Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: Do’s and Don’ts for preparing food during the festival

The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is around the corner. This year, the festival will be celebrated on Wednesday, August 27, during the Shukla Paksha Chaturthi of the Bhadrapada month, as per the Hindu lunar calendar.

The festival typically spans 10 to 11 days, concluding with the grand Ganesh Visarjan on Saturday, September 6. The festival is incomplete without the favourite foods of Lord Ganesha which are offered as bhog to the deity. And while preparing these foods also known as bhog or prasad, it is important to follow certain rules. Take a look at these common do’s and don’ts one must follow for preparing food during the festival.Do'sUse fresh ingredients: It is suggested to prepare bhog/prasad with fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and dairy.Cook in a clean environment: Always use clean and washed utensils, counters, and hands before starting preparation.Maintain sattvic cooking: Make sure to prepare food without onion, garlic, or meat; keep it pure and light.Offer homemade prasad: Traditionally, dishes like modak, laddoo, panchamrit, and sundal are made at home and offered to Lord Ganesha.

No outside food is offered keeping the cleanliness and purity of food in mind.

Use pure ghee and jaggery: They are considered auspicious and sattvic for prasad, hence traditionally people use them for making prasad.Prepare Panchamrit: It is a sacred offering made with milk, curd, honey, ghee, and sugar and is offered to Lord Ganesha during puja rituals.

Cook in small quantities: Ensure prasad is enough for offering and family distribution, and make sure there is no wastage of food.Taste after offering: Do not taste the prasad before offering it to Lord Ganesha.Keep food covered: Make sure the offerings are protected from dust, insects, or impurities and covered with clean utensils of cloth.Don’tsAvoid non-veg, alcohol, or onion-garlic: They are considered impure for puja food and one must avoid using them in the house where Ganpati has been invited.Do not taste while cooking: The food must remain untouched until after offering and one should avoid tasting it.Avoid stale or processed food: Everything should be cooked fresh on the same day and no packaged or stale food should be offered to the God.

Don’t cook in unclean utensils: Ritual purity is important in festival cooking, hence, one should refrain from using unclean utensils and crockery.Do not waste food: Prepare only as much as needed for offering and distribution.Avoid using plastic or disposable plates: Prefer steel, brass, or banana leaves for serving prasad.Don’t keep leftovers near the idol: Only fresh, sattvic food should be offered to the God.Avoid loud or negative behavior while cooking: One must maintain devotion, calmness, and positivity while preparing the bhog.Do not forget naivedyam rules: Always place food before Ganesha with devotion before eating.All Images Courtesy: istock