Biblically Clean Eating for Passover and Unleavened Bread

What are the Bible's instructions for us around food during the week of Unleavened Bread? What exactly is leaven? We've talked before about what it means to eat 'kosher' for Passover during this time, but we've also talked about the kosher dietary laws often going above and beyond what Scripture says and even adding to it! So how do we eat in a way that honors what the Bible says without going overboard with manmade traditions? This post is here to help. Biblically clean eating for Passover and Unleavened Bread is truly doable, and this post will walk you through what you can and can't eat during these Biblical holidays.

During the week of Unleavened Bread, all the normal dietary laws apply, plus one extra, temporary restriction. What does the Bible tell us not to eat during the week of Unleavened Bread?

"Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you shall remove leaven from your houses." -Exodus 12:15

That is the restriction...no leavened bread for the week. There is no specified grain to avoid, just a prohibition on leavened bread. If you're used to hearing that Unleavened Bread week means not eating any grains at all, and even that you have to avoid things like peanuts or beans, I'm here to tell you that the Living God did not make it that complicated.

To understand how to avoid leaven bread for the week we need to know what it is.

What is leaven in the Bible?

Leaven is grain that has been soured, or fermented. Sourdough bread is the most obvious example of a leavened product, hence the emphasis on this Biblical holiday being a time of unleavened bread. Leavening or souring is not something that happens immediately when water hits a grain, but a process that takes more time - typically several days. In Judaism there is a law that says bread dough becomes 'leavened' after 18 minutes of flour mixed with water and formed into dough, but this is not a directive from Scripture. If you've ever made bread, or tried your hand at sourdough starter, then you know 18 minutes is nowhere near enough time for leavening to happen or for dough to rise.

Nowadays sourdough bread is rare, and most breads are made with yeast. Though the Bible does not specify avoiding yeast-risen breads by name, I believe since yeast mimics the leavening process of traditional sourdough, we would do well to not partake during this time. The same would go for breads, cakes, or pastries made with baking soda or baking powder.

What should we avoid eating during the Feast of Unleavened Bread to eat Biblically clean?

Leavened bread products, such as:

-Sourdough bread
-Bread made with yeast
-Breadcrumbs
-Products containing breadcrumbs such as breaded chicken, meatballs, meatloaf, or tortellini fillings
-Muffins and other quick breads made with baking soda or baking powder
-Cakes
-Pastries such as croissants, cinnamon rolls, danishes, etc.
-Biscuits
-Pizza

Foods to watch for leaven in:
-Chicken strips or breaded chicken
-Batter for fried fish, onion rings, etc.
-Meatballs
-Meatloaf
-Ravioli and tortellini fillings
-Ice cream flavors with cake, cookies, etc. mixed in

Please note that the leaven mention in Exodus 12 does not mean all foods that have been soured or fermented. We see the Messiah serving wine (which is fermented) at the last supper, and tasting vinegar (also fermented) while on the cross. A surprising number of foods we eat today from yogurt to kimchi to chocolate are fermented, and we are free to eat those during Unleavened Bread. What we don't want to eat this week is fermented or leavened bread, or at the most, fermented or leavened grains.

Examples of soured grains that aren't bread:

-Beer
-Soy sauce (tamari is very similar to soy sauce, but made only with soybeans and is an easy substitution)

Can you cook and bake during Unleavened Bread?

Yes, absolutely you can make your own unleavened baked goods and meals for or during this Biblical holiday. I've heard too many times that the only way to be sure you're not eating leaven is to purchase all specially made and kosher certified matzah and kosher for Passover products, but the Bible does not say that only a rabbi can tell if something is leavened or not. Furthermore these products can be very difficult to find and expensive. Use your judgment. You can make your own unleavened bread in many different forms, and there are probably plenty of meals that you already make that are unleavened and would be appropriate during this feast. Take a look at recipes - if they use grains, check and see if making the dish involves souring or fermenting dough. If it doesn't - I see no reason why you can't make it as part of your Unleavened Bread meals and celebrations.

Can you eat grains during Unleavened Bread?

Jewish traditions call for avoiding all grains, except for kosher for Passover matzah, and sometimes even things like beans, legumes, and peanuts. Again, this is not something the Bible calls for. It is not called the Feast of No Grains at All, but rather the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Unleavened bread is made with grain, and it's okay to use grains during Unleavened Bread week, so long as you are not leavening them. Any grain is fine to eat, so long as it's not leavened. That includes wheat, barley, corn, teff, spelt, rye, quinoa, rice, oats, millet, etc.

With that in mind, I would not hesitate to eat things like tortillas without leavening, shortbread cookies, granola, popcorn, cooked rice, peanut butter, beans or lentils.

