From food parcel to iftar table: Shahr Ramadan recipes with purpose

As Shahr Ramadan begins, many families across the world prepare for iftar in ways that feel familiar. 

The kitchen fills with gentle aromas, pots are set on the stove, and dates are placed ready for sunset. 

These moments, though simple, carry deep meaning. 

At the same time, a mother prepares iftar using the ingredients from a food parcel. 

Her kitchen looks different. Her challenges are greater. 

Yet her intention mirrors our own. 

To nourish her children, to end the fast with care, and to welcome the month of Ramadan with dignity. 

Allah (swt) reminds us of this spirit of giving in the Holy Quran: 

“And they feed the food, despite their desire for it, to the poor, the orphan, and the captive. (They gave away their food selflessly as if they were saying,) ‘We feed you only for Allah’s (swt) sake; we expect neither reward nor thanks from you.” 

Surah Al-Insan, Verses 8-9

This is the essence of Shahr Ramadan food aid. 

Turning simple staples into sustenance. Turning compassion into shared humanity. 

Support food aid this Shahr Ramadan and help families break their fast with dignity.  

When hunger shadows the month of mercy 

For many families around the world, Shahr Ramadan arrives with anxiety rather than ease. 

Instead of planning meals, they worry about how they will afford even a modest iftar. 

Economic hardship, displacement, and instability mean food insecurity becomes part of daily life. 

Iftar meals for families in need are not about abundance. They are about reassurance. 

About knowing that when the sun sets, there will be something to place on the table. 

About observing Shahr Ramadan without the weight of hunger.  

From a parcel of ingredients to a table of mercy 

Imam Ali (as) is reported to have said: 

“The nourishment of the body is food whilst the nourishment of the soul is feeding others.”

Mishkat al-Anwar, n.325

During Shahr Ramadan, The Zahra Trust provides food parcels that help families prepare nourishing meals in their own homes. 

These parcels are thoughtfully assembled to reflect local food traditions, allowing families to cook with familiarity and dignity. 

Food parcels in Kabul, Afghanistan 

In Kabul, food parcels support families facing prolonged economic hardship, providing ingredients that can be turned into sustaining iftar meals. 
 
Items included: 

• Flour 
• Rice 
• Cooking oil 
• Spaghetti 
• Dates 
• Tea 
• Chickpeas 

Food parcels in Kenya 

In Kenya, food parcels provide staple ingredients that families rely on daily, particularly during Shahr Ramadan. 
 
Items included: 

• Maize flour 
• Wheat flour 
• Rice 
• Cooking oil 
• Salt 
• Sugar 

Food parcels across the MENA region and beyond 

Across parts of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), as well as countries including Burkina Faso, Tanzania, Thailand, and Bangladesh, food parcels are tailored to local diets and shared food traditions. 
 
Items included: 

• Rice 
• Sugar 
• Legumes and pulses 
• Tea 
• Dates 
• Cooking oil 
• Tomato paste 
• Pasta 
• Soy 

A widow’s iftar in Kabul: Kabuli Pulao 

One widow supported by The Zahra Trust lives with her two children on the outskirts of Kabul. 

Since losing her husband five years ago, she has supported her family through embroidery work and help from relatives. 

Shahr Ramadan is a time of faith for her, but also one that requires careful planning. 

Using ingredients available through food aid, she prepares kabuli pulao for iftar. 

Click here for the recipe she prepares for her family, shared as part of our Shahr Ramadan recipe collection. 

Kabuli pulao is Afghanistan’s national dish. 

Fragrant rice layered with tender meat, carrots, and raisins. 

Often served on special occasions, it brings comfort and familiarity to her family’s iftar table during the month of Ramadan. 

Prepared slowly and shared together, the meal offers more than nourishment. 

It offers reassurance and a sense of normality at the end of a long day of fasting. 

A shared vision for Shahr Ramadan 

Imagine a Shahr Ramadan where no family faces the evening with uncertainty. 

Where food parcels arrive not just as aid, but as a reminder that they are seen, supported, and remembered by the global community. 

Every act of giving helps transform food parcels into iftar meals for families in need, strengthening both body and spirit. 

Imam al-Sadiq (as) is reported to have said: 

“Whoever gives sadaqah during the month of Ramadan, Allah (swt) will avert seventy types of calamities from him.”

Wasail al-Shia, h.12341

From your kitchen to theirs 

As you prepare iftar this Shahr Ramadan, remember that your generosity helps place real meals on real tables, connecting your home to families who need support. 

Imam al-Baqir (as) is reported to have said: 

“Any believer who provides iftar to another believer on a night in the month of Ramadan, Allah (swt) will write for him a reward equal to freeing a soul. And whoever provides iftar to him for the entire month of Ramadan, Allah (swt) will write for him a reward equal to freeing thirty believing souls, and he will have because of that an accepted supplication with Allah (swt).”

Wasail al-Shia, h.13052

Donate, share, and help ensure no family breaks their fast alone this Shahr Ramadan.

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