Essential kitchen gadgets for Ramadan to help you meal prep for Iftar and Suhoor

During the holy month of Ramadan, daily routines shift. Early mornings, late evenings and long fasting days can make cooking feel more demanding - especially when you’re preparing nourishing meals for both Suhoor (the pre-dawn meal) and Iftar (the evening meal to break the fast) that don’t include a swig of Vimto. 

While batch cooking and advance preparation are often suggested, the reality for many families is more relaxed. As one Mumsnet user puts it:

“If it makes you feel better I intend to prepare every year. Never do though!!! We are working on less is more. Porridge and fruit for Suhoor and then just a normal dinner in the evening unless we have guests.”

That’s why many Muslim parents on Mumsnet say the key to coping is working smarter, not harder - relying on kitchen gadgets that reduce hands-on time and washing up, and make everyday meals easier to manage.

That idea of working smarter is echoed by Dubai-based mindset and wellbeing coach Sarah Tuqan, who supports families through lifestyle changes during Ramadan.

“Start cooking earlier in the day and trust your skills and experience - especially since you won’t be able to taste the food while fasting,” she says. “Preparing side dishes and snacks before Ramadan and storing them in the freezer makes daily cooking much easier. And if you have help at home, even small tasks like washing vegetables or chopping ingredients make a big difference.”

She also stresses keeping expectations realistic: “Ramadan is not the time to overcomplicate dishes or prepare heavy menus. Simple, nourishing meals are more than enough.”

Below, we’ve rounded up the kitchen gadgets Mumsnetters most often recommend for Ramadan cooking with ideas for how they can help during Iftar and Suhoor.

Multi-cookers and electric pressure cookers

Why they’re useful: One-pot meals, less washing up, faster cooking times. 

Multi-cookers (like Instant-Pot style appliances) are consistently praised by Mumsnet users for Ramadan. They combine pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing and steaming in one appliance - ideal when energy is low after a day of fasting. 

They’re particularly useful for: 

• Soups and lentil dishes for Iftar

• Curries, stews and tagines that can be batch cooked and frozen

• Rice and grains cooked with minimal attention

Many families rely on them for “set-and-forget” cooking, letting meals tick along while they rest or focus on evening prayers. Or, as this Mumsnet user shares, they’re handy to have for any last minute meal prep: “[I] fortunately realised an hour before Iftari (baby’s dinner), so dumped it in the pressure cooker and saved!” 

Air fryers

Why they’re useful: Speed, less oil and minimal clean-up. 

Air fryers come up again and again in Ramadan threads, particularly for busy Iftar times when everyone is hungry and tired. Mumsnet users love them for cooking proteins and snacks quickly - often in under 20 minutes. 

They’re ideal for:

• Samosas, pakoras and spring rolls with far less oil

• Chicken, salmon or kebabs for quick Iftar mains

• Reheating frozen batch‑cooked food without turning on the oven

For families juggling school runs, work and mosque visits, that speed can be invaluable.

Air fryers also get a strong endorsement from Sarah, who calls them one of the most useful tools for Ramadan cooking.

“I’d definitely choose the air fryer - quick, lighter meals and far less mess to clean up,” she says. “I’m quite a traditional cook, but the air fryer really helps with certain items like vegetables, sambousek and similar dishes.”

She explains that many popular Iftar foods are traditionally deep-fried, which can feel heavy after a long fast.

“Foods like sambousek, qatayef, falafel and potatoes usually require deep frying. An air fryer lets you make them with much less oil, in less time, and with far less effort,” she says. “It also creates less smell in the kitchen, which makes cooking while fasting much more manageable.”

Slow cookers

Why they’re useful: Hands-off cooking and comfort food. 

Slow cookers remain a Ramadan staple for many Mumsnet users. They’re perfect for days when you want dinner ready without needing to stand over the hob while fasting. 

They work well for:

• Overnight oats or porridge for Suhoor

• Stews, curries and soups ready for Iftar

• Bulk cooking meals to freeze for later in the month

Several Mumsnetters mention loading the slow cooker earlier in the day, then returning to a ready‑to‑eat meal at sunset. In fact, this Mumsnet user suggests an easy recipe to try: “Easy slow cooker vegi meal, a packet of frozen mixed veg, a jar / packet of passata (you might need 2 of each for a large slow cooker) then add spices / herbs to taste.”

Shared by Mumsnet user Fedupfatandfrump

Rice cookers

Why they’re useful: Consistent results, no monitoring.

Rice cookers are frequently recommended alongside slow cookers. They take the guesswork out of cooking rice - whether for a simple Suhoor meal or a larger Iftar spread - and many models can also cook grains, pasta and even simple one‑pot dishes.

For households serving rice daily during Ramadan, they can be a genuine stress‑reducer.

High‑speed blenders and food processors

Why they’re useful: Fast prep for Suhoor and Iftar sides.