As always, I would encourage you to pray about how you can best implement this Biblical instruction into your life! If you're new to celebrating Unleavened Bread, focusing on avoiding leavened bread during this week and don't be overwhelmed by what others might traditionally avoid.

So what can you eat during Unleavened Bread?

-Unleavened bread in any of its variations...homemade or boxed

-Any Biblically clean meat or fish

-Any vegetables

-Any fruits

-Lentils, chickpeas, and other legumes

-Beans - black, pinto, cannelini, kidney, great northern, etc.

-Potatoes 

-Corn tortillas or tortilla chips

-Nuts such as walnuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, etc.

-Dairy products like milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc.

-Eggs

With these ingredients there are plenty of wonderful foods to be had during Unleavened Bread from soups to stir fries to tacos to meat and potatoes to frittata to hummus to ice cream and more.

If you're looking for further direction on what to eat during this set apart time, I will include links below to Biblically clean recipes!

Unleavened recipes for Passover and Unleavened Bread:

Meal Ideas for the Feast of Unleavened Bread
Recipes to Use Your Homemade Matzah In
Unleavened Desserts for Passover and Unleavened Bread

Biblically Clean Slow Cooker Recipes

These are recipes for Biblically clean meals that can be made in a slow cooker. These warm and cozy meal ideas are a perfect way to have an easy meal ready for dinner, and they all fit within what the Bible says about what we eat. Using a slow cooker or crock pot can be a helpful way to getting dinner on the table on a busy day, or make one of these meals for the Sabbath day so that you have more time to rest! If you don't want to keep the slow cooker on overnight, just assemble the ingredients in the crock the day before, and the next day take it out of the fridge and turn on the slow cooker a few hours before you'd like to have your meal.

As always, these recipes contain no pork or shellfish, and they are great for a Biblically clean diet!

Queso Chicken Chili from Pinch of Yum

Mom's Slow Cooker Beef Stew from Ambitious Kitchen

Super Easy Veggie Crockpot Lasagna from Pinch of Yum

Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs from Salt and Lavender

Quinoa Black Bean Stuffed Peppers from Pinch of Yum

Slow Cooker Peanut Butter Oatmeal from This Healthy Table

Crockpot Barbecue Chicken from Salt and Lavender

Slow Cooker Tortellini Vegetable Soup from Half Baked Harvest

Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken from Well Plated

Thai Butternut Squash Lentil Soup from Ambitious Kitchen

Slow Cooker Pumpkin Turkey Chili from This Healthy Table

Coconut Tandoori Inspired Chicken from Pinch of Yum

Slow Cooker Chicken Curry from Well Plated

Crockpot Chipotle Pot Roast Tacos from Half Baked Harvest

Greek Crock Pot Sloppy Joes from Well Plated

The Best Detox Crockpot Lentil Soup from Pinch of Yum

Crockpot Roast Beef from Well Plated

Crockpot Red Lentil Curry from Pinch of Yum

Related posts:
How to the Bible Defines Food
Five Reasons Why Believers Today Should Keep the Food Laws
Biblically Clean Soups

1 Timothy 4 Explained (and why it doesn't mean all animals should be eaten)

A common question related to Biblical eating is what about 1 Timothy 4? Many people believe that this verse not only says that we can eat whatever we want, but that those advocating for following the Bible's dietary laws are following demonic teachings that come from deceptive spirits! Many people think 1 Timothy 4 teaches that the commandments regarding food have been done away with.

Let's take a look at this verse before we discuss how this does not mean that all animals can or should be eaten or that the laws surrounding what we eat are no longer in effect.

"Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead. They will say it is wrong to be married and wrong to eat certain foods. But God created those foods to be eaten with thanks by faithful people who know the truth. Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks. For we know it is made acceptable by the word of God and prayer." -1 Timothy 4:1-5

If you come from a background of belief that all the Biblical dietary laws have been done away with, then it's easy to read this passage to mean that literally anything you pray over can be received as food. God created everything to be eaten, right?

But take a closer look at the wording. The issue at hand is not that people are saying it's wrong to eat certain animals. The problem is that they are teaching that certain FOODS are wrong to eat. Big difference here! When the authors of the Bible speak, they do so with the foundational assumption that the Bible has already defined what does and what does not count as "food."

The Bible defines food in:

-Genesis 1:29

"Every seed bearing plant and the fruit trees."

-Leviticus 11

"Of all the animals that live on the land, these are the ones you may eat..."  Which goes on to explain which animals, birds, fish, and insects can and cannot be eaten.

