The Meccan Revelations: Page 625 from Volume One

And since God, peace and blessings of God be upon him, had made him an example to follow, God Almighty said, “Indeed, there is for you in the Messenger of God a good example,” so he would break his fast by opening his intestines with something of fresh dates, dates, or water sized portions of water before he prayed the Maghrib prayer, and after the prayer he would eat whatever It was destined for him

Abu Dawud said in his Sunan on the authority of Anas bin Malik that the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, used to break his fast with fresh fruits before he prayed, and if they were not fresh dates, then dates, and if they were not fresh dates, then a handful of water.

So he presented the fresh dates because he had made a covenant with his Lord through the dates, just as he, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, did in the two places. He descended, and he himself, may God’s prayers and peace be upon him, came to him and unwrapped the garment