Lent Fast
Wednesday, February 14, 2024 - Thursday, March 28, 2024
Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent comes from the Anglo Saxon word lencten, which means "spring." The forty days represents the time Jesus spent in the wilderness, enduring the temptation of Satan and preparing to begin his ministry. Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a "mini-Easter" and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.
What You Can't Eat
Meats
We will abstain from MEAT: All animal products are restricted. This includes meat, poultry, and dairy products (milk, eggs, cheese, butter, etc. (Fish and shellfish are allowed).
Dairy products and processed foods
All dairy products including but not limited to milk, cheese, cream, butter, and eggs. All refined and processed food products including but not limited to artificial flavorings, food additives, chemicals, white rice, white flour, and foods that contain artificial preservatives. All deep fried foods including but not limited to potato chips, French fries, corn chips. All solid fats including shortening, margarine, lard and foods high in fat. Beverages including but not limited to coffee, tea, herbal teas, carbonated beverages, energy drinks.
What You Can Eat
All Fruits
These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned. Fruits include but are not limited to apples, apricots, bananas, blackberries, blueberries, boysenberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, figs, grapefruit, grapes, guava, honeydew melon, kiwi, lemons, limes, mangoes, nectarines, oranges, papayas, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, prunes, raisins, raspberries, strawberries, tangelos, tangerines, watermelon, and the list goes on. If you are using dried fruits, make sure they do not have added sugar.
All Vegetables
These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned. Vegetables include but are not limited to artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauli lower, celery, chili peppers, collard greens, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, garlic, ginger root, kale, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, mustard greens, okra, onions, parsley, potatoes, radishes, rutabagas, scallions, spinach, sprouts, squashes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, zucchini etc.
All Whole Grains
Whole grains, including but not limited to whole wheat, brown rice, millet, quinoa, oats, barley, grits, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, rice cakes and popcorn.
All Nuts and Seeds
All nuts and seeds, including but not limited to sun lower seeds, cashews, peanuts, sesame. Also nut butters including peanut butter without added sugars.
All Legumes
These can be canned or dried. Legumes include but are not limited to dried beans, pinto beans, split peas, lentils, black eyed peas, kidney beans, black beans, cannellini beans, white beans.
All Quality Oils
All quality oils including but not limited to olive, canola, grape seed, peanut, and sesame.