Passover Food Survival Guide

Let’s start this Passover Food Survival Guide by going over what foods are traditionally not allowed during Passover. According to the Torah, we are supposed to eat matzo and abstain from eating wheat, barley, rye, spelt, and oats for the eight days of Passover. The category of foods called kitniyot (corn, rice, and beans) have also been off limits for many Ashkenazi families. In recent years families in the Conservative movement have joined Jews in eating kitniyot during Passover.

If it is not important to you that you’re foods are labeled Kosher for Passover, gluten-free options are a great alternative. I use Thrive Market to buy Simple Mills almond flour based pancakes and crackers and grain-free granola and tortilla chips.

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Things You Already Eat That Are Kosher For Passover

My first step in Passover meal planning is to remember all of the things we already eat that are Kosher for Passover. Any sandwich can be switched into a snack with matzo or crackers. It can be a hard time to introduce new foods and especially during this week. If there are regular foods that you’d like your kids to try, maybe start before the holiday. We always get stranded out and about with no snacks and end up getting french fries and ice cream somewhere. No Passover Food Survival Guide would be complete without the basics.

• Potatoes – All of them, all kinds, all day
  • French Fries
  • Potato Kugel
  • Latkes
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Homefries
  • Potato Salad
  • Baked Potatoes
  • Roasted Potatoes
• Soup
  • Chicken Soup (with matzo balls)
  • Potato Soup
  • Tomato Soup
  • Vegetable Soup
  • Meat Chili
• Dairy
  • Yogurt
  • Cheese
  • Cream Cheese
  • Ice Cream – no cones, no cookies & cream
• Protein
  • Eggs
  • Tuna
  • Deli Meat
  • Hot Dogs -no bun
  • Hamburgers – no bun
  • Chicken
  • Fish
• Kitniyot
  • Rice
  • Tofu
  • Corn Torillas
  • Beans
  • Hummus
• Fruits & Veggies

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Bread alternatives

There’s no real substitute for the soft pillow of a slice of bread, but there are Passover versions that will meet your needs. The traditional solution to this is to bake rolls using matzo meal. That’s right. They make matzo with just bread and water, then we smash it up and basically treat it like flour to make bread. You know Jews love a loophole. I’ve listed some of my favorite recipes for these below. There are also many grain-free bread options in the grocery store these days. Just check the ingredients.

• Passover Rolls – Good for sandwiches
• The Easiest Farfel Muffins – from Simple Gray T-Shirt
• Crackers – Manischevitz Tam Tam Crackers

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Easy Alternatives

The growth of the gluten-free and low-carb trends have created a boom in products and recipes that can be used for Passover. Search for products that are considered Paleo or Whole30, they won’t contain grains. Keep an eye out of gluten-free options that use potato flour or cassava flour. (Rice, corn, and oats are also gluten-free, but you may be avoiding them for Passover so read your labels.)

• Rice -> Quinoa or Cauliflower Rice
• Bread Crumbs -> Matzo Meal
• Pasta -> Spagetti Squash, Zoodles, KP Noodles

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Classic Foods Made Kosher for Passover

Passover does not mean you have to stop eating all of your favorite foods. Sometimes they just need to be made a little differently. Here are some classics that will give you the taste you love while still following the rules.

• Chicken Nuggets – coat is matzo meal instead of breadcrumbs
• Meatballs – with matzo meal instead of bread crumbs
• Grilled Cheese – make with matzo, dip in egg wash and then fry on both sides…kinda like a quesadilla
• Lasagna – matzo instead of noodles. Just dip each piece in water for a few seconds before layers. Then layer with sauce and cheese and veggies and bake.
• Nachos – Break up pieces of matzo to use as chips or use grain-free tortilla chips
• Chex Mix – Passover Parmesan Snack Mix

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Desserts for Passover

I’m always under the false assumption that if I’m cutting out most carbs during Passover, that I’ll lose weight. But that’s because I forget all about the sugar. Passover candy and the boxed cake mixes make up much for my calorie count through those eight days. There’s something so special about having treats that you only get to have once a year. Jelly rings are my all time favorite and I taught my kids to wear them on the fingers since they were young.

• Ice Cream
• Easiest Chocolate Cookies for Passover
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Squares – make with almond flour
• Passover Chocolate Chip Cookies – made with cake meal
• Chocolate Covered Matzo
• Coconut Macaroons
• Candied Pecans – also a good snack
• Mandel Bread
• KP Box Cake Mixes – most even come with their own pan
• Passover Candy
  • Jelly Rings
  • Fruit Slices
  • Marshmallow Twists

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Traditional Passover Foods

I can’t make a Passover Food Survival Guide without these classics. Leftovers are always a fantastic go-to and it wouldn’t be Passover without eating Matzo Brei for breakfast. How do you make your matzo brei? Do you break the matzo into tiny pieces or leave it in big strips?

• Matzo Ball Soup
• Matzo Brei
• Potato Kugel
• Gefilte Fish
• Brisket
• Roasted Chicken
• Tzimmes

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Recipes to Try from simple gray tshirt

My friend Marni has a fantastic food blog where she has recipes that are specifically for Passover and many that can be adapted to work during Passover. Below are a list of her recipes and the easy ways to make them work for the holiday. Eating Kosher for Passover does not mean you need to give up on flavor or healthy eating and what a great time to learn a new recipe that you can continue using throughout the year.

• Triple Berry Smoothie – https://simplegraytshirt.com/triple-berry-smoothie/
• Apple Fruit Donuts – https://simplegraytshirt.com/healthy-apple-donuts/
• Pesto Salmon – https://simplegraytshirt.com/simple-baked-pesto-salmon/
• Sesame Ginger Salmon – https://simplegraytshirt.com/sesame-ginger-salmon/
• Salmon Patties (sub matzo meal for the breadcrumbs) – https://simplegraytshirt.com/classic-salmon-patties/
• Sweet Potato Pie (great for seders) – https://simplegraytshirt.com/simple-sweet-potato-pie/
• Homemade Iced Mocha (K for P homemade chocolate sauce recipe too) – https://simplegraytshirt.com/iced-mocha-homemade-chocolate-syrup/
• Everything but the Bagel Roasted Veggie Bowl with Fried Egg – https://simplegraytshirt.com/everything-bagel-roasted-veggie-bowl/
• Greek Salad – https://simplegraytshirt.com/simple-greek-salad/ (skip the chickpeas)
• Tiny Tuna Melts (make on matzo) – https://simplegraytshirt.com/tiny-tuna-melts-on-crackers/

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More Passover Content

Passover: The Basics

Tips for Your Virtual Passover Seder

Passover Backgrounds for Your Zoom Seder

Planning a Passover Seder

Passover Seder Table List

Passover Activities for Quarantined Kids

50 Things Kids Can Do For Passover

Passover in a Pinch: Amazon List