Fasting food is the diet of the periods in which Orthodox believers abstain from meat, eggs and dairy, and on some days from fish, oil and wine as well. Because these rules are not always clear, here we explain them simply, then see what stays on the plate: legumes, grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.
In short
- Fasting food excludes meat, eggs and dairy.
- Fish, oil and wine are allowed only on certain days (dispensation).
- The rules differ slightly between periods and between parishes: ask your spiritual father.
- The basics of the meal: legumes, grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.
- Everything “fasting” is also vegan, but a “fasting” product is not automatically healthy.
What are the fasting periods
In the Orthodox tradition, people fast every Wednesday and Friday of the year (except in fast-free periods) and in four major fasts: Great Lent before Easter, the Nativity Fast, the Fast of the Holy Apostles and the Dormition Fast. The dates of some fasts change from year to year, and others depend on the calendar your parish uses (old style or new style), so check your church’s calendar.
What is NOT eaten on fasting days
The strict rule excludes meat (including poultry and meat products such as lard or meat broth), eggs and dairy. In the strictest fast, fish, wine and oil are also excluded. In the Orthodox tradition, “fish” means fish with a backbone, and shellfish are generally considered allowed. These details can vary, so treat them as a general guide, not a universal rule.
What “dispensation” means for oil, wine and fish
Dispensation is the Church’s permission to eat, on certain days, foods that are normally forbidden during a fast: oil, wine, sometimes fish. Here is the most common scheme, as described by the sources consulted:
| Period | What is usually allowed |
|---|---|
| Great Lent | Oil and wine on Saturdays and Sundays; fish only on the Annunciation and Palm Sunday |
| Nativity Fast and Fast of the Apostles | Tuesdays and Thursdays oil and wine; Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays no oil or wine; fish on Saturdays and Sundays (in the Nativity Fast, not between 20 and 25 December) |
| Dormition Fast | Oil and wine on Saturdays and Sundays, plus some feast days |
Major feasts, patron-saint days and other celebrations can change the rule on a given day. For the sick or those with special needs, the spiritual father can grant individual dispensations.
What stays on the plate: the staples
- Legumes: beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, soy.
- Grains and derivatives: mămăligă, rice, buckwheat, oats, bread, egg-free pasta.
- Vegetables: cabbage, potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, onions, peppers, pickles.
- Fruit, fresh or dried: apples, plums, grapes, raisins.
- Nuts and seeds: walnuts, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame.
- Mushrooms: wild or button mushrooms, good for fillings and stews.
Many traditional Moldovan dishes are already fasting food: vegetable soup, mashed beans, rice sarmale, pumpkin or cabbage pies. We will detail them in the recipes in the Fasting recipes category.
How to put together a simple fasting meal
Start from a rule that is easy to remember: a legume, a grain and plenty of vegetables on the same day. For example: bean soup with vegetables, mămăligă with mushrooms and a cabbage and carrot salad. Add a handful of nuts or seeds and a piece of fruit.
Be careful with ready-made “fasting” products: some are very high in salt, sugar or fat. Read the label and, where possible, choose home-cooked food made from simple ingredients.
Fasting and veganism: what is the difference
Fasting food without oil and fish is, in practice, vegan, and fasting is a good opportunity to try plant-based cooking. The difference lies in the motive and the duration: fasting belongs to a religious tradition and to certain days, whereas veganism is a permanent way of life, with ethical, environmental or health motives. If you want to go further after the fast, also read the Vegan guide to Moldova and, for the reasons behind the choice, the article Animals.
Frequently asked questions
Are eggs and dairy allowed during a fast?
No, in the major fasts they are excluded. The exception is “Cheese Week” before Great Lent, when meat is excluded but eggs and dairy are allowed.
Can I fast if I am ill or pregnant?
Talk first to your doctor and your spiritual father. Individual dispensations exist precisely for such situations.
The information in this article is for guidance only and does not replace the advice of a doctor or a nutritionist. If you follow a diet without animal products in the long term, remember that vitamin B12 must be supplemented; we will cover this in more detail soon in a dedicated article.
Sources
- Orthodox Church in America: Fasting and fast-free seasons of the Church
- Pravmir: The Fasting Rules in the Orthodox Church
- Știrile ProTV: What dispensation for oil, wine or fish means (in Romanian)
Updated: 26 October 2026
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