Respecting Islamic Cultural Traditions: A Look Inside our Halal Menu

Eid al-Fitr, the celebration of the end of the Ramadan fast, is coming up this weekend and so we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to offer our readers a look into our Halal Menu.  Backpack Brigade is mindful of the dietary, religious, and cultural considerations that go into developing nutritious meals for kids, especially those whose religious beliefs require very specific dietary guidelines.  Many of the Islamic children we serve are immigrants, fleeing political unrest or war in their home countries, and providing food that is comforting and familiar is particularly helpful to children who are already suffering the turmoil of displacement.

Halal can be a complicated menu to develop and guarantee.  Happily, our Board Member and Registered Dietician, Marcy MacAdam, has helped us to create bags that meet all the requirements.  Today, Marcy provides some insight into what it takes to create menus for the Islamic children we serve.

Backpack Brigade's ABC Menu Selection

First of all, what is Halal?

Halal is an Arabic word that literally means “what is lawful” and is used most often to describe the dietary guidelines prescribed by Islamic law. It defines which foods are permissible and which ones are not for followers of Islam.

Why is it important to offer a Halal menu to the kids we serve?

It is important for followers of a faith to be given the ability to observe it in all aspects. Children should not have to go hungry because the only food provided to them was contradictory to their beliefs or banned by their faith.

A selection of items from our Halal bag

Is it easy and affordable to buy halal food in American markets?  Is this bag more expensive or difficult to source food for than some of the other menus?

In America in general, it’s more difficult to source products that have been certified Halal. There are pockets of the country where there is more availability, but even then the cost is often prohibitive. A lot of our kids live in “food deserts” where the only food available is packaged food that not only is nutritionally deficient but also does not follow the guidelines of halal.

We recently split the Kosher and Halal bag into two different menus.  What distinguishes Halal from Kosher, and why was this a good decision for Backpack Brigade?

One of the biggest parts of both Kosher and Halal is regarding how animal products are produced. However, they both have their own guidelines to follow. One of the ways we dealt with this was to choose mostly items that are free of any animal products.  But we acknowledge that it’s important for each child to feel recognized in their own beliefs and have foods that are sourced just for them, not just being all lumped together as “vegetarian”.

As we close out our celebration of Women’s History Month, we take a moment to recognize the role of women in sustaining food traditions among different faiths and cultures.  Since women are so frequently the primary caregivers in families – shopping for and preparing most meals – women are most often responsible for making sure religious traditions in food preparation, like Halal, are upheld.  Especially in immigrant communities, the practice of making and serving food that connects a family to its own culture and heritage is an act of tremendous comfort and love.  By providing food that offers that same resonance with children, Backpack Brigade hopes to build a foundation of acceptance and love in a new home for the children we serve, and to give every child an equal opportunity to thrive.

Eid al-Fitr Mubarak to all those to celebrate!