Tibetan monks diet primarily follows a simple, modest diet that aligns with their Buddhist practices and the harsh natural environment on the soaring Tibetan Plateau. As you visit holy monasteries and temples in Tibet, you will have the golden opportunity to take a glimpse of the Tibetan monk's diet and learn more about their mysterious monastic life.

So, in this hearty Tibetan food guide, we take you to delve deeply into Tibetan Buddhist monks' eating schedule and Tibetan monk food and offer you the best Buddhist sites and insider tips to experience Tibetan monks diet when traveling in Tibet.

What Do Tibetan Monks Eat in Three Meals? From Tsampa to Tibetan Noodle Soup

As a Buddhist monk in Tibetan monasteries, the monk’s daily diet is simple but well-balanced. The monk cooks in varied colleges of a Tibetan monastery are responsible for making three meals of a day and keeping the Tibetan monks energized for both their spiritual practices and a healthy life on the harsh Tibetan Plateau.

For breakfast, Tibetan monks usually start their day with a warm bowl of Tsampa, made of roasted barley flour, which is also the staple diet of Tibetans. Tsampa dough is rolled by hand into small balls for eating. Breakfast also includes another Tibetan favorite, yak butter tea, consisting of yak butter, salt, and churning tea. Together, they give Tibetan monks a warm and energy-packed meal for morning prayers and meditation.

Tibetan monks enjoying yak butter tea in Tashilunpo monastery.

Lunch is the main course of Tibetan monks’ diet in a day. It is responsible for providing monks with enough energy and nutrition for more physically demanding activities in the afternoon such as the Tibetan monk debate.

For lunch, Tibetan monks can enjoy a variety of vegetarian food, including fresh fruit and vegetables, a bowl of rice, steamed buns, and tasty Tibetan momos, which is a kind of dumpling, often served steamed. They can be stuffed with many different ingredients, such as chopped onions, ginger, garlic, tofu, cilantro, mushrooms, and bok choy. BTWY, The Tibetan momo is often eaten with Sepen, a Tibetan hot chili dip.

The tasty Tibetan momo with Tibetan hot chili dip.

Dinner is lighter, mostly with varied hearty Tibetan noodle soups. Thenthuk is the most common dish Tibetan monks savor for dinner. It’s a hand-pulled noodle soup popular all over Tibet for its warmth and nutrition. The soup has a rich broth made with vegetables and meat, usually yak meat or mutton.

Thenthuk, a Tibetan noodle soup for Tibetan monks.

However, some monks may fast after lunch. There are Buddhist traditions that hold the idea that the time after the noon meal should be dedicated to meditation or other spiritual activities. Learn more about what to eat during the Tibet trip.

Do Tibetan Monks Eat Meat? Yes, for Survival on the Harsh Tibetan Plateau

Though Tibetan monks follow a strict vegetarian diet, they sometimes do eat meat mainly because of Tibet's tough environment and long-standing traditions.

Averaging 4,000 meters above sea level, the Tibetan Plateau has a harsh climate and barren land, making it difficult to grow most farm produce at such altitudes. So, historically, Tibetan monks' diet has relied on yak meat, yak butter, and mutton which can provide protein and high calories needed for survival in the challenging environment. Learn the typical weather and climate in Tibet.

Additionally, Tibetan buddhist monks adhere to principles of compassion for all living beings. Monks consider it preferable to avoid eating meat, but when it’s not possible, try to minimize harm. They do this by eating no more than what is necessary and not engaging in killing animals themselves.

What’s more, the range of meat eaten by Tibetan monks is very limited as in Tibetan Buddhism, only “clean meat” is considered acceptable for monks. Tibetan monks avoid eating pork, fish, dogs, chicken, and eggs.

Tibetan monks eat yak meat mainly to survive on the harsh Tibetan Plateau.

What Do Tibetan Monks Eat During Tibetan Festivals?

Apart from the typical three meals for Tibetan monks mentioned above, food and festivals go hand in hand in Tibet, and monks can enjoy the special dishes served during different Tibetan festivals.

Saga Dawa Festival (May/June) is the most auspicious time of year. It honors the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana of Buddha Sakyamuni. Tibetan monks follow a more strict vegetarian diet to honor this sacred month. They only eat fruits and vegetables and avoid consuming any animal products to attain more merit. The auspicious “Ginseng Fruit Rice” is eaten during important Tibetan festivals like Saga Dawa. Besides, it’s also the best time for the kora (pilgrimage) around Mt. Kailash in western Tibet.

16 Days Kailash and Manasarovar Small Group Tour: Touching Mount Kailash with Spiritual Saga Dawa Festival Experience

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - EBC - Saga - Darchen - Kailash Trek - Darchen - Saga - Gyirong - Tingri - Lhasa

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The Shoton Festival (August) is a standout, being the only festival named after food. Its name literally translates as 'yogurt banquet.' Usually taking place over seven days in mid-August, the festival starts as a banquet featuring yogurt given by local Tibetans to the monks. Today, monks still enjoy yogurt during the festival, and anyone can attend to try the food and see the thangka unfolding at Drepung Monastery and traditional Tibetan opera performances. Learn the history of the Shoton Festival.

