, and a fasting person should not tell everyone that he is observing food restrictions. The main thing is that God sees it.

But the church does not force anyone to observe Lent. If someone feels that they are not ready, then there is no need. Some people start by giving up only certain types of food or a favorite product. For example, they don’t eat cakes or drink coffee.

In addition, not everyone can fast. This issue should be discussed with a doctor, and then with a priest individually.

Pregnant and nursing mothers, young children, sick and weakened people, warriors and travelers do not need to fast.

Subject:

• Lent

March

March begins with the pre-cleansing cheese-empty week. Orthodox Christians are beginning to prepare themselves for Lent. From March 1 to March 6, you should refrain from eating meat.

Lent

Lent begins on March 7th. Throughout the remaining days of the month, Orthodox Christians must adhere to strict fasting rules—for the laity, no animal products.

March 19 and 26 are Saturdays of remembrance of the dead.

For those leading their post according to strict rules (6 degrees):

• March 7, the first day of Lent - complete abstinence from food.
• Dry eating - March 8-11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28 and 30.
• On Tuesdays and Thursdays, March 15, 17, 22, 24, 29, 31, it is allowed to eat heated dishes, but without oil.
• Saturdays and Sundays March 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 you can add oil.

Dormition post

August 14 – August 27, 2022

A month after the Apostolic Fast, the multi-day Dormition Fast begins. It lasts two weeks - from August 14 to 27. With this fast, the Church calls us to imitate the Mother of God, who, before her resettlement to heaven, constantly remained in fasting and prayer. Monday, Wednesday, Friday – dry eating. Tuesday, Thursday – hot food without oil. On Saturday and Sunday, food with vegetable oil is allowed. On the day of the Transfiguration of the Lord (August 19), fish is allowed. Fish day in Assumption, if it falls on Wednesday or Friday.

April

Lent in April

For the laity

All days of April until the 23rd inclusive, you must adhere to strict rules - only plant foods. We are waiting for 3 Great Orthodox holidays this month - the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary on April 7, the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem (Palm Sunday) on the 17th, and Great Easter on April 24. On the 7th and 17th, in honor of the holidays, relaxation is allowed - you are allowed to eat fish dishes, and on Palm Sunday you can still drink a little wine. On the 16th, on Lazarus Saturday you can fish caviar.

6 degrees (strict)

• April 1 – dry eating
• 2-3 (Saturday and Sunday) - it is allowed to eat heated food with vegetable oil. 3rd number - St. John Climacus. On this day it is customary to bake cookies in the shape of a ladder.
• April 4 – dry eating
• April 5 – hot without oil
• April 6 – dry eating
• April 7 - in honor of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, fish is allowed to be eaten.
• April 8 – dry eating
• April 9-10 - you can warm up food with vegetable oil.
• 11 - dry eating
• 12 - heated food
• 13 - dry eating
• April 14 – hot without oil
• April 15 – dry eating
• April 15 - hot food with plant. oil
• April 16 - Lazarev Saturday. In honor of the day of the resurrection of St. Lazarus, you can add fish caviar to your diet.
• April 17 - Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, Great Feast. Fish allowed. You can drink some wine.

Holy Week

Starts April 18

For those who adhere to the strict rules, the post is as follows:

• April 18, Maundy Monday. Dry eating.
• April 19, Maundy Tuesday. Xerophagy.
• April 20, Great Wednesday. Xerophagy.
• April 21, Maundy (Maundy) Thursday. You can eat hot food of non-animal origin with vegetable oil.
• April 22, Good Friday. Complete abstinence from food. Only water.
• April 23, Holy Saturday. Before the Shroud is taken out there is bread and water.

April 24, 2022 - Holy Resurrection of Christ, Easter

Great Lent 2022 nutrition calendar by day with menu

Fasting is a period of certain restrictions regarding food consumption. Usually it concerns a complete ban on certain categories of products, or limits the consumption of certain types (usually meat and dairy products).

