Ramadan 2025: Easy suhoor recipes every Muslim student can make

The holy month of Ramadan is upon us, and Muslims are required to fast from dawn to sunset.

There are more than two billion Muslims worldwide, making Islam the second-largest religion in the world, according to the World Population Review.

For Muslim students, fasting can be complicated if you’re in a foreign country without your family and loved ones to practice it with you. You don’t have the luxury of sleeping in and waiting for someone (like Mom) to prepare food for you in the wee hours of the morning, and missing suhoor (pre-dawn meal) too often can turn into health complications pretty quickly.

Our most practical tip? Find suhoor ideas that are easy, quick, delicious, and, most importantly, last throughout the day until you break your fast.

There are a few benefits to practising suhoor as well, such as:

• increasing your basal metabolic rate, effectively helping to lose weight
• maintains blood glucose levels, preventing hypoglycemia in diabetic patients
• providing your body with a balanced meal before you start your day

Ideally, you’ll want to eat some protein, complex carbohydrates and foods high in fibre — or something that combines all three — so that you’ll feel full longer and keep those hunger pangs at bay.

But stay away from these common breakfast choices:

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “The best pre-fasting meal for the believer is dates”. Source: AFP

What NOT to eat for suhoor

We know what it’s like to drag yourself out of bed and into the kitchen with one eye open, sleepily grabbing the first prepackaged thing you see and shoving it into your mouth.

Sugary boxed cereal, boxed glazed doughnuts, fried pastries, or even cup noodles — every college dorm’s favourite staples.

On any other day, these options could have worked as a quick bite to eat before class. But during Ramadan, they’re not the best suhoor ideas.

Avoid food and drinks that:

Contains simple sugars

Ditch the cornflakes, rice bubbles, and coco pops. While satisfying to eat, cereal will not keep you full.

Try also to avoid having waffles or pancakes drenched in syrup and butter. As delicious as they may sound, they work well for a burst of energy in the morning, but you’ll feel incredibly lethargic after a couple of hours.

Opt for fruits and vegetables as they’re rich in fibre and contain plenty of vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that are good for your health and gut. Bananas are a great way to stay feeling full, for example.

Toast slathered with butter is delicious, but not the best meal for suhoor. Source: AFP

Are high in fat

As tempting as it is to load up your air fryer with pastries or processed meats, you should avoid them as they can cause heartburn, aggravate acid reflux and result in inflammation — in short, you’ll spend your fast suffering.

Saturated fats in animal products like dairy, as well as coconut oil and palm oil should be avoided.

Instead, replace them with healthier sources of fat, such as food cooked with olive oil, or nuts and fish that contain omega three and omega six. Avocados are unique among other fruits for being high in fat, and can be used as a substitute for creams, salads, sandwiches, and toast.

Are overly salty

Not only will salty foods raise your blood pressure, but they can also make you thirsty throughout the day.

Instant noodles, chips, cheese, and other packaged foods contain a lot of sodium.

Instead, consider eating high-fibre carbohydrate foods like brown rice and wholemeal bread, which take longer to digest and help to sustain energy levels longer.

Are caffeinated

If you usually drink coffee or tea, you may be suffering from caffeine withdrawals throughout your fast.

Instead, stick to plain ol’ water. Some people also suggest coconut water, as it’s refreshing and can help replenish electrolytes without relying on gassy sports drinks.

But don’t chug a large amount of water in one go — it’ll just travel straight through, and you’ll end up thirsty and dehydrated before the end of your fast. Drink moderate amounts of water throughout the evening and night before, and ensure that your body stays hydrated.

Now let’s look at some easy-peasy meals and recipes for proper suhoor ideas that every Muslim student can make, especially if it’s hard to find halal prepackaged food:

These recipes work great for breakfast on the regular, too. Source: AFP

Suhoor ideas: 4 go-to recipes to keep you full

Overnight quinoa or oatmeal

You’ve probably heard this a million times, but oatmeal is one of the best suhoor ideas as it’s high in fibre and low in calories.

Preparation is simple, too. In a jar, pour some oats in with some milk, honey, and top it off with your fruits or nuts of choice. If you feel adventurous, experiment with mix-ins like cocoa powder, vanilla extract, or even applesauce.

Mix it all up and store it in the fridge the night before suhoor. It’s a creamy, satisfying breakfast that will keep your blood sugar stable and give you energy throughout the day.

