Low-Calorie Modaks and Festive Desserts for Ganesh Chaturthi: Nutrition Experts Share Tips

Ganesh Chaturthi is around the corner, and homes are already filled with the aroma of sweets and festive excitement. The festival goes beyond devotion as it is a food fest as well. A major attraction in welcoming Ganpati Bappa to many people includes making sweets such as modaks, laddoos and panchamrit. However, with joy there comes concern with calories, sugar and over-eating.

The good news? You don’t have to give up your favourite festive treats. You can make minor modifications to have low-calorie yet tasty desserts that are healthy. Nutritionist Dr Shweta Chhabra (Nourish Me, Raipur) and Dietitian Rakshita Mehra have such simple and clever thinking that could take the guilt off Ganesh Chaturthi sweets, making them nourishing.

Healthier Versions of Ganpati’s Favourite Sweets

Dr Shweta Chhabra, Nutritionist at Nourish Me, Raipur, explains how just a few swaps and mindful ingredients can make a big difference. “Ganpati Bappa’s favourite food can be made healthier with small changes,” she explains. Here are some of her simple yet effective suggestions:

• Steamed Modak: Skip the fried version and go for the traditional steamed modak. Made with coconut and jaggery, it’s a perfect mix of fibre, good fat, and natural energy.
• Panchamrit with jaggery: Prepare with milk, curd, ghee, honey, and jaggery. This combo is naturally probiotic and great for gut health.

• Wholesome ladoos: Use flours like besan, sattu, ragi, or whole wheat, combined with ghee, jaggery, or even dates for sweetness. These energy ladoos are full of fibre, protein, and slow-releasing carbs.
• Dry fruit mix: Almonds, cashews, raisins, dates, and even makhana come together to make a nutrient-rich prasad that’s high in antioxidants, good fats, and minerals.
• Add fruits: Fresh fruits combined with nuts can make prasad lighter and refreshing.

She reminds us of one golden rule: “It is prasad, not food. So always remember moderation is key. Eat it like prasad and mindfully.”

ALSO READ: Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 Health Tips: How To Maintain Blood Pressure Levels Naturally

Creative Dessert Twists for the Festive Table

Nutritionist Rakshita Mehra brings in two unique dessert recipes that are not only festive but also light, creative, and healthy. Perfect for offering to Ganpati or sharing with guests.

1. Beetroot Yoghurt Cubes

• Serving: 2–3
• Prep time: 7–10 minutes

Ingredients:

• Yoghurt – 250 gm
• Beetroot – 50 gm (pureed)
• Date syrup – 10 ml
• Pistachios – 10 gm (chopped)

Method:

• Mix yoghurt with beetroot puree, add date syrup for sweetness and pistachios for crunch.
• Adjust consistency with a little water if needed.
• Pour the mixture into an ice cube tray.
• Freeze for 1–2 hours.
• Serve chilled

Benefits:

• Iron-rich from beetroot
• Probiotic-dense from yoghurt
• Naturally low in calories
• This is great for kids and adults alike, and adds a burst of festive colour too.

2. Quinoa Fig Modak

Serving: 2–3

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• Quinoa – 50 gm
• Ragi flour – 100 gm
• Cinnamon – ¾ tsp
• Figs – 6–7
• Coconut – 25 gm (grated)
• Almonds – 2 tbsp (chopped)
• Walnuts – 2 tbsp
• Cardamom powder – ½ tsp
• Ghee – 1 tsp

Method:

• In 1 cup water, add a few drops of ghee and a pinch of salt. Bring to boil, add ragi flour, mix and let it sit covered for 5 minutes.
• Knead into a soft dough while still warm, keep covered with a damp cloth.
• Heat ghee in a pan, add quinoa, coconut, fig paste and chopped nuts. Cook till thick, then sprinkle cinnamon and cardamom.
• Grease modak moulds with ghee. Fill with dough and prepared filling.
• Steam the modaks for 8–10 minutes.
• Serve warm as prasad.

Benefits:

• Protein-rich from quinoa and nuts
• High in fibre and omega-3 fatty acids
• Naturally gluten-free
• This is a wholesome modak that feels indulgent but is light on the stomach and packed with nutrition.

Balance Tradition with Health

In no way does it mean to chop out your traditional festival, but to prepare in ways that are beneficial to health as well as to tradition. Dishes prepared by steaming instead of frying and using jaggery instead of refined sugar, as well as the use of natural fillers, including dry fruits, coconut, and ragi, are some steps to making the prasad nutritious rather than celebratory.

ALSO READ: Ganesh Chaturthi 2025: Heart-Friendly Oils And Ingredients For This Year's Cooking

Conclusion

Devotion and sweets go hand in hand during Ganesh Chaturthi, and the sweets must form a substantial part of this enjoyment. You can lighten desserts by making some simple exchanges, resulting in lightened, healthier, yet still just as festive desserts. Enjoy all the festivities without the guilt because whether it comes in a steamed modak form or a colourful beetroot yoghurt cube, or even on nourishing quinoa fig modak, you can celebrate the festival. And what is the point, after all, of Bappa offerings without health and happiness?