Prasadam

Foods dear to those in the mode of goodness increase the duration of life, purify one’s existence and give strength, health, happiness and satisfaction. Such foods are juicy, fatty, wholesome, and pleasing to the heart. Foods that are too bitter, too sour, salty, hot, pungent, dry and burning are dear to those in the mode of passion. Such foods cause distress, misery and disease. Food prepared more than three hours before being eaten, food that is tasteless, decomposed and putrid, and food consisting of remnants and untouchable things is dear to those in the mode of darkness.

PURPORT
The prupose of Food is to increase the duration of life, purify the mind, and aid bodily strength. This is its only purpose. In the past, great authorities selected those foods that best aid health and increase life’s duration, such as milk products, sugar, rice, wheat, fruits, and vegetables. These foods are very dear to those in the mode of goodness. Some other foods, such as baked corn and molasses, while not very palatable in themselves, can be made pleasant when mixed with milk or other foods. They are then in the mode of goodness. All these foods are pure by nature. They are quite distinct from untouchable things like meat and liquor. Fatty food, as mentioned in the eighth verse, has no connection with animal fat obtained by slaughter. Animal fat is available in the form of milk, which is the most wonderful of all foods. Milk, butter, cheese, and similar products give animal fat in a form which rules out any need for the killing of innocent creatures, and it is only through brute mentality that this killing goes on. The civilized method of obtaining needed fat is by milk. Slaughter is the way of subhumans. And protein is amply available through peanuts, splitpeas, dal, whole wheat, etc.
Foods in the mode of passion, which are bitter, too salty or too hot, cause misery by producing mucus in the stomach, leading to disease. Foods in the mode of darkness are essentially those that are not fresh. Any foodstuff cooked more than three hours before it is to be eaten (except prasadam, food offered to the Lord), is considered to be in the mode of darkness. Because they are decomposing, foods in the mode of darkness frequently emanate a bad smell, which often attracts people in these modes, but repulses those in the mode of goodness.
Remnants of food may be eaten only when they are part of a meal that was first offered to the Supreme Lord, or first eaten by saintly persons, especially the spiritual master.
(BG 17.8 – 17.9 – 17.10)

Eating program should be nutritious and simple, not luxurious. That means capatis, dahl, vegetables, some butter, some fruits and milk. This is necessary for keeping good health. But we should not indulge in sweetballs or halevah or like that daily. Too much first-class eating may stimulate our sex desires, especially sweet preparations. Anyway, eat Krishna Prasadam, but be careful that we may not indulge in luxury. For Krishna we can offer the most beautiful preparations, but for us Prasadam should be very simple.
(Letter, 20 November 1969, London)

There is no possibility of one’s becoming a yogī, O Arjuna, if one eats too much, or eats too little, sleeps too much or does not sleep enough.
PURPORT
Regulation of diet and sleep is recommended herein for the yogīs. Too much eating means eating more than is required to keep the body and soul together. There is no need for men to eat animals because there is an ample supply of grains, vegetables, fruits and milk. Such simple foodstuff is considered to be in the mode of goodness according to the Bhagavad-gītā. Animal food is for those in the mode of ignorance. Therefore, those who indulge in animal food, drinking, smoking and eating food which is not first offered to Kṛṣṇa will suffer sinful reactions because of eating only polluted things.
(BG 6.16 purport)

If one can digest them, then he can eat 20 chopaties, but if he cannot digest, then he should not even take two chopaties. The ayurvedic system is to take ½ of what you can eat only, the fill ¼ with water and leave ¼ for air. That will make for proper digestion. Little rice, dahl, some vegetables, some chopaties, like that, but eat right to the point to keep health steady.
(710222 – Letter to Kirtanananda written from Gorakhpur)

Human civilization means to advance the cause of brahminical culture, and to maintain it, cow protection is essential. There is a miracle in milk, for it contains all the necessary vitamins to sustain human physiological conditions for higher achievements. Brahminical culture can advance only when man is educated to develop the quality of goodness, and for this there is a prime necessity of food prepared with milk, fruits and grains.
(SB 1.16.4 purport)

The cow is the most important animal for developing the human body to perfection. The body can be maintained by any kind of foodstuff, but cow’s milk is particularly essential for developing the finer tissues of the human brain so that one can understand the intricacies of transcendental knowledge. A civilized man is expected to live on foodstuffs comprising fruits, vegetables, grains, sugar and milk. The bull helps in the agricultural process of producing grain, etc., and thus in one sense the bull is the father of humankind, whereas the cow is the mother, for she supplies milk to human society. A civilized man is therefore expected to give all protection to the bulls and cows.
(SB 3.5.7 purport)

“If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.” Why should the menu be unnecessarily increased for the satisfaction of the tongue? Devotees should eat as simply as possible. Otherwise, attachment for material things will gradually increase, and the senses, being very strong, will soon require more and more material enjoyment. Then the real business of life—to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness—will stop.
(SB 5.18.10 purport)

There should be first-class rice, dhal, fruit, sweet rice, vegetables and a variety of foods to be sucked, drunk and chewed. All the eatables offered to the Deities should be extraordinarily excellent.
(CC Madhya 24.334)

Before honouring the Prasadam we say the following prayer:

maha-prasade govinde
nama-brahmani vaisnave
svalpa-punya-vatam rajan
visvaso naiva jayate
For those who have amassed very few pious activities, their faith in maha-prasad, in
Sri Govinda, in the Holy Name and in the Vaishnavas is never born.

sarira avidya-jal, jodendriya tahe kal,
jive phele visaya-sagore
tar’ madhye jihva ati, lobhamoy sudurmati,
ta ´ke jeta kathina samsare
O Lord, this material body is a place of ignorance, and the senses are a network of
paths leading to death. Somehow, we have fallen into this ocean of material sense
enjoyment, and of all the senses the tongue is most voracious and uncontrollable. It
is very difficult to conquer the tongue in this world.

krishna baro doyamoy, koribare jihva jay,
sva-prasad-anna dilo bhai
sei annamrita pao, radha-krishna-guna gao,
preme dako chaitanya-nitai
But You, dear Krishna, are very kind to us and have given us such nice prasadam,
just to control the tongue. Now we take this prasadam to our full satisfaction and
glorify Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna, and in love call for the help of Lord
Chaitanya and Lord Nityananda.

Jai Nimai Jai Nitai,
(jaya) śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara
śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare / Hare
Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare