How to get the most out of your Iftar buffet meal without overindulging

LUTHO PASIYA lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za

AS THE holy month of Ramadaan approaches, many people look forward to meeting and feasting together at dawn and dusk. What better way to do so than by having a buffet spread during the Ramadaan period – distinguished banquets with appetisers, mains, side dishes, desserts, and plenty more sweet things to feast on?

Buffets are a thing for such celebrations, but a lot of people feel overwhelmed with the amount of food they see and feel they cannot do justice to the spread. For such people, we have a few tips:

Choose buffets that suit your food tastes

The Indian buffet place down the road might do an amazing offer on their top-notch food, but remember that it’s not an amazing offer if you don’t actually like curry.

Don’t be swayed by the amazing price-to-food volume ratio if you’re not too keen on the cuisine – you’ll just be just signing up to eat a whole load of food you don’t like.

Avoid creamy or fried food

While the white and creamy sauce looks tempting, avoid including them in your meal. The richness and thickness of the liquid can stick to your taste buds. Fried food can make you feel bloated immediately.

Eat slowly

Enjoy that food. Slow eating has many benefits for the body. It allows you to be more conscious of your food and helps you avoid overeating. I know this is a tough one, almost impossible, but you can suffer later if you do not use a little selectivity and restraint.

Hydrate

Drinking water will also help you rehydrate after eating all those salty foods. Consider enjoying a glass of mint or ginger tea too, it helps get rid of any indigestion. Not that the buffet is about overdoing it – it’s about indulging as a special treat.

Do not load up on carbs

Belly fillers such as potatoes, noodle dishes or rice are usually displayed in inviting piles at the start of the buffet line, and often arranged strategically around high-cost, high-value items.

The idea is that you will pile your plate with those and have less space – on your plate and in your stomach. Instead, take a small number of carbs and keep the rest of your plate open for more interesting things.

Slow down with the drinks

Many liquids are natural appetite suppressants because they take up space in your stomach. That is not what you want to happen.

CHOOSE buffets that suit your food tastes. | Pexels