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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
5 min
19/02/2026
Urban Indian families are using air fryers and clean-eating principles to find new ways to do iftar. Air-fried snacks, fruit-based dishes, sprout bowls, and yoghurt-based toppings are taking over many of the traditional oil-dripped items that used to dominate iftar celebrations in urban areas.
In India's urban areas, Ramadan 2026 has ushered in an exciting new food trend that marries health consciousness with tradition. If you look at iftar spreads from the past, they were full of traditional foods like fried samosas and fried pakoras, and other rich, fried snacks that provided quick energy after a long afternoon of fasting, but because of increasing awareness of nutrition and technological innovations in the kitchen, iftar foods are transitioning to include air-fried foods, fresh fruit, sprouted beans, and yoghurt elements that contain probiotics. This change, while small, is significant in that it has transformed how communities gather to share an evening meal together, but has not changed the essence of Ramadan and the concept of sharing food as a community.
Air fryers are now an essential item found in many households across India's middle-class population, providing crispy surfaces while consuming much less oil than traditional deep-frying methods. Cooking air-fried versions of samosas and pakoras will result in a similar crunchy texture that is not heavy on the type of fat typically used to prepare these dishes at home, thereby giving home chefs the advantage of being able to prepare tasty snacks with less oil.
Air fryers use rapid hot air movement to create crispy surfaces on their food, making them ideal for many iftar items that used to be cooked in large vats of very hot oil. In particular, many traditional iftar plates were filled with deep-fried savoury items to help with the stomach's fullness.
Recently, there has been a movement toward substituting healthier versions of traditional deep-fried comfort foods for unhealthy versions by using air fryers to prepare various items such as gram flour pakoras or stuffed samosas. By using an air fryer instead of deep-frying these foods, you will tremendously reduce the calories and fat consumed.
By using an air fryer to prepare familiar items, families can now have the same flavour of these items without worrying about post-meal sluggishness or bloating, a fundamental component of a healthy iftar.
The fresh fruit and nutrient-dense bowl are also a prominent part of the Ramadan 2026 food culture at the iftar table. Some of the trending Ramadan 2026 dishes include sabudana fruit pudding topped with yoghurt or milk with seasonal fruits. These dishes provide natural sugars, hydration, and vitamins to replenish nutrients after fasting, illustrating that there is an increased focus on using natural sugars and fibres as opposed to the traditional high-sugar drinks and heavy snacks that are usually served at sunset.
In addition to the push towards using more nutrient-dense ingredients in overall healthy meals at iftar, there is an increasing emphasis on beans and legumes in creating healthy iftar menus due to their high protein content. Examples include sprouted salads, sprouted snacks, and dishes that include yoghurt or curd (often used in dishes like raita). These items offer a balanced form of nourishment without being heavy. This trend represents a wider acceptance of consuming meals that provide sustained energy and healthy digestion after the meal; this is part of the overall goal of developing healthy iftar recipes for Ramadan 2026 that provide immediate satisfaction, but rather are areas where you will want long-lasting satisfaction.
The readaptation of Ramadan-iftar customs does not deny tradition; rather, it takes tradition and views it through the lens of health-conscious decisions. Urban families are making intentional changes by using less oil, incorporating fruits and vegetables to provide a variety of colours and nutrients, and experimenting with kitchen appliances, such as air-fryers, to meet the needs of modern-day life.
Over the past few years, air-fried samosas and pakoras have become more popular, primarily due to their social media popularity, because they provide the same sensory experiences with less guilt. Other popular items, such as fruit-based side dishes and yoghurt-based accompaniments, help provide hydration and micronutrients to support fasting after long periods of fasting. Other popular nutrient-dense whole food items, such as sprouts and legumes, as well as lighter variations of chaat, help contribute to the overall nutritive density of the entire iftar meal. The combination of the different foods selected for iftar illustrates a transition from eating merely to satisfy one's cravings to eating with intention, which combines the spiritual nature of Ramadan with healthy and nutritional eating that nourishes the body as well as the spirit.
