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Monks participating in the daily clean up at Sera Je Monastery.
Starting at 4 a.m. every morning, on-duty cooks start the work of preparing breakfast for 2,500. These cooks are monks studying at Sera Je Monastery who also benefit daily from the three nutritious meals offered by the Sera Je Food Fund. Each day, between 50-70 monks are assigned kitchen work. Breakfast is served at 6:30 a.m. and after clean-up, lunch preparations begin. Lunch is served at 10:30 a.m. and dinner at 5:00 p.m. Promptly at 6 p.m. the kitchen is thoroughly cleaned to ensure that the food program is operating in the most hygienic way possible.
The work and enthusiasm put into making this program a success is astounding: Truly this is an example of community in action, a collective effort that is beneficial to all involved.
To help illustrate the scale of what is offered, and thus, prepared, here is a list of some of the food and cooking items used in June of this year:
- 19,600 bananas were offered
Monks working together to prepare food for 2,500.
- 5,736 pounds of rice and 3,329 pounds of dahl were prepared
- 10,968 pounds of baking powder and flour were incorporated into recipes
- 1,987 bundles of green vegetables and 5,840 pounds of combined other vegetables were served
- 89 bottles of soy sauce were utilized
- 3,796 cups of cooking oil and 86 gas cylinders were needed
You may join in this colossal effort to offer three nutritious meals every day to the 2,500 monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.
Vegetarian savory puffs.
A giant batch of delicious vegetarian puffs were prepared for 2,500 monks as a test for a possible new addition to the regular rotation of menu items offered every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery through the Sera Je Food Fund.
The puffs were stuffed with green beans, cheese and white noodles. The monks enjoyed this addition very much!
To see the amazing food offered every day to the monks of Sera Je Monastery visit photo galleries of seven days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Sera Je Kitchen Crew preparing to offer the vegetarian puffs to 2,500 monks.
Monks help with clean-up after a meal.
The Sera Food Fund kitchen continues to stay within the budget and be able to offer excellent nutritious vegetarian meals to all the monks of Sera Je Monastery (see photos of 7 days of breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Some recent expenses included:
- US$5,015 for a new steam boiler using wood (to reduce usage of LPG gas cylinders) plus fittings and materials and a new rice cooking vessel.
- US$3,779 for new potato peeling machines, a new wood-cutting machine, seven new steel gas stoves and two steel storage boxes for storing baked breads.
To help illustrate the scale of what is offered through the Sera Je Food Fund, in one month:
- Nearly 25,000 bananas were offered
- 6,166 pounds of rice and 4,369 pounds of dahl were prepared
- 10,579 pounds of baking powder and flour were incorporated into recipes
- 2,509 bundles of green vegetables and 6,382 pounds of combined other vegetables were served
- 107 bottles of soy sauce were utilized
- 3,580 cups of cooking oil and 65 gas cylinders were needed
You may join in this colossal effort to offer three nutritious meals every day to the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.
Kitchen helpers preparing for meals to feed 30,000 visitors expected on July 6 for His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s 78th birthday celebration.
The Sera Je Food Fund Kitchen is preparing to offer food to 30,000 visitors to the monastery in honor of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s visit to Sera Je from July 5-12, and in celebration of his 78th birthday on July 6. Many monks stayed all night to help prepare the food; a massive, collective effort.
The menu includes: tea and bread for the morning long life initiation, tea and sweet rice for the birthday celebration, and fried rice and butter tea for lunch.
To support the Sera Je Food Fund:
DONATE
Ongoing improvements are made year round to Sera Je Monastery Kitchen through the Sera Je Food Fund. A new wood burning steam boiler was purchased for the Sera Je Kitchen to cut down on the usage of LPG gas cylinders. A new rice cooking vessel was also recently purchased.
You can donate any amount to these ongoing efforts.
A look at a typical daily offering of breakfast provided by the Sera Je Food Fund to the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.
You can also view a typical day’s menu including breakfast and lunch.
Please take a moment to rejoice in this incredible offering of which you can be a part by donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund today.
Daily breakfast: Tibetan bread and Tibetan tea.
Tibetan bread and tea.Tibetan bread is 10-12 inches in diameter and half an inch thick.
Fresh breads ready for breakfast.
Young monks enjoying breakfast before class.
A look at a typical week’s worth of lunches provided by the Sera Je Food Fund to all the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.
You can also view a typical day’s menu including breakfast and lunch.
Please take a moment to rejoice in this incredible offering of which you can be a part by donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund today.
Monday, Thursday, Saturday: Rice, dahl, banana.
Tuesday: Rice or bread with dahl.
Wednesday, Friday, Sunday: Bread, dahl, banana.
Hot chili is available for anyone who likes their food spicy.
Lunch is served with filtered water.
Kitchen helpers working hard. Please visit Sera Je Food Fund Office’s Facebook page for a photo gallery of a typical day in the Sera Je Kitchen, which is sponsored by the Sera Je Food Food.
You can also read Geshe Thubten Sherab’s account of a typical day at Sera Je Monastery here.
Buckets of vegetables and tofu.
Monks returning to their own quarters.
A look at a typical week’s worth of dinners provided by the Sera Je Food Fund to all the monks studying at Sera Je Monastery.
You can also view a typical day’s menu including breakfast and lunch.
Please take a moment to rejoice in this incredible offering of which you can be a part by donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund today.
Monday: Rice with vegetables.
Tuesday: Noodle soup.
Wednesday: Rice with tofu and vegetable. 
Thursday: Noodle soup. 
Friday: Vegetable biriyani with soup.
Saturday: Vegetable buns and soup. 
Sunday: Fried rice with soup.
Have you ever wondered how to offer food to the 2,600 monks studying at Sera Je Monastery?
By donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund, you contribute to the daily offering of three healthy vegetarian meals prepared for and offered to all of the monks of Sera Je Monastery.
Please take a moment to rejoice in this incredible offering of which you can be a part by donating any amount to the Sera Je Food Fund today.
What Does a Meal for 2,600 Look Like?
Buckets of soup to be offered to the monks.
Making giant pots of vegetarian dahl. Photo by Losan Piatti.
Monks cutting the vegetables. Photo by Losan Piatti.
The monks recite prayers together and dedicate to all the donors of the Ser Je Food Fund before the food is offered. Photo by Losan Piatti.
Making bread dough.
Monks enjoying cutting the vegetables together.
Rejoice! The 3,000 monks of Sera Je Monastery are offering 9 days of prayers and pujas dedicated to all our kind and generous benefactors.
We have just received this letter from the Abbott of Sera Je Monastery thanking Lama Zopa Rinpoche, FPMT and all the benefactors of the Sera Je Food Fund project.
Due to the kind and generous support of so many, FPMT has been able to offer food to all the Sangha at Sera Je Monastery now for the past 22 years. THANK YOU.
October, 2012: Lama Zopa Rinpoche made a rare visit to the Sera Je Kitchen.
Lama Zopa Rinpoche visiting the Sera Je Food Fund kitchen.
Rinpoche enjoyed the evening’s dinner that was was prepared for the 2,600 monks of Sera Je Monastery.
