What to Give Up For Lent: 50 Great Ideas

As a cradle Catholic I’ve gone through many a lenten season in life but every year I struggle with what to give up for Lent.  I want it to be meaningful but also do-able.  Something that will help me reflect on my faith and grow closer to God.

In essence, I want to give up something good for Lent.  Maybe you do too.  Maybe you want to find that perfect something that will help you reflect on your faith, repent for your sins and grow closer to God.  Here is my deep dive into all things Lent and some ideas for things to give up during this season.

What is Lent?

Lent is a season that lasts for 40 days, starting on Ash Wednesday and ending on Holy Saturday. It is a time to reflect on our faith, repent for our sins, and draw closer to God through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

Lent is based on the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness before he began his public ministry. During this time, he was tempted by the devil but remained faithful to God, strengthening his relationship with his Father in heaven.

The number 40 is significant in the bible during other times too. Rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights during the flood in Genesis. Moses stays on Mount Sinai for 40 days and nights.  The Israelites spent 40 years wandering in the desert.  

The number 40 in the bible generally symbolizes a period of testing and trial and triumph at the end.  By traveling these 40 days of lent, we become more spiritually aware of our need for God.

When is Lent?

Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday.  Technically, this is 46 days and the 6 Sundays during this time are not considered part of Lent.  Some people take a break from their lenten promise on Sundays during lent.  But others just continue their lenten practice on all 46 days.

What is Ash Wednesday?

On Ash Wednesday, Catholics receive the sign of the cross in ashes on their foreheads.  We are reminded we are “from dust and to dust you will return.”  The ashes reminds us of our need for repentance and our pursuit of holiness as we prepare for Easter.

Lent’s 3 Pillars: Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving

Lent reminds us that we really need to rely on God.  As Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” 

We sacrifice things of the world to remind us that only God can satisfy our spiritual hunger.

While we often think about what to give up for Lent, the season of Lent is really about three things:  prayer, fasting and almsgiving.

The giving up of something during lent is part of the fasting portion of Lent.  As Catholics, we give up meat on Fridays and Ash Wednesday during Lent.  We also do a modified food fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by not snacking between meals and making two small meals less than the third big meal.

We are always called to prayer.  It is not enough to give up something, we also need to be more prayerful during Lent, so we should think, too, about our commitment to prayer during this time.

Almsgiving is often perceived as just donating money. But it also can mean donating one’s time in service.  You can volunteer or serve those in need with your time and talent.  Jesus clearly tells us that in serving others we are serving Him.

50 Best Things to Give Up For Lent

Here is a great list of things to give up for lent by category. Remember, the lenten season is a special time to grow closer to God, to reflect on Jesus’ life and death, and to focus more on God and less on ourselves and our busy lives.

10 Foods to Give Up for Lent

Fast food: Giving up fast food is a way to focus on eating healthier meals.

Alcohol: Giving up alcohol for Lent can help to focus on spiritual practices and take care of your body.

Sugar: Giving up sugar for Lent can be a way to improve your health and focus on nourishing your body.

Chocolate – Giving up chocolate can help discipline cravings and focus on spiritual pursuits.

Coffee or Caffeine: Giving up caffeine or your morning cup of coffee for Lent is a way to reduce stress and improve sleep.

Soda Pop – Abstaining from soda can help reduce sugar and caffeine consumption, and promote more mindful beverage choices.

Meat: Giving up meat for Lent instead of just on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday is a way to be mindful of the sacrifice our Lord made for us.

Artificial sweeteners: Giving up artificial sweeteners for Lent can help improve your health and focus on natural ingredients.

Snacks – Giving up snacks can help reduce mindless eating and encourage more mindful, intentional meals.

Junk food – Giving up junk food can lead to healthier eating habits and a more mindful approach to food choices.

10 Habits to Give Up for Lent

Social media: Abstaining from social media can help reduce distractions and focus on personal relationships and spiritual pursuits.

Complaining: Giving up complaining for Lent is a way to practice gratitude and positive thinking.

Gossip: Giving up gossip can promote kindness, respect, and positive relationships with others.

Television: Giving up television for Lent is a way to create more time for personal reflection and spiritual practices.

Procrastination: Giving up procrastination can help focus on developing good time management habits and being more productive.

Shopping – Refraining from shopping can help reduce consumerism and simplify one’s life.

Technology: Giving up technology for Lent can create more time for personal reflection and disconnect from distractions.

Video games – Abstaining from video games can help reduce screen time and increase opportunities for other activities.

Cursing – Giving up cursing can promote respect for others and improve communication skills.

Smoking – Quitting smoking can promote good health and reduce dependence on nicotine.

10 Recreational Things to Give Up for Lent

Impulse Buying – Refraining from buying on a whim can help to make more intentional purchases and be better stewards of our financial resources.

Beverage Events – Giving up beverage events like wine tasting, beer tasting and coffee dates can save money and also lead to healthier habits.

Traveling – Refraining from traveling can help reduce expenses and focus on personal relationships and responsibilities.

Partying – Refraining from partying can help reduce distractions and focus on personal responsibilities and spiritual pursuits.

Outdoor recreation – Abstaining from outdoor recreation can help reduce distractions and focus on personal responsibilities and spiritual pursuits.

Spa visits – Abstaining from spa visits or other personal care indulgences can help reduce expenses and increase focus on self-care practices that do not require monetary investment.

Movie theaters – Giving up going to the movies can help reduce expenses and increase opportunities for other activities.

Gambling – Abstaining from gambling can help reduce financial stress and promote financial stability.

Sports events – Abstaining from attending sporting events can help reduce distractions and focus on personal responsibilities and spiritual pursuits.

Museums, Theme Parks, etc – Giving up visiting museums, theme parks and other entertainment venues can help reduce expenses and increase opportunities for other activities.

10 Simple Things to Give Up for Lent

Hitting the snooze button – Abstaining from hitting the snooze button can promote punctuality and accountability.

Going Out To Eat – Refraining from eating out can promote healthy eating habits and mindful approaches to food choices.

Spending money impulsively – Abstaining from spending money impulsively can help promote financial stability and gratitude.

Using negative language – Refraining from using negative language can promote positivity and improve communication skills.

Being critical – Refraining from being critical can promote kindness and positive relationships with others.

Speaking unkindly – Giving up speaking unkindly can promote kindness, respect, and positive relationships with others.

Blaming others – Refraining from blaming others can encourage self-reflection and personal responsibility.

Over-scheduling – Abstaining from over-scheduling can help reduce stress and increase opportunities for prayer, relaxation and mindfulness.

Competing with others – Abstaining from competing with others can promote cooperation and positive relationships.

Using electronic devices before bed – Refraining from using electronic devices before bed can promote better sleep.

10 Unique Things to Give Up for Lent

Negative thoughts: Giving up negative thoughts for Lent can help to focus on positivity and gratitude.

Waste: Giving up waste for Lent is a way to focus on reducing your environmental impact through practices like recycling and composting.

Anger: Giving up anger for Lent can help us focus on practicing forgiveness and patience.

Negative self-talk – Giving up negative self-talk can promote self-compassion and a healthier self-image.

Procrastination – Abstaining from procrastination can help increase productivity and prioritize responsibilities.

Using a car – Abstaining from using a car can help reduce carbon footprint, increase physical activity, and foster gratitude for the environment.

Participating in political debates – Abstaining from political debates can help reduce conflicts and promote peace.

Using single-use plastics – Giving up single-use plastics can help reduce waste and foster gratitude for the environment.

Using disposable products – Refraining from using disposable products can help reduce waste and foster appreciation for what we have.

Negative self-comparison – Giving up negative self-comparison can promote self-compassion and a healthier self-image.

Frequently Asked Questions about Giving Up Something For Lent

What are the rules for Lent? The church asks that everyone age 14 and up abstain from consuming meat on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and all Fridays in Lent. Everyone age 18-59 must fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday unless exempt, usually for a medical reason.

Do you have give up something for lent? Giving up something for lent is customary for Catholics, but there is no church requirement to give up anything other than the above stated fast and abstinence.

Can you do something for Lent instead of giving something up? Yes, you can.  The church does not require us to give something up for lent, so you can do something instead. It is a good time to read from the bible, read devotional books or start a daily rosary (or even learn how to pray the rosary). You could also give cans of food to a food bank or even just focus on the family by doing something special together.

Can you cheat on Sundays during Lent? The Sundays of Lent are part of the Lenten Season, but they are not prescribed by the Catholic Church as days of fast and abstinence, so yes, if you choose you can skip your Lenten promise on Sundays during Lent.

Final Thoughts On What To Give Up For Lent

Lent is a perfect time to reflect on our faith and grow closer to God through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. It’s a time to give up something that will help us focus more on our spiritual pursuits and less on ourselves. Whether it’s giving up a food, a habit or both, Lent is an opportunity to challenge ourselves, become more mindful and conscious of our choices and strengthen our relationship with God.

With this deep dive into the season of Lent, and 50 great ideas for things to give up, I hope you have found the inspiration to make this Lenten season meaningful and memorable and that your time of sacrifice enables you to grow closer to God.