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Make tasty energy balls from dates

First suggested by Muslim Scout Fellowship
Learn about Ramadan and celebrate Iftar, with this recipe for chocolate date energy balls.
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You’ll need

  • Ingredients (see recipe)
  • Food processor

Scouts is open to everyone. We don’t identify exclusively with one faith, and we welcome people of all faiths and of none.

We know it’s important for people to learn about each other, including understanding different faiths and beliefs. Scouts always respects people’s beliefs, faiths and cultures, and everyone should be open to learn.

As an inclusive and values based movement, we support our members to engage and learn about different faiths and beliefs in an exciting and meaningful way, even if they don’t have a faith themselves.  

Celebrating and understanding differences, including differences in faiths and beliefs, is an important part of our Scout values, which are:

  • Integrity: We act with integrity; we are honest, trustworthy and loyal.
  • Respect: We have self-respect and respect for others.
  • Care: We support others and take care of the world in which we live.
  • Belief: We explore our faiths, beliefs and attitudes.
  • Co-operation: We make a positive difference; we co-operate with others and make friends.

Our value of Belief and its exploration helps Scouts to learn from other faiths and beliefs. This encourages them to develop or build their personal beliefs and understand their shared values, whether faith-based on not. 

We know that learning about faiths, beliefs and different attitudes can help to break down barriers, helps us all to recognise what we have in common, and teaches us to value and respect other people. It also helps us to build up respect, acceptance and knowledge for each other, leading to a more co-operative and inclusive society. 

In our diverse society, people can sometimes feel cautious talking about  this sensitive subject. However, it's important that Scouts offers young people safe, exciting and open spaces to explore faiths and beliefs. They should be able to engage in personal reflection, as they question and develop their opinions and understanding of the world around them.

Making time for personal reflection and developing our beliefs means exploring the places, people, communities, celebrations or stories which hold meaning for us, and it may not necessarily mean exploring a faith. 

For example, someone’s shared values may be their Scout Values and that person may choose to reflect on them at important times, such as when they make their Promise. Others may choose to reflect at certain times of the year, such as a faith-based festival, birthdays, meaningful events or at New Year. Some people may still celebrate events, such as Christmas, but use it as a time to celebrate family, friends and loved ones, as well as for charity and giving.

Discover more about Faiths and Beliefs in Scouts.

  • Islam’s the second largest religion in the world. It has over one billion followers, who are called Muslims.
  • There are five pillars of Islam: the declaration of faith (Shahadah), praying five times a day (Salat), giving money to charity (Zakat), fasting (Sawm) and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).
  • The five pillars of Islam provide a framework for a Muslim’s whole life – it’s about putting their faith first, not trying to fit their faith around the rest of their life.
  • Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic year. It lasts for around 30 days and is measured from one sighting of the crescent Moon to the next.
  • One of the pillars, Sawm, is about fasting during the month of Ramadan. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Scholars agree that several groups of people aren’t required to fast, including children, the elderly, people who are menstruating, pregnant, or breastfeeding, and people who are ill.
  • The nightly meal that breaks the fast after sunset is called Iftar. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr.

 

Before you begin 

  • Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples.
  • Make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
  • Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help if you’re short on helpers.

Planning this activity

  • This is a great activity to do to during the Islamic month of Ramadan. The dates of Ramadan change every year because Islam uses a calendar based on the cycles of the Moon.  
  • If anyone in your group is fasting, have a container for them to take their treats home to enjoy during Iftar. 

Using a kitchen and preparing to cook   

  • You could run our kitchen safety and hygiene activities, Kitchen risk bingo and Home kitchen hygiene prior to running this session.  
  • Remember to have a hand washing station and take extra hygiene precautions when handling raw meat, such as regular hand washing, having separate equipment for raw and cooked meat, and washing up equipment as soon as it's been used. Look at our guidance on food preparation.  
  • Make sure you’ve all the ingredients ready. 
  • Remember to check your ingredients against any allergy or dietary requirements to ensure everyone can enjoy the recipe. This may mean using alternative ingredients. This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free. 