5 Days Shoton/Yogurt Banquet Festival Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa

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Losar, Tibetan New Year (Feb), is celebrated with many special foods. The must-eat food for all Tibetans including Tibetan monks on New Year’s Eve is Guthuk. It’s a noodle soup only eaten once a year. Called ‘nine dumpling soup’ for its use of special ingredients with symbolic meanings. The soup dumplings contain some interesting elements such as chili, wool, salt, rice, or charcoal. What people find in their dumplings is thought to reflect their fortune for the coming year.

7 Days Tibet New Year Festival Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyangtse - Shigatse - Lhasa

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Four Best Places to Experience Tibetan Monks’ Diet as You Travel in Tibet

For travelers visiting Tibet, here are the four best places to explore and enjoy food as Tibetan monks eat:

Drepung Monastery is one of the “Great Three Gelugpa Monasteries” in Lhasa. It covers a massive area of 250,000 square meters and has the largest kitchen in Tibet. In its heyday, it could cater to over 10,000 monks.

Touring the kitchen of Drepung Monastery allows you to learn more about the traditional Tibetan food that keeps the monks going. Every day, they will be making Tibetan butter tea, tsampa, and noodle soup for their daily meals. Our local Tibetan guide will explain the traditional cooking methods and utensils that go into food preparation.

5 Days Lhasa Small Group Tour with Three Major Monasteries

Tour Route: Lhasa - Drak Yerpa - Ganden - Lhasa

Price from USD599 p.p

Tibetan Tea Houses are a great place to soak in local culture and experience the daily food of people in Lhasa. Besides yak butter tea and sweet tea, they serve all kinds of dishes and snacks, like momo dumplings and Tibetan yogurt.

Our travelers enjoy Tibetan sweet tea and Tibetan soup noodles with locals at a teahouse.

Guangming Kamqung Sweet Tea House is one of the most famous and oldest sweet tea houses in Tibet. It’s located on Barkhor Street and provides a very local experience with simple wooden tables and great tea and noodles.

4 Days Lhasa Impression Small Group Tour: Explore the Heart of Tibet and Mingle with the Locals

Tour Route: Lhasa

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Canggu Nunnery is a peaceful nunnery tucked away in the old quarters of Lhasa. It operates tea houses and restaurants as part of supporting the nunnery. It’s a quiet destination to experience traditional food and beverages. They pride themselves on delivering high-quality food and service at affordable prices.

Chimelong Nunnery is a small, peaceful nunnery on the road back to Lhasa from Namtso Lake. They don’t operate a formal restaurant, but if you visit at the right time of day, you can visit its kitchen and join the nuns in their daily meals. It’s a fascinating look into another side of spiritual life in Tibet and an opportunity for an authentic monastic dining experience.

6 Days Travel to Sky Lake - Lhasa to Lake Namtso and Holy Elephant Gate Small Group Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Namtso Lake - Holy Elephant Gate - Lhasa

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More Insider Tips for Enjoying Tibetan Monk Food in Tibet

To savor Tibetan monk food and other local Tibetan cuisines, the first step is to rely on a reliable local Tibetan travel agency like us to book your Tibet tour because overseas travelers can only visit Tibet via a guided tour, according to the Tibet travel policy.

Besides, we can help you apply for the Tibet Travel Permit for free to lawfully board the flight or train to Lhasa and arrange the quality local hotels, and popular local eateries and assign the best local experts and local drivers for an immersive Tibet travel experience.

A Sample of Tibet Entry Permit.

Additionally, we can also offer you a cooking class in Lhasa where you can pick up the local ingredients in bustling Tromsikhang Market and follow our local guide to make traditional and wholesome Tibetan noodle soup, Tibetan momos, and more at the popular Tibetan Family Kitchen.

5-Day Journey of Taste Buds to Holy Lhasa

Tour Route: Lhasa - Yamdrok - Lhasa

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Finally, if you happen to dine at restaurants in Tibetan monasteries, it is important to dress modestly before visiting and dining with monks. Good manners are to eat and drink quietly without taking too much in one bite. Wait until everyone is seated before you start, and always accept offered drinks with both hands.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Tibetan monks’ diets might be basic, but they’re carefully designed to provide the nourishment monks need while staying true to Tibetan culture and the demands of life on the harsh Tibetan plateau. Exploring Tibetan monasteries and monks’ food will offer you a fascinating look into the monastic life in Tibet. If you have more questions, about the life of Tibetan monks or Tibet travel, don’t hesitate to email us for free and expert travel solutions. Looking forward to traveling with you in Tibet soon, Tashi Delek!