The Bible explains that animals that are considered abominable should not be eaten in Leviticus 11:41. They should not be eaten, because they are not food according to Scripture. So when 1 Timothy 4:3 says that God created foods to be eaten, it's talking about what the Bible considers food. It does not mean that everything on the planet is considered fit for consumption. This passage does not mean that animals like pigs, dogs, cats, or shellfish can be eaten if we give thanks, because Paul, the author, did not consider these animals to be food since the Bible says they aren't.

Think this is a crazy idea? If you invite me over and say, "Help yourself to some snacks on the counter," what you mean is that I can eat the food you have out on the counter - things like apple slices, bread, cheese, carrot sticks, and cookies. You're not saying that I can eat the bouquet of flowers, the dish soap, sponge, potted plant, pet goldfish, the receipt for the groceries or whatever else you have on the counter, because you don't consider those things to be food. YHWH did not say that these things are food, so therefore we shouldn't consume them.

What is 1 Timothy 4 talking about then? This warning from Paul is that false teachers will come along who disagree with the Bible and teach that certain things the Bible says can be eaten, shouldn't be. We should always be on guard against anyone who is saying something that contradicts the teachings and commandments of Scripture! It seems likely that Paul could be referring to those who say that any animal or animal products - ones like cows and sheep that the Bible expressly says may be eaten - should not be eaten. This goes against specific instructions of Scripture that enumerate which animals may be eaten, as well as many examples of godly men and women in the Bible eating and serving these products, like when Abraham and Sarah fed meat and curds to their heavenly visitors and the Messiah served fish to his followers.

This could also have to do with many believers who insist on following not just Bible dietary commands, but Jewish kosher laws which add many manmade rules to the simple directions the Bible gives. As we've discussed in other posts, the Bible does not teach that meat and dairy products can't ever cross paths at all, but Jewish laws say they shouldn't even be used in the same kitchen. This is another undue burden to place on others. These rules may be well-intended, but it's still wrong to put manmade rules on par with Biblical law, or to claim that those manmade traditions are the same as what the Living God commands!

1 Timothy 4:5 supports the idea that these people will teach that certain Biblically permissible foods are off limits (as well as teaching that it's wrong to be married). We see that in the phrasing, "We know it is made acceptable by the word of God." This means that the author is referring to animals/foods that the Bible expressly says we can eat. How can we be sure something is food even if a faith movement, pastor, or author say it's not? We check the Bible and see what it says! Paul is drawing attention to the fact that Scripture decides what is acceptable or not before YHWH. Not religious leaders advocating for extra rules. Not people who are sensitive about eating animals. Not people who think that Jesus did away with the food laws. Not well intentioned people fearful of allergies. Not denominational doctrine. Not people who abuse the Bible and say that Scripture only permits veganism. Just the Bible. Scripture is the only thing that gets to decide what food is.

1 Timothy 4:1-5 explains that we should be leery of anyone changing the Bible's laws around food, not that we shouldn't follow Scripture's instructions!

Related posts:
What the Bible Says about Meat and Dairy
Understanding Mark 7:19 and the Messiah Declaring All Foods Clean
The Difference Between Unclean and Abominable

Biblically Clean Breakfast Ideas

When transitioning to Biblically clean eating many people have shared that breakfast is where they struggle. When you're used to eating bacon, sausage, or other unclean meat it can be hard to figure out what to eat instead. I'm sharing ideas for Biblically clean breakfasts, but please keep in mind that you certainly don't have to whip one of these up everyday. You can of course make your own versions or eat cereal, peanut butter toast, a cup of yogurt, a piece of fruit, or other hassle free foods for breakfast. These recipes are great and I would recommend trying them, but use this as a starting point for what you can make or order for breakfast, not a conclusive list. Many of these recipes would also work well for dinner or a snack.

Oven Hash Browns from A Couple Cooks

The Fluffiest Blueberry Pancakes from Pinch of Yum

Creamy Spinach, Potato, Turkey Breakfast Casserole from Pinch of Yum

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats from How Sweet Eats

Savory Chicken Sausage, Egg, and Cheese Muffins from Ambitious Kitchen

Breakfast Vegetable Scramble from A Couple Cooks

Healthy Granola from Cookie and Kate

Strawberry Shortcake Yogurt Bowls from Pinch of Yum

Blueberry Turkey Breakfast Sausage from Ambitious Kitchen

Foolproof French Toast from Cookie and Kate

Turkey Poblano Breakfast Enchiladas from Pinch of Yum

Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal from Ambitious Kitchen

Smoked Salmon Bagel from A Couple Cooks

Five Minute Pesto Breakfast Sandwich from A Couple Cooks

Healthy Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole from Cookie and Kate

Summer Breakfast Tacos from How Sweet Eats

Scrambled Egg Toasts with Roasted Asparagus from Well Plated

Perfect Waffles from A Couple Cooks

Please remember that these recipes are intended to give you an idea of Biblically clean breakfast and brunch options. You don't have to make these exact recipes or cook all of these things from scratch in order for it to follow Biblical guidelines. There are plenty of store and restaurant versions that work as well!

