‘I tried M&S’s Ramadan treats and they made me wish it was Ramadan everyday’

It’s pretty hard to walk into a supermarket nowadays without seeing a huge Easter Egg display at the front of the store, but in selected Marks and Spencer stores across the UK, you might come across a second display for Ramadan.

Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims in which it is believed that the Qur’an was first revealed by God to the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims who are healthy enough to do so spend the month fasting, abstaining from food, drink and intimate relations from the onset of dawn till sunset.

At dusk, Muslims break their fast with a meal, but as per the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, they are encouraged to do so with a date. Paying respect to this tradition, M&S have introduced their limited-time-only Countdown to Eid treats of delicious chocolate-coated dates.

READ MORE: When is Eid al-Fitr 2022 and when does Ramadan end?

I managed to pick up a box of these goodies from the M&S store in Marble Arch, one of a handful of stores across the country where the treats can be found. While there, I also decided to pick up a box of stuffed Medjool dates and another box of baklava that were also released as Ramadan specials.

Straight away I was impressed by the amount of detail that had just gone into the packaging of these items. Whoever designed the boxes clearly knew their stuff when it comes to Muslim cultures and traditions.

The Countdown to Eid featured Arabic text as well as English, with the words Ramadan Kareem printed on the front, meaning Blessed Ramadan. The use of dark green and geometric designs also showed respect for Islamic art and civilisation, as did the phases of the moon pictures on the side. It was clear that the product was being targeted at the rising Muslim middle class and was reminiscent of Muslim-centric products I’d come across in my former visits to Dubai.

The box also demonstrated a great cohesion between Muslim and Christian cultures, as it was very similar to the chocolate advent calendars that are often sold in December to mark Christmas. In total there were 30 chocolates of five different kinds. The intention is for one to be eaten each day from the start of Ramadan till the end in the lead up to the Eid holiday.

My family and I didn’t stick to that rule as we were too eager to try them all at once. We all came to the collective conclusion that the Date & Honeycomb chocolate was the best. Our views on the rest of them varied, but we all agreed upon one thing – this product needs to remain in stock even after Ramadan.

First of all, I believe that sharing is caring, and that’s why I think this product should not just be marketed towards Muslims. Non-Muslims should also feel that this product is available to them as well, the same way Muslims wouldn’t think twice about buying an Easter Egg even if they don’t celebrate Easter.

Secondly, I think Muslims and non-Muslims alike would appreciate seeing more date-based chocolates available outside of Ramadan as well, because knowing that this item will be off the shelves after Eid really made me wish it was Ramadan everyday.

The stuffed Medjool dates were equally as nice. They were made of big, chunky dates that grow in Jordan and stuffed with different kinds of filling including walnuts, marzipan, orange and coconut. Saying that, these dates could easily be made at home at any time of the year, so long as the dates used are chunky enough.

When it comes to the Croatian-produced baklava, however, I’d say this product can be given a miss. The baklava was rather dry, which wouldn’t pass with a large proportion of Muslims who actually come from baklava-producing countries.

But without a doubt the Countdown to Eid box should not be overlooked. After Eid in two weeks time they’re not likely to be in stock until next year, so I recommend grabbing yourself a box before it’s too late.

In London, they can be found in the following M&S stores: Brent Cross, Bromley, Camden Town, Cheshunt, Chiswick, Clapham, Croydon, Ealing Broadway, Edgware Rd, Enfield, Hammersmith, Hampstead, Harrow, Ilford, Islington, Kensington, Kew, Kilburn, Marble Arch, Muswell Hill, Old Street, Romford, South Woodford, Southgate, Stratford Westfield, Uxbridge, Watford, West Hampstead and White City.

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