Talk about Ramadan 

  1. Ask if anyone knows anything about Ramadan. Does anyone in the group observe it? What does it involve?  
  2. Tell everyone some facts about Ramadan, such as:
    • Ramadan is the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic year. It lasts for around 30 days and is measured from one sighting of the crescent moon to the next.
    • It's a very spiritual time for Muslims, and an important time for self-reflection and gratitude.
    • It's the month when the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad.
    • It's a time for fasting, worship, service, giving to charity, coming together and spiritual development. 
  1. Explain that in Islam, fasting involves going without eating or drinking anything from sunrise to sunset. Several groups of people aren’t required to fast, including children, the elderly, or people who are on their period, pregnant, breastfeeding or ill. 
  2. Does anyone know what Iftar is? Iftar is the meal that breaks the fast after sunset. 
  3. Does anyone know why lots of people like to break their fast with dates? The Prophet Muhammad used to break his fast with dates and water. Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad is the best example of how they should live their lives. Dates are also high in sugar, which means they’re tasty and a great way to restore low blood sugar levels after a day of fasting.  
  4. Explain that after Ramadan, Muslims have a day of celebration called Eid al-Fitr.

Getting ready to cook 

  1. Everyone should wash their hands and gather in a circle. Tell everyone you’re going to make chocolate date energy balls. You might want to remind everyone about ways to keep safe in the kitchen you’re using and to regularly wash their hands.  
  2. Now, everyone should get into smalls groups and gather their ingredients and equipment.  

Date energy balls recipe 

Recipe from Our Happy Mess website.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of oats   
  • 1 ½ cup of dates 
  • ½ cup of shredded coconut* 
  • 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds
  • 1⁄4 cup of cocoa powder

*You could also use desiccated coconut, you just might need to add a little water or extra maple syrup to your recipe.

Time: 10 minutes

Makes: 16 balls

Make your date energy balls

  1. If your dates aren’t pitted, open the dates and remove the stones.  
  2. Place the oats and coconut in your food processor.
  3. Pulse the ingredients together, until they're finely ground.
  4. Add the dates, cocoa, sunflower seeds and maple syrup.
  5. Pulse until it comes together to a dough. You'll want the mixture to  be able to stick together when you make it into a ball.
  6. Add a few more drops of maple syrup if needed.
  7. Carefully remove the dough from the food processor, and place on a clean surface.
  8. Roll pieces of the dough into small balls, of about 2 to 3 centimetres.
  9. If you want to, roll them in some more coconut to finish. 
  10. Enjoy now, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. 

Reflection

This activity gave everyone the chance to learn more about practices in Islam. Was there anything that surprised you? Is there anything you’d like to learn more about? 

Can you think of any other faiths where people might practise fasting? Fasting’s practiced in several religions, such as for Lent, Yom Kippur, Fast of Easter and Ramadan.

For most people who follow a specific faith, this guides and governs their daily lives and practices. Whether you’ve a faith or not, what are your most important values or beliefs? For example, you may believe in kindness or value honesty and compassion. You could think about the values we share as Scouts; integrity, respect, care, cooperation and belief.

Muslim members of the group might also want to reflect on what Ramadan means to them or their family.

Safety

All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.

Food

Remember to check for allergies, eating problems, fasting or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. Make sure you’ve suitable areas for storing and preparing food and avoid cross contamination of different foods. Take a look at our guidance on food safety and hygiene.

Cooking

Teach young people how to use cooking equipment safely. Supervise them appropriately throughout. Make sure it’s safe to use and follow manufacturers’ guidelines for use.

Electrical equipment

Inspect cables for any damage before each use. A responsible adult should supervise people using equipment, and people should follow instructions on how to use them correctly and safely. They should be properly maintained and stored. Be extra cautious of trailing cables and water when using electric equipment.

  • Remember to check for allergies or dietary requirements and adjust the recipe as needed. This may mean using alternative ingredients. This recipe is naturally vegan and gluten-free. 
  • The blender may be noisy and some people might find this difficult. People may choose to wear ear defenders, take a break from the activity or prefer to stay a distance away from the activity and that’s OK.

All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.