Lent on the eve of Great Easter for a righteous person is a path of self-purification that a believer must experience by adhering to certain behavior. It is important to understand here that the prohibition applies not only to what you will eat throughout the fasting period. Certain restrictions are also imposed on pastime, pleasure, and fun. In the calendar, a wedding is a period of ban on holding sacraments for newlyweds. Church people are also restricted from wearing various leisure attire. It is important to point out that Lent is actually the most severe restrictions, which last for forty days, as well as one week immediately before Easter itself and begin seven weeks before Easter. This periodicity was established on the occasion of Christ’s stay in the desert for forty whole days, and the last week is a tribute to the fact that the Lord did not spare himself so that we could live on. In this way, believers honor the memory of the crucifixion and further miraculous resurrection of Christ.

What date: In 2022, Lent falls from March 7 to April 24

According to church canons, it is not recommended to eat animal products during Lent. The list of prohibited items includes meat products, milk, and eggs. On certain days, such as Palm Sunday or the Annunciation, eating fish is allowed. At the same time, all seafood products, such as mussels, squid, shrimp, are not prohibited and can be eaten throughout the period of Lent.

Daily nutrition calendar for Lent 2022

The first week is considered the most strict. It is during this period that almost the strictest prohibitions on the consumption of certain types of food, as well as the frequency of eating, apply.

From the second to the sixth week, the “tension” decreases slightly, and if during this period you approach the formation of your dishes from the point of view of rationality and variety, you can get a diet that is quite pleasant, like for Lent.

The last, seventh week is also considered very strict. Here, as in the initial path of the first week, there are strict restrictions.

Anyone who wishes to undergo cleansing during Lent must understand that the restrictions provided here largely concern not only food restrictions. The righteous must completely undergo a course of purification and restoration of their moral spirit, strengthen their faith, and show that for its sake they are ready to make certain self-sacrifices.

Regarding the list of food for Lent, there are certain rules in the church canons:

• the strictest fast is observed in the first and also in the last week of Lent;
• All products of animal origin are taboo. It is prohibited to eat eggs, meat and meat products, milk, and dairy products. There are no exceptions for these types of products;
• other, non-forbidden foods should be consumed in moderation and only once a day (for dinner). On weekends (Saturday and Sunday), you can eat twice a day - for lunch and dinner, in the evening;
• three days a week (Monday, and then on Wednesdays and Fridays) food can be served exclusively cold. However, adding vegetable oil is not allowed. On Tuesday and Thursday you can cook hot dishes, but also without adding vegetable oil to the dishes;
• on Saturday and Sunday, you can add vegetable oil to your meals, and also drink a little grape Cahors (with the exception of Holy Saturday (week));
• when Good Friday comes, church canons recommend completely abstaining from eating any food;
• Many particularly religious parishioners also try to abstain from food every Saturday for the entire period of fasting, until the onset of Great Easter.

Who can abstain from fasting?

• Children
• Pregnant and nursing mothers
• Persons convicted
• People doing heavy physical labor
• Aged people
• Active travelers
• Sick

What can you eat while fasting?

You need to understand that fasting is not a complete ban on eating food. It's just a restriction to eat whatever you want. And if you plan your diet correctly, then even during Lent you will be able to receive completely normal nutrition, which will be varied, nutritious and balanced.

To understand how to build your diet during the fasting period, it is advisable to consider what you can eat on these days. Allowed foods include:

• black bread, or cereal bread;
• almost all types of cereals (barley, wheat, you can also take corn, buckwheat, as well as rice, oatmeal);
• pickled and pickled vegetables, berry and fruit jam;
• all types of mushrooms;
• legumes (peas, beans, and lentils);
• honey, walnuts, all types of dried fruits;
• seasonal vegetables (this may include carrots, potatoes, beets, as well as onions, radishes, cabbage and many others);
• fresh fruits available for sale (or in reserve) (today, in addition to apples, they can be varied with oranges, bananas, pomegranates, kiwis and others);
• fish (only two days for the entire period of Lent, namely on Palm Sunday and the Annunciation).

