Happy Janmashtami 2022: Diet-friendly Prasad options for Lord Krishna's birthday celebrations

Krishna Janmashtami is right around the corner. Celebrated to mark the birth of Lord Krishna, this year, the day falls on August 19. During the festival, several parts of the country observe dahi handi festivals, while others celebrate the day at home or within their neighbourhood/ community with much splendour. Krishna Janmashtami fallsduring the Hindu month of Bhadrapada on the Ashtami date.

Being a Hindu festival, Janmashtami too heavily features an array of delicacies that is offered to the Lord and then partaken as prasadam. Most of the time, these are decadent delicacies that do nothing to help you in your quest towards losing a few inches from your equator (instead they facilitate in adding a few). But fret not, you can actually make your prasad healthy.

Dates Basundi

This is a healthy prasad that can be served at Janmashtami. Made with milk and dates that have been turned into a smooth paste in the blender, it is mixed with dry fruits and crushed nuts and refrigerated before being served.

Dry fruits kheer

Kheer is synonymous with every Indian festivity. The kheer can be made healthy by replacing the conventional milk with almond milk. You can add soaked rice, saffron and cardamom powder to make it tastier.

Doodhi ka Halwa

Why go over the conventional ghee-soaked moong dal ka halwa when you can easily replace it with the bottle gourd. Shocked? Don't be. This is a healthy alternative which you must try. Take 1 medium sized bottle gord(lauki), and grate it. Next, heat a pan and add ghee, roast the dry fruits and nuts, transfer them to a plate. To the same pan, add some more ghee and add the grated lauki, keep stirring. Add sugar and other dry fruits before serving as bhog.

This year, Janmashtami tithi starts at 09:20 pm on August 18 and ends at 10:59 pm the following day.