HALAL Food

[momof1 205]

Halal meat is one of those grey areas. To me, halal means any meat that isn't pork. Zabiha is meat that is slaughterd islamically. Some muslims are of the opinion that meat is not halal unless it is slaughtered islamically. The Quran says that the meat of the jews and christians is permissible and there is a hadeeth that states that the prophet was brought a sheep, didn't question as to how it was killed, said bismillah and ate it.

We spend a great deal of money on free range chicken and grass fed beef. There is