Before you start fasting, you need to prepare your body both mentally and physically. After all, if you stop eating food one day without preparation, as prescribed by the nutrition calendar during Lent (for example, on the first day of fasting you need to abstain from food altogether), your body may simply not tolerate you and you may experience unpleasant and sometimes painful sensations .

It is important to consult with your doctor to find out if you have any contraindications in terms of not eating certain types of foods for a long time. You need to understand that strict adherence to the days prescribed by church canons during Lent is mandatory only for monks. Other believers must proceed from their own desires and capabilities.

Also during Lent there are some relaxations. This applies to Palm Sunday and the Annunciation, when fish can be added to food. On weekends, fasting believers can afford a small amount of grape wine.

The first three days of the last week of fasting (from Monday to Wednesday) are dry. On Thursday you should eat warm food (but without oil), but on Friday you will have to sit on water and bread. Eating on Saturday is prohibited.

When the day of Great Easter comes, everyone can remove all previously introduced restrictions. True, do this carefully so that your body reacts calmly to the abundance of various nourishing foods.

Recipe options for Lent

Many people are afraid of fasting because of the need to limit themselves in food. But if you build your diet correctly, you will understand that all this is just an exaggeration, which can easily be overcome if you correctly combine certain types of products. We offer several simple but very original recipes.

Unusual pea porridge

Many people are accustomed to simply boiling, adding a little salt and serving peas. But in order to make something unique, unusual with this porridge, to change its taste and nutritional properties, you just need to add a little onion, herbs, and grated carrots. The additive can be either raw or cooked.

Unusual oatmeal

To give boring oatmeal a different taste, you can cook it with coconut milk! It is diluted with water, and a little sugar is added to the finished product to taste. To enhance the effect, you can add diced or grated apples to the finished product. It turns out to be a very original and tasty dish.

Millet porridge in a frying pan

To prepare this dish you will need millet cereals, sauerkraut, onions, and carrots. Lu and carrots will first need to be steamed a little and added to the dish six months later. Initially, sauerkraut is added to the frying pan and simmered for up to 15 minutes, then millet porridge is laid out on top along with onions and carrots and cooked until the porridge is cooked. A little salt - and the dish can be served.

Traditional Lenten borscht

You will need to prepare beans, potatoes, beets, cabbage, carrots, some onions, and herbs. It all starts with cooking the beans. It cooks (depending on freshness and size) from half an hour to one and a half hours. After this, peeled and chopped potatoes are added at the same time as raw cabbage. Next, when the potatoes are already ready, you should add finely chopped beets, carrots, onions, and at the very end also add finely chopped greens. As an option, carrots, onions, and beets can be pre-fried in vegetable oil.

Lenten pickle

For this dish you need to prepare pearl barley, some potatoes, onions, carrots and cucumbers. First you need to cook the pearl barley and potatoes. Pour into the pan at the same time. When they are at the ready stage, previously finely grated carrots and also chopped onions are added to the pickle. It is optimal if, in addition to all this, they are also fried a little in vegetable oil. The last thing to go into the pan is the grated cucumbers, after which it should be boiled for another 3 to 5 minutes. Let the dish sit for a while and it is ready to be served.

For a better understanding of the essence of the post, we recommend watching the First Channel film:

Wishing you spiritual harmony and joy of life! With respect to you, editors of Runetmir.com

May

• in May 2022, only Wednesdays and Fridays will be fast days. On these days, both lay people and those living under strict rules are allowed to eat fish.

May 3 – Radonitsa

May 9 - Commemoration of deceased soldiers

June

Dates:

June 2 - Ascension of the Lord

11 — Trinity Parents Saturday

12 — Trinity Day

One-day posts

• June 1, 3, 8, 10 (one-day fast days on Wednesdays and Fridays) - loose rules. You can’t eat poultry or animal products, but you can eat fish.

Petrov post

On June 20, Monday, Peter's Fast (Apostolic Fast) begins.