Thinking about what keeps you going through long fasting days can also shape how you use your gadgets. Sarah recommends focusing on foods that support fullness and hydration at Suhoor.

“Proteins like eggs, chicken and yoghurt, along with fibre from vegetables and whole foods, help you feel full for longer,” she says. “Good carbohydrates like potatoes and rice also give steady energy.”

Blenders and food processors can make these meals easier to manage when appetite is low - whether that’s a Suhoor smoothie with yoghurt, dates and oats, or a light soup to break the fast in the evening. “For me, breaking Iftar with a soup that includes both protein and vegetables feels light and nourishing after a long day,” she adds.

Use them for:

• Smoothies with dates, bananas, yoghurt and oats

• Chutneys, sauces and marinades

• Soups and purees for lighter Iftar meals

An immersion (hand) blender can be especially handy for blending hot soups directly in the pot, cutting down on extra washing up. 

Vegetable choppers and slicers

Why they’re useful: Saves time and energy.

Chopping onions, herbs and vegetables daily can feel exhausting during Ramadan. Manual or electric choppers speed things up, making salad prep, curry bases and garnishes much easier - particularly if you’re cooking every evening.

Whether you’re cooking for your family or wider community, investing in the right appliance can help remove any stress from cooking during the holy month

Electric kettles, microwaves and other time‑savers

Sometimes it’s the simplest appliances that matter most:

• Electric kettles for instant hot water for tea, coffee or couscous at Suhoor

• Microwaves for reheating batch‑cooked meals and using microwave rice or grains

• Electric grills or sandwich makers for quick Suhoor meals

• Juicers for fresh fruit juices or date‑based drinks at Iftar

• Dishwashers to cut down on evening clean‑up during a busy month

Mumsnet users often stress that reducing effort - not cooking everything from scratch every night - is what makes Ramadan manageable.

What Mumsnet users say

Across Mumsnet’s Ramadan discussions, a few themes come up repeatedly:

• Batch cooking before Ramadan starts

• Freezing individual portions

• Choosing appliances that minimise washing up

• Accepting shortcuts, especially at Suhoor

Batch cooking is another strategy Sarah Tuqan strongly recommends - particularly for traditional dishes that freeze well.

“Items like sambousek, kubbeh and qatayef can all be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer,” she says. “The same goes for dishes like molokhia, green beans or shishbarak - they save so much time and effort during Ramadan.”

She also suggests portioning meat in advance to avoid unnecessary defrosting, helping meals feel more organised and less stressful while fasting.

Here’s what Mumsnet users have shared on our boards about Ramadan prep:

“I usually prep about 15 meals and freeze some curries, some marinated meats etc. Get them out in the morning to defrost so all I have to do when I get back from work is pop into oven and make rice/salad. We don't usually have all the fried stuff, perhaps just a couple of times during Ramadan. Normally break fast with fruits and then have a regular meal. I need to clear out my freezer over the next couple of weeks to get ready for Ramadan.” peanutcookie

“The only thing I prep is breads we use. And the rest I will batch cook in the weeks ahead.

I keep my evenings free but work hard and serve the family in the day. Cooking is an ibbadah also so I dont see it as wasting time.” MixedBananas

“For iftar I made a green super snoothie, home made hummus and home made pitta, moroccan soup, home marinated olives and dates. It was the perfect amount and not heavy and feeling light. Smoothies are super important in Ramadan for me.” MixedBananas
“I’m making a real effort this year to not have left overs or do a double cook and freeze. I saw Shelina from Masterchef saying she was using Ramadan to eat up all the food in the house/freezer and that actually sounds like a really good plan.” TakeMe2Insanity

The bottom line

Ramadan cooking doesn’t have to be overwhelming. For many families, the right kitchen gadgets - from slow cookers and air fryers to rice cookers and blenders - make it easier to prepare nourishing Iftar and Suhoor meals while conserving energy.

If you’re planning ahead for Ramadan, investing in (or rediscovering) a few time‑saving appliances could help you focus less on logistics - and more on the month itself. As Sarah puts it, “Ramadan is about intention and balance - not exhausting yourself in the kitchen.”

About the author

Rebecca Roberts (aka Beccy) is our resident lifestyle expert with a practical focus on sleep, wellness and everyday comfort. She’s equally at home tackling frank, NSFW‑adjacent topics as she is road‑testing kitchen appliances, mattresses and vacuums that work for real parents. A former editor of LJMU’s Looprevil Press, she cut her teeth in journalism in 2010, earned a post‑grad diploma in Journalism and later led editorial at ExpatWoman in Dubai before joining Mumsnet. As a mum of two, she writes with the time‑poor, sleep‑deprived in mind - honest product reviews, realistic routines and products that make parents’ lives easier.

When she’s not at her desk, she’s probably product‑testing with her two helpers, corralling a PTA or walking her two dogs up and down country lanes.

*mumsGPT, 27 January 2025 to 27 January 2026