Your Pesach Prep Questions – Answered, Clarified, Summarised
- Kehillat Nashira
- Apr 9
- 4 min read
As Pesach approaches, many of us find ourselves with endless questions: How clean is clean enough? Can I still use my coffee maker? What foods can I buy without a hechsher? To help relieve the stress out of Pesach prep, Kehillat Nashira set up a Pesach Q&A Whatsapp group, where members have been asking questions and get clear, practical answers from Rabbi Miriam.
We’ve loved seeing the thoughtful conversations and reassuring guidance that’s emerged from these discussions.
Community member, Jenny Cohen, has kindly summarised Rabbi Miriam’s key guidance on cleaning, koshering, and buying food for Pesach. Her notes offer a realistic, sensible, and halachically sound approach – perfect for anyone looking to prepare without getting overwhelmed.
🫓 Buying food for Pesach
Food group | Food item | Hechsher needed? | Notes |
Single ingredient foods | E.g. Oil, sugar, salt, milk, butter, pure spices, nuts, dried fruit | NO | If 100% that ingredient with no additives But only unopened bottles unless ONLY used previously for pouring onto cold food. |
Dried fruit | Raisins, sultanas, | NO | If 100% fruit or in sunflower oil |
Nuts | Any tree nuts | NO | Peanuts are not tree nuts. Some consider them kitniyot. |
Ground almonds (if 100% almonds) | NO | Also OK for ground walnuts & hazelnuts but tricky to find in non-kosher shops! | |
Drinks | Grape juice | YES | OK if already opened and used before Pesach if only pouring out into cold glasses. |
‘Kiddush’ wine | YES | ||
Spices | Whole or ground | NO | If 100% that spice. OK if previously used as long as not been poured over something hot. |
Dairy | Milk, Butter, Cream, Plain or Greek yoghurt, Sour cream | NO | OK without hechsher if single ingredient (i.e. only milk) and bought before Pesach. |
Lactose-free milk, lactose-free yoghurt | NO | OK without hechsher if contains only milk and lactase and bought before Pesach. | |
Cream cheese | YES | Eg SKA Longley Farm | |
Oil | Olive oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil - any pure oil | NO | But only unopened bottles unless ONLY used previously for pouring onto cold food. |
Nut butters | If only ingredients are nuts and salt, then maybe OK | R. Miriam looking into it | A very knowledgeable South African rabbi permits it but not her usual sources of info. Many Ashkenazim don’t eat peanuts on Pesach. |
Coffee | 100% ground coffee Plain coffee pods | NO | |
Instant coffee | YES | Nescafé Gold Blend & Nescafé Original (Red Label) are certified kosher for Pesach & all year | |
Decaffeinated coffee | YES | Depends on which of four methods is used. Nescafé Gold Blend Decaffeinated & Nescafé Original Decaffeinated (Blue Label) are certified kosher for Pesach & all year. | |
Tea | 100% tea; herbal teas; rooibos; fruit teas | NO | If multiple ingredients, need a hechsher |
Decaffeinated tea | YES | The decaffeination process is problematic | |
Cocoa powder | 100% pure | NO | |
Frozen fruit | 100% frozen fruit | NO | If no additives |
Tinned tomatoes | Tinned tomatoes & passata WITHOUT citric acid | NO | But most contain citric acid |
Fish | Fresh | NO | If bought, and ideally rinsed, before Pesach |
Frozen | NO | If contains only fish & water | |
Tinned tuna, salmon, | NO | In any oil, brine, or water | |
Maple syrup | Even if labelled as 100% maple syrup | YES | Has additives and undergone processes |
Tofu | Even if plain | YES | Processed |
Chia seeds | 100% pure chia seeds | NO | |
Flax seeds | 100% pure flax seeds | NO |
NOTES
Food bought without a hechsher should be bought (and frozen, if necessary) before Pesach starts.
Eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables can be bought during Pesach because they are whole, unprocessed products. As can anything with a KLP hechsher.
Anything in red may contain citric acid, which is a problem.
Sunflower seeds are kitniyot but (generally accepted among Ashkenazim in Israel) sunflower oil is OK (and is sometimes the reason for KLP products being marked as ‘kitniyot’).
🧼 Cleaning for Pesach
It’s important to remember that dust is not chametz, and Pesach cleaning is not the same as spring cleaning. The goal isn’t to scrub every corner of the house, but rather to remove actual chametz from places where it matters halachically.
Crumbs that are scattered in rooms where food isn’t usually eaten, for example in bedrooms or living rooms are not considered significant. These are nullified by the erev Pesach declaration (bittul chametz) and don’t need to be obsessively searched for or cleaned away.
Similarly, surfaces that are used only for cold foods, such as fridge and freezer shelves, cupboard interiors, or regular worktops, do not need to be covered for Pesach. A standard clean is sufficient in these areas, making preparation more manageable and less stressful.
Koshering Kitchen Equipment
Equipment | Instructions |
Coffee Makers | If only used for coffee and water, no special cleaning is needed. If flavoured pods or other substances are used, clean thoroughly and, where possible, use steam or boiling water for parts. |
Glasses | If only used for cold drinks (even if washed in hot water), they do not need to be koshered. Just wash in hot, soapy water before Pesach. |
Reusable Bottles/Jugs | Wash with soap and warm/hot water using a new sponge. |
Stainless Steel Sink | 1. Wash thoroughly with soapy water 2. Wait 24 hours 3. Pour boiling water over every part of the sink |
Ovens (General) | Clean to remove baked-on food and grease. If some stubborn spots remain after using a caustic oven cleaner twice, they can be ignored. |
Electric Oven | Clean the racks and replace them. Turn the oven to its highest setting and leave on for 40 minutes. |
Self-Cleaning Oven | Self-cleaning cycle both cleans and kashers the oven. However, due to fire risk, you may instead turn the oven to its highest setting and leave on for 40 minutes after reaching full temperature. |
Convection Oven | If self-cleaning, follow the self-clean cycle. If not, spray the entire oven (including the fan) with a caustic cleaner, clean thoroughly, and then heat at the hzxsdfighest setting for 40 minutes. |
Induction Hob | Clean thoroughly. If safe, pour boiling water (from a kettle or urn) over the surface. If this could cause damage, just clean well and avoid eating food that falls directly on the surface during Pesach. |
Curious about something not on the list?
Join the Q&A group and ask away! Whether you’re a seasoned Pesach prepper or a first-timer, Rabbi Miriam and our community are here to help.
And again, a big thank you to Jenny Cohen for turning a mountain of questions into a clear, and helpful guide.
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