The dietary rules for the laity are as follows: during the days of Peter's Fast in June, it is allowed to eat fish, except for three days - June 22, 24 and 29. During these days, the laity should abstain from food of animal origin. For those living under strict regulations, dry eating is prescribed during these three days.

Fast days in July 2022

Continuation of Petrov's fast July 1 - 11

Nutrition calendar for Orthodox Christians by day during Peter's Lent:

• July 1st – you can eat fish dishes
• July 2 – dry eating
• July 3-4 - you can eat fish
• July 5—hot food without oil is allowed
• July 6-8 - you can eat fish dishes, animal meat and poultry are not allowed.
• July 9 – dry eating
• July 10-11 – fish dishes are allowed to be consumed

One-day posts

• July 14, 16, 21, 23, 28 and 30 - dry eating.

July

Holidays:

July 7 - Nativity of John the Baptist

July 12 - St. ap. Peter and Paul

Continuation of Petrov's fast

July 1 - 11

The dietary rules for the laity are as follows: during the days of Peter's Fast in June, it is allowed to eat fish, except for three days - July 1, 6, 8. During these days, the laity should abstain from food of animal origin. For those living under strict regulations, dry eating is prescribed on these three days (as on all other Wednesdays and Fridays of the month)

History of origin

Fasting in Rus' has been observed since ancient times. The first mention of them dates back to the 11th century. This is due to the advent of Christianity and people’s rejection of pagan beliefs and traditions.

Previously, the fast was called Pentecost, or there are still references to it as Trinity; later in the calendar it is listed as Petrov, in honor of the memory of the first apostles. They were especially revered in Rome and ancient Constantinople. Temples were built in these cities in honor of these saints.

Peter's Fast is a relaxed version of Lent. This was done due to the fact that not everyone, for some reason - health or temptation - could withstand the longest fast of the year and allowed themselves to relax it. Therefore, the summer one was a kind of compensation for this.

August

Great dates:

August 19 – Transfiguration

August 28 - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Assumption Post

August 14 - Honey Saved, Removal of the Venerable Trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. From this day in 2022, the two-week Assumption Fast will begin. It will last until the 27th inclusive. Throughout the entire Dormition Fast, the laity should adhere to abstinence from animal food. The only exception is one day - the Feast of the Transfiguration on August 19, when it is allowed to eat fish.

For those observing the strict version with 6 degrees:

• Dry eating on all Wednesdays and Fridays, except the 19th.
• Dry eating on August 15 and 22.
• On August 16, 18, 23 and 25, heated food without oil is allowed.
• August 14, 20, 21, 27 - hot with added butter.

Signs

What signs do people believe on St. Peter’s Day:

1. If the weather is clear outside, then the whole year will be like this.
2. It rains on a church holiday - there will be another forty days of rain.
3. If dew appears in the morning, it will be a sunny day.
4. Snow-white clouds floating against the wind - they will bring rain with them.
5. If it started raining in the morning, the hayfield will be wet. The hay will be tough and the harvest will be rich.
6. The cuckoo stopped calling before Peter's Day, which means winter will come early. If after, autumn will be late.
7. On the night of the Great Celebration, one usually has a prophetic dream. It will be fulfilled on the 7th day. If you dreamed about something bad, then you need to be careful.

September

Dates:

September 11 is the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist

September 21 - Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

September 27 – Exaltation of the Holy Cross

Fast days

For the laity

On all Wednesdays and Fridays you should abstain from meat, eggs and dairy products. September 11th and 27th - only plant foods.

According to strict regulations

• Wednesdays and Fridays of the month - (dry eating). Only on the 21st is there a relaxation in honor of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary - it is allowed to eat fish.
• In addition, in September there will be 2 more days when you should fast. This is the 11th day of the month - the day of the Beheading of John the Baptist and the 27th - the Exaltation of the Cross of the Lord. These days, lean hot dishes of non-animal origin with vegetable oil are allowed.

