Jain Food Options Explained: What Jains Eat and How to Order in the UK

Jain food is one of the most carefully defined vegetarian diets in the world. If you are cooking for Jain guests, planning a function, or ordering food for a Jain family member, this guide explains the main rules in plain English and how to order with confidence.

What is Jain food?

Jainism is an ancient Indian religion built on ahimsa, non-violence towards all living beings. Jain food aims to cause the least possible harm, not just to animals but also to insects and plants. In practice that means a strictly vegetarian diet with some extra rules that go further than most vegetarian or Hindu diets.

Practice varies between families and individuals, and many people are stricter on religious days. The points below are the most common guidelines.

What Jains do not eat

• Meat, fish and eggs, in any form, including ingredients made from them such as gelatine.
• Root and underground vegetables, such as onion, garlic, potato, carrot, beetroot, radish and fresh ginger. Pulling up a root kills the whole plant and the many small organisms living in the soil around it.
• Honey, because collecting it harms bees.
• Food eaten after sunset, for those who follow chauvihar, the practice of eating only during daylight.

During festivals such as Paryushan, and on certain days of the month, many Jains also avoid green leafy vegetables and some fermented or stored foods.

What Jains do eat

Jain food is far from plain. A typical Jain kitchen uses:

• Lentils and pulses such as moong, toor and chana dal
• Above-ground vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, okra, peas, tomatoes, aubergine and gourds
• Dairy such as milk, paneer and ghee (most Jains eat dairy; some now choose vegan)
• Rice, wheat, millet and gram flour
• Spices such as cumin, mustard seed, turmeric, chilli and hing (asafoetida), which replaces onion and garlic for flavour

Gujarati and Rajasthani cooking has a long Jain tradition, so many farsan and sweets are naturally close to Jain rules, for example dhokla, khandvi, thepla and many milk-based sweets. Always check the ingredients, though, because recipes vary.

Jain vs pure veg vs no onion no garlic

	Pure veg	No onion, no garlic	Jain
Meat, fish, egg	No	No	No
Onion and garlic	Yes	No	No
Potato, carrot, other roots	Yes	Usually yes	No
Ginger (fresh)	Yes	Usually yes	No
Honey	Yes	Yes	No
Dairy	Yes	Yes	Usually yes

So no onion, no garlic food is a good starting point, but it is not automatically Jain. A no onion, no garlic curry may still contain potato or ginger.

How to order Jain-friendly food

1. Choose a pure vegetarian kitchen. That removes any risk of meat, fish or egg.
2. Say “Jain”, not just “no onion no garlic”. That way the cook knows to leave out potato, ginger and other roots too.
3. Ask about cross-contact. If the kitchen also cooks with onion and garlic, ask how Jain orders are prepared.
4. Order ahead for functions. For weddings, pujas and Paryushan meals, give the caterer plenty of notice so a separate Jain menu can be planned.

Jain-friendly options at Pooja Foods

Pooja Foods has cooked pure vegetarian Indian food in Wellingborough since 1992, with no meat, fish or egg in our kitchen. We offer dishes made without onion and garlic, such as our Bread Pakoda (Without Onion and Garlic), and vrat (fasting) food such as Farali Chevda.

Our kitchen does handle onion, garlic, ginger and nuts, so we cannot promise a strictly Jain kitchen. If you need Jain food for your family, a puja or a function, please call us on 01933 278800 before ordering and we will tell you honestly what we can prepare. For events, see our catering page.

You can also browse our Indian sweets and Gujarati farsan, and ask us about ingredients for any item.

Frequently asked questions

Do Jains eat potatoes?

Most practising Jains do not, because potatoes are root vegetables. Some families are more relaxed, so it is always best to ask.

Is Jain food vegan?

Not usually. Most Jains eat dairy such as milk, paneer and ghee, but avoid honey. Some Jains today choose a vegan diet.

Is no onion no garlic food the same as Jain food?

No. Jain food also leaves out potato, carrot, fresh ginger and other root vegetables, so ask specifically for Jain food.

Does Pooja Foods make Jain food?

We are a pure vegetarian kitchen and offer no onion, no garlic and vrat dishes. Our kitchen also handles onion, garlic and ginger, so please call 01933 278800 to discuss Jain requirements before ordering.