Select Language

Lohri 2026: 5 Healthy Punjabi Dishes To Celebrate The Festival Of Harvest

Celebrate Lohri 2026 with these 5 healthy Punjabi dishes! Enjoy traditional flavors with nutritious twists perfect for a wholesome harvest festival feast.

Written by Muskan Gupta | Published : January 13, 2026 12:21 PM IST

1/5

Makki Ki Roti With Sarson Ka Saag

No Punjabi Lohri is complete without the iconic combination of makki ki roti and sarson ka saag. High in fiber, Makki or cornmeal will leave you satisfied longer, whereas sarson, or mustard greens contain a lot of antioxidants and iron with vitamin K. Making this traditional dish healthier, use as little ghee as possible or use a small drizzle of olive oil, and serve it with a little bit of low-fat curd. In doing so, you are able to relish the original flavors, yet not pump on calories.

2/5

Til Ladoo

To represent warmth and sweetness at the season during winter, til ladoos are a special snack consisting of sesame seeds. Sesame seeds are also rich in calcium, iron and healthy fats and contain jaggery (1 of the traditional sweetener) that is healthier than refined sugar. To ensure that the festive indulgence is guilt free, limit yourself to 1–2 ladoos per person, and you will still have the pleasure of the seasonal flavour without overindulging.  Also Read - Bariatric surgery: Is weight-loss surgery really safe? What changes later in life?

3/5

Gajak

The other lohri delicacy, called Gajak, is a crispy snack prepared using sesame seeds and jaggery. Similar to til ladoos, gajak is a healthy snack as it contains fibre and minerals, and it will give you an energy boost that will help to keep you warm and active when you are in the winter cold. To stay at the healthier side, you can cut the gajak in smaller bits instead of large ones, and thus it will be easy to manage the level of sugar content while still being able to enjoy that typical crunch.

4/5

Chana Masala

One of the nutritious preparations that works wizardly during the Lohri celebrations is chana masala as it is prepared using high protein chickpeas. The chickpeas are a fine source of plant-based protein and fiber that help promote your digestive system to keep you longer. Chana masala is spiced with spices such as turmeric, cumin and coriander so that it does not contain additional calories. Eat with whole wheat roti or a small amount of rice to make it a good, healthy meal.  Also Read - Kelly Clarkson’s weight loss journey: ‘Because of You’ singer discusses what actually led to her transformation, it’s not Ozempic

5/5

Mooli Paratha

Mooli paratha is given a healthier twist to be made into a light meal. Radish is also low in calories, is high in vitamin C, and helps in digesting food, and the whole wheat flour makes the glycemic index within check. Use least ghee or oil and heap with low fat yogurt as an extra source of protein. This re-modeled one will give you the luxury of not leaving a healthy, balanced diet when you feel like eating parathas.