Ritually safe, appropriate snacks for a person who keeps halal?
January 12, 2024 6:11 PM   Subscribe

We hired a fantastic household helper for a family member with disabilities. They keep halal. We’d like to have - and have offered - to buy snacks and drinks for them at the house. They have politely refused, but some of the shifts are long, and I can’t imagine them not getting hungry occasionally on the long days. The family member they are caring for is not Muslim, and I would love to understand more about any possible restrictions around eating at a non-halal household. I understand orthodox Jewish restrictions; can’t eat at non-orthodox households because you can’t ensure that meat and dairy dishes have been washed separately. Are halal restrictions similar? Could they eat fresh fruit on disposable plates or bowls? Is there anything else I could pick up to just have around? There are a number of halal grocery stores around; I don’t mind making a special trip. Any guidance on how we can better care for our Carer is appreciated, and any knowledge so I understand food restrictions in need non-Muslim homes would be wonderful.
posted by Silvery Fish to Food & Drink (7 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
 
Could you get them a small refrigerator and a separate drawer or cabinet, so they can perhaps bring their own food once per week?
posted by amtho at 6:26 PM on January 12, 2024 [8 favorites]


Best answer: This varies a lot by person so the best solution is to work it out directly with them because there may be other matters at play like food preferences, allergies, or power dynamics in the home helper situation.

The Muslim families I’m closest to will generally eat anything pescatarian (as in they will go to most any restaurant and order anything that is seafood with no chicken/beef/pork/etc). Whenever I bring things I try to be careful about reading packages to avoid anything with incidental alcohol or gelatin on top of that. If you want to stay on the more conservative side, fresh uncut fruit and nuts should always be okay, as well as any halal-certified packaged snacks.
posted by A Blue Moon at 7:53 PM on January 12, 2024 [3 favorites]


Best answer: There are varying degrees of keeping halal. In my family alone, we run the gamut from "no pork or pork by-products (but frankly not gonna be too fussed about checking ingredient lists closely), and no alcohol, and everything else is basically fine" to "no pork or pork by-products (will in fact check ingredient lists closely), and no alcohol, will only eat halal meat." I think halal also involves the equipment and storage, etc being cleaned according to Islamic law, but I've literally never met any Muslim who insists on this via a certification or anything, or extends it to not eating at a non-Muslim household or establishment. (Like, even my most strictly observant, pious relatives will eat out at restaurants. They'll eat pescatarian or vegetarian, but they'll have no problems considering that halal.) Like, don't offer them a plate that just had pork chops on it or whatever, but generally speaking, halal isn't as strict as kosher in that way, mostly because haram foods are pretty discrete things (pork, carnivores, pork by-products, alcohol), and because there aren't any restrictions on mixing foods like meat and dairy.

Generally speaking though, you can't go wrong with offering things like fruit and nuts and yogurt. No need to inspect ingredient labels that way. If the carer really is very, very strictly halal, then look for the halal certification/symbol on the packaged foods at halal grocery stores.
posted by yasaman at 7:57 PM on January 12, 2024 [5 favorites]


I think offering them a space to keep food is a great idea! Quite apart from the halal consideration, they may have other personal preferences. Beyond that I do think that as long as anything offered is obviously not forbidden - e.g. it doesn't contain alcohol, pork/pork products, or any meat that isn't prepared according to halal specifications - you're not breaching any etiquette. Fruit is a good option. 100% vegetarian items as well.

People keep halal, as yasaman points out, in many different ways. I don't keep halal but my family do, they just won't eat pork and that's about the extent of it. They'll happily chow down on food containing gelatine!
posted by unicorn chaser at 3:33 AM on January 13, 2024 [3 favorites]


Best answer: If they're from a culture that can take hosting norms and status differentials seriously, the no can also be a formality where the higher status person must insist on showing generosity, which may mean the other pickle is genuine medical restrictions OR they just will not be eating anything while 'working'. They may also be the type of halal-observant where they would actually be particular about the utensils (you can't assume if their social background will give an indication of this however), and therefore even the manufacture of foods. If medical restrictions aren't an issue, the most appropriate options may just be pre-packed snacks (IF it's from a known Muslim-majority country producer or local Muslim business) or small/single-serve mineral water or soft drinks. This might resolve the utensil + not eating while 'working'.

Likely also they may be timing their visits with their fasting, so honestly, there's that too. Offering a spot to keep their food is also a good idea. Maybe that's how you can note their preferences in the long term.
posted by cendawanita at 4:11 AM on January 13, 2024 [1 favorite]


Any guidance on how we can better care for our Carer is appreciated, and any knowledge so I understand food restrictions in need non-Muslim homes would be wonderful.

To address the second half more directly though:

- depending on where they are from/social grouping as Muslims, a similar attitude with Orthodox Judaism with regards to utensils are getting quite common. Sometimes certain manners of dressing eg a heavy or not-so-manicured beard or hijab may clue you in, but Not Really.

- if they seem to be a "strict" halal person, based on their feedback, then not even non-pork (land) animals is okay for them if they don't know the origin ie if it's been prepared in the proper way. no alcohol in anything, not even in fruitcake or dishes that has alcohol cooked off in the prep. So usually vegetarian or vegan may be decent substitutes barring any other information, BECAUSE even seafood can be haram depending on the school/practice (I'm just remembering the Afghans I've met).

But I do think the other dimension here is a cultural one and what they expect how they themselves should act as an employee, hence my suggestion above.
posted by cendawanita at 4:26 AM on January 13, 2024 [1 favorite]


Some caregivers just feel really uncomfortable accepting employer’s food - it’s a sort of boundary.
It’s also unfortunately true that some household employers are really stingy and controlling about taking meal breaks, so the caregiver may just not trust you yet.

I think offering a separate storage place might be nice. More important is making sure they know you support them in taking a meal/coffee break and providing a space for them to do it.

You can also just tack on say $20/week for snacks. Then they can decide themselves.
posted by haptic_avenger at 7:56 AM on January 13, 2024 [9 favorites]


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