How to prepare and smoothly enter the fast

(Photo: https://progomel.by)

Petrov's fast is one of the most relaxed of the year. Being in the summer, when an abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits is available, it allows you to diversify your diet with many healthy dishes and not feel hungry. No special training is required to comply with it. But if a person does this for the first time, he needs to adhere to some rules:

1. A few days before fasting, you should gradually reduce your consumption of dairy products and meat, focusing on fruits and vegetables.
2. Adding bran salads to your diet will help stabilize digestion and accustom the body to plant foods and fiber containing dietary fiber.
3. Drinking enough water (at least 2 liters) will help eliminate dehydration and muffle the feeling of hunger.
4. A sudden change in diet is fraught with dysbacteriosis. To prevent this from happening, the intestines need to be prepared with the help of lactobacilli found in fermented milk products and yogurt.
5. The Lenten menu is lower in calories, and in order not to feel hungry, you can increase food portions in the first days of fasting or snack on fruits and nuts.

October

For the laity

Meals on the fast days of October in the first and second versions differ only in the degree of severity - laymen are allowed fish, for those living under strict regulations - dry eating is recommended.

According to strict regulations

All Wednesdays and Fridays of the month are strict fasting (dry eating). October 14 (Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary) - you can eat fish products, poultry and animal meat under the ban.

Fast days in December 2022

6 degrees (strict fasting)

• December 1 - strict, dry eating
• December 2 – not strict, you can fish
• December 3 – dry eating.
• December 4 is a holiday for the Orthodox - Entry into the Temple of the Virgin Mary. Fish dishes are allowed.
• December 5 (Sunday) – fish allowed
• December 6—hot food without added oil is allowed
• December 7 – fish dishes available
• December 8 – strict, dry eating
• December 9 – relaxed, fish allowed
• December 10 – dry eating
• 11-12 numbers (Sat. and Sun.) - it is allowed to eat fish dishes.
• December 13 is the day of remembrance of St. Apostle Andrew the First-Called. On this day, Orthodox Christians can have heated food, but without oil.
• December 14 – fish allowed
• December 15 – dry eating
• December 16 – fish dishes allowed
• December 17 – dry eating
• 18-19 numbers (Sat. and Sun.) - fish allowed. December 19 is the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.
• December 20—hot Lenten food without oil is allowed
• December 21 - on this day you can add vegetable oil
• December 22 – dry eating
• December 23 – hot food with vegetable oil is allowed
• December 24 – strict, dry eating
• 25 and 26 (Sat. and Sun.) - fish dishes are allowed
• December 27 – hot food without oil
• December 28 - you can eat heated food with the addition of plants. oils
• 29th day of the month - dry eating
• December 30 - heated food with added vegetable oil
• December 31st - strict day, dry eating

November 19, 2022 at 11:21 am

November

One-day posts in November are Wednesdays and Fridays. These days, lay people can eat fish; for those living under strict rules, dry eating is prescribed.

Beginning of the Nativity Fast

On November 28, 2022, Monday, the long Christmas (Filippov) fast begins.

December

Dates in December 2022:

• December 19 is the day of remembrance of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker.

For the laity

The Nativity Fast continues throughout December. For the laity, the rules are simple - on all days of December except Wednesdays and Fridays, fish is allowed, and on Wednesdays and Fridays - plant foods.

For those living under strict regulations:

Wednesdays and Fridays are dry eating.

Saturdays and Sundays - you can eat fish. In addition, fish dishes are allowed on December 1, 6, 8, 13, 15 and 19.

20, 22, 27, 29 – hot vegetable food with butter.

December 5, 12, 26 - heated food of non-animal origin without oil.

How to eat properly after fasting

You need to leave fasting gradually, because long-term abstinence from food becomes a real shock for the body. And this is fraught with problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

During this period, it is better to limit the consumption of meat and eggs. It’s worth starting with fish and dairy products. Then gradually add a small amount of meat to the diet. Boiled chicken or veal will do.

The recovery will last for several weeks with the gradual addition of familiar foods to the diet.