More on Biblically Clean Eating: 
Why Believers Should Keep the Bible's Dietary Commandments
Sabbath Friendly Oatmeal Recipe

How to Eat Biblically Clean

Tips for Transitioning to a Biblically Clean Diet

Are you struggling with making the change to a Biblically clean diet? Old habits are certainly hard to break, but Scripture says that you can do all things through the Messiah! Additionally, here are some ways you can help to make the process a little easier on yourself.

Tips for Transitioning to a Biblically Clean Diet:

-Keep in mind that the transition is the hardest part. You might feel hungry and frustrated now but these feelings will pass. Your body will naturally adjust and learn to crave Biblically clean foods. I've heard many former pork lovers say that they can't stand the smell of it anymore. This process will get easier as you go!

-Fast. Fasting is a Spiritual practice that has physical benefits as well. You could fast for several days or just a certain meal. You could do this regularly or occasionally. Use that time to pray that YHWH would help you break any unhealthy or unholy addictions or cravings. As a bonus, when you break fast you will be more receptive to the foods you're maybe not as much of a fan of. Hunger helps food to taste better. 

-Try new foods...or not. There are basically two schools of thought on this. You can try all sorts of new recipes and ingredients that you wouldn't normally have before as a way to find Biblically clean meals and snacks that you appreciate. Or you can go with 'cleaning up' some of the things you are used to eating...like switching to chicken or turkey sausage or "bacon" made from lamb or beef. Some people find the familiarity helpful, while others prefer to have things not taste different all of a sudden. Figure out which method works best for you.

-Figure out a new go-to pizza. If pizza is what you are frequently served at get-togethers, office lunches, impromptu meals, etc., you will want to have some new ideas of what to order or look for when pizza is served. Ground beef is available as a topping at most pizza places. Ground beef with onions and peppers is a favorite among believers I know. Barbecue chicken is another popular choice. If you're making your own pizza turkey pepperoni and chicken sausage are both easy to find and go well on pizza.

-Take encouragement from others. I've heard of the benefits from hundreds of people who have made this change in their life. It really is edifying to be obedient to Scripture. People report feeling closer to YHWH, growing spiritually, feeling better, and fewer health problems! Even those who haven't necessarily felt any changes report that they are glad they made this choice!

-Jot down Biblically clean staples to turn to. Make a list of family favorite recipes that are Biblically clean, or write out a list of clean snack options for yourself. Having a visual reminder can be very beneficial if you are breaking old habits. This is especially helpful if you have family members or roommates with unclean items in the kitchen that would be easy to turn to when you're hungry. Set yourself up for success by reminding yourself of what you can eat!

-Make meals at home. When you're making the adjustment it can be easier to cook meals rather than try to navigate restaurant menus. Get used to cooking and eating in a way that honors the Creator in an environment that you have control of. It will make it easier to go out later!

-Identify what you're having the most difficulty with. Is it a certain meal or a craving for a specific thing? Pray for wisdom about how to handle that. Can you fast that meal? How about finding a clean alternative? Remember that Scripture says you can do all things through the help of the Messiah!

-Go out for coffee, rather than a full meal. If friends that you normally go out with are not supportive of the changes you are making, then it might be easier to not eat with them for a while. Or if your local restaurants are hard to eat clean at but you still want to have a place to meet with friends, going out for coffee can be a nice alternative and it will save some money.

-Avoid places or things that might tempt you. Set yourself up for success by steering clear of normal temptations. If you were trying to lose weight, you wouldn't hang out in a donut shop all day and expect good results. As you work to eat Biblically clean, think about staying away from your regular breakfast spot if you would normally get bacon and sausage there. If your office normally has pepperoni pizza in the breakroom on Fridays, then going elsewhere for lunch could make it easier to make different decisions. 

-Remind yourself why you are doing this! Why did you make this decision? Did you feel the tug of the Holy Spirit in this direction? Are you wanting to honor the Creator in your daily life? Do you want to be more obedient to what the Bible says? All of those are worth all the sacrifices we make! 

Related posts:
How to Eat Biblically Clean
Questions and Answers on Biblically Clean Eating

Tips for Eating Biblically Clean at Summer Cookouts