There are many high-protein choices on the menu. But during Lent, many of these items are not acceptable. Many Catholics abstain from meat on Good Friday, and fish is the traditional main course at dinner time. However, many Catholics are unsure whether poultry or white meat is allowed.
So, can you eat chicken on Good Friday? No. All Catholics over the age of 14 abstain from eating chicken and all foods made with chicken on Good Friday unless they have health reasons that prevent them from doing so.
Every Friday during Lent is a day of abstinence, but not of fasting. In this short guide, we’ve shared food rules for Good Friday and everything you can eat during lent.
Let’s get started.
What Foods Aren’t Allowed On Good Friday?
Adult Catholics abstain from eating meat on Good Friday and all Fridays during Lent. During these days, there are restrictions on eating lamb, chicken, beef, ham, pork, deer, and most other meats. However, fish, grains, fruits, and vegetables are acceptable.
There are exceptions to this rule for pregnant women, the elderly, and children.
Many Catholics also give up something for the entire Lent period. Some Catholics give up their favorite treat, such as chicken or chocolate, while others give up a habit, such as smoking. If you are giving up chicken for Lent, you will not be able to eat this food for Good Friday.
What Can You Eat During Lent?
Catholics abstain from eating warm-blooded animal meat every Friday during Lent and the entire holy week. You can’t eat chicken, pork, beef, and other types of meat every Friday during Lent. So, what other options are there?
Fish is a popular option on all Fridays including Good Friday during Lent. You can prepare fish in many ways. Also, you’re allowed to eat milk, grains, eggs, fruits, and vegetables.
Alternatives to Eating Fish on Good Friday?
If you don’t prefer eating fish on Good Friday, you can make many other seafood dishes to enjoy during Lent. It’s possible to replicate the taste and texture of your favorite fish dishes without the fish. One good rule to follow is to use plant proteins like tempeh and tofu. Even mushrooms are great for replicating the textures of seafood.
Here’s what you can eat on Good Friday besides fish:
Trumpet Mushroom ‘Calamari’ [Vegan]
Forget the fish and make this Vegan Trumpet Mushroom Calamari instead. Mushrooms are a great substitute for white meat in recipes due to their satisfying texture and taste. You can use flavors like Old Bay Seasoning and lemon to give it that familiar flavor. Serving the mushrooms in lettuce wraps is a great way you could enjoy this vegan calamari on Good Friday. You could also enjoy the mushrooms as an appetizer.
Good Friday Food
Good Friday Rules – Fasting & Abstinence
The law of fasting only applies to adults. In the United States, the Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has established that “the age of fasting is from the completion of the eighteenth year to the beginning of the sixtieth.”
Rules for Lent in the United States
The rules for fasting & abstinence in the United States are:
- Everyone 14 years of age or older has to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and every Friday of Lent.
- Everyone between 18 and 59 must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Fasting consists of one meal per day, with two smaller meals don’t add up to a full meal and no snacks.
- Everyone 14 years of age or older has to abstain from meat on all other Fridays of the year unless they substitute some other form of penance for abstinence.
- If you live outside the United States, check with the bishops’ conference for your country for fasting rules.
Related Questions
What is a Lenten meal?
A Lenten meal takes place in the evenings to breakfasts during the season of Lent, which is observed by members of the Catholic, Moravian, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodist, and United Protestant traditions.
Is it OK to eat chicken broth during Lent?
You can’t eat chicken on Fridays during Lent. But, chicken broth used in cooking is acceptable.
What can you eat for breakfast on Good Friday?
It’s easy to avoid meat for breakfast by eating cereal, oatmeal, yogurt, and fruit. And we all know waffles and pancakes are another great way to have a meatless breakfast.
What fast food can I eat on Good Friday?
These fast-food chains have fish sandwiches and meals that are perfect for Good Friday
- Red Lobster.
- Buffalo Wild Wings.
- Wendy’s.
- McDonald’s
What do Orthodox Christians eat on Good Friday?
Most orthodox Christians’ diet includes vegetables, legumes, cereals, fruits, and bread. They eat salads, fresh and pickled vegetables, shellfish, squid, octopus, and traditional Lenten flatbread called Lagana on Good Friday.
Is it OK to eat pasta on Good Friday?
Beef, pork, chicken, and other meats aren’t allowed on Good Friday, but fish and other seafood are permissible. This means you can enjoy seafood paste during lent.
Here are a few options for pasta on Good Friday.
Can you eat chocolate on Good Friday?
Yes, you can eat chocolate any time from Good Friday through to Easter Monday. The tradition of eating candy at Easter is tied to Lent.
Is Lent in the Bible?
Yes, Lent in the New Testament is connected with the 40-day fast that Jesus undergoes. Mark tells us that Satan tempted Jesus, but in Matthew and Luke, the details of the temptation are fleshed out.
Why do Catholics eat fish meat?
Catholics have to abstain from eating the flesh of a warm-blooded animal. However, Catholics can eat meat because cold-blooded animals are considered OK to eat on fasting days. Hence, Fish on Good Friday or Fish Fridays is the norm.
Is shrimp considered meat?
According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCB), abstinence laws say meat is something that comes only from animals that live on land, such as chickens, cows, sheep, or pigs. Fish or shrimp are a different category of cold-blooded animals that you can eat during lent.
What do Mexicans eat on Good Friday?
Popular dishes on Mexican tables during Lent include fish that is fried, battered, steamed, or prepared “a la Veracruzana.”
Why is olive oil prohibited during Lent?
Besides the ban on meat and dairy, Eastern Orthodox Christians abstain from olive oil during Lent, a tradition that began many centuries ago when the oil was stored in sheep’s skin.
Can you use bacon grease during Lent?
Butter, margarine, and lard are allowed during Lent. Also, bacon drippings used as a dressing are permissible if they don’t contain bits of meat.