If you don’t like the consistency of cooked oats, give quinoa a try. Depending on where you are, having quinoa for breakfast may not have caught on just yet, but this superfood is high in protein, making it ideal for suhoor. It’s also gluten-free!

Use it as a substitute for rice, and cook it with eggs, vegetables, or chicken. Boil it in chicken broth, top off with some sesame oil, and you’ll have a delicious base to pair with your protein of choice.

You can even bake them into bars, cookies, muffins or pancakes. Turn them into breakfast bowls or toss them into a salad — they’re highly versatile.

Fry them, steam them, boil them — eggs are the GOAT. Source: AFP

Eggs

When it comes to suhoor recipes, eggs are a clear favourite among sleepy Muslims waking up to cook everywhere.

As a cheap source of protein, eggs are versatile and easy to prepare, making them ideal for university students. Enjoy them scrambled, sunny side up, poached or made into an omelette with a side of wholegrain toast, and it’ll serve as a filling meal for suhoor.

In Southeast Asia, one of the best suhoor ideas is fried eggs with a little bit of rice and soy sauce — every Southeast Asian’s staple meal in college and university.

Stuck in a dorm with nothing but a microwave? Fret not. You can poach, bake and fry an egg in the nifty machine — all under two minutes and from the comfort of your dorm.

If you have time and want to prep for breakfast beforehand, consider making egg bites, a fan favourite receipe on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok — only because it’s incredibly easy!

You’ll need:

• Eggs
• Cottage cheese
• Vegetables of your choice – spinach is usually the go-to
• Onions – yellow, green or red all work
• Salt and pepper
• A blender – or a fork and bowl if your arm is strong enough
• Optional for spice: Sichuan peppercorn
• A muffin tin
• A oven

How to make quick and easy egg bites:

1. Crack the eggs and mix in the cottage cheese, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. Prepare your vegetables of choice by cooking, sauteing, or steaming them, and cut them into bite-size pieces.
3. Assemble the egg bites by dividing the vegetables into the muffin tin, then pouring the egg mixture on top evenly.
4. at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the eggs are set. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before enjoying.

These egg bites can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. Just reheat in the microwave or the airfryer before consuming.

 

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Smoothies

If you’re the type that avoids heavy food in the morning, the thought of downing a meal at 4 am may not sound like one of the best suhoor ideas. Instead, go for a smoothie.

Smoothies are incredibly versatile — you can use any liquids as your base, such as milk, almond milk or soy milk, and add protein powder, vegetables, fruits, Greek yogurt, peanut butter and even quick-cook oats for a good dose of vitamins and minerals.

Our go-to recommendation is a banana and orange smoothie. You’ll need:

• A frozen banana or two, already peeled and sliced
• An orange, peeled and sliced
• Optional: ginger slices
• 3/4 cup of vanilla yoghurt or milk of your choice
• 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice

Simply combine all ingredients into a blender and mix until smooth. Top it off with some orange zest and enjoy!

Breakfast wraps

If your ideal breakfast is protein heavy, breakfast wraps are one of the best suhoor ideas.

Make them the night before, or even a week in advance — you can store them in the freeze and reheat them in a pan or a microwave for suhoor.

Most breakfast wraps start out the same. You get some wraps, chop up vegetables of your choice — such as cherry tomatoes, lettuce or thinly grated carrots — and add protein such as eggs, chicken, ground beef. Top it off with some cheese and you’ll have a delicious suhoor breakfast.

Here’s our go-to recipe for breakfast wraps

• Ground beef or grilled chicken
• Eggs
• Chopped onion
• Chives
• Salt and pepper
• Pre-shredded cheese
• Flour tortillas/wraps
• Seasonings like chili powder, paprika, or garlic powder
• Sauces like mayonnaise, ketchup, chipotle, or barbeque
• Optional: sliced baby tomatoes, red peppers, carrots or spinach

Directions:

1. Cook your meat with your seasoning of choice and set aside to cool.
2. Pour beaten egg mixture into the pan and stir slowly to make scrambled eggs, and set aside to cool once done.
3. Assemble your breakfast burrito: lay out a wrap and spread your sauce of choice, followed by the eggs, meat, and other cut vegetables.
4. Sprinkle some cheese and chopped chives in.
5. Roll up the burritos and wrap individually with foil or parchment paper to store in the freezer.
6. To prepare: microwave for 90 seconds, or toast them on a pan

Disclaimer: This article was last updated on March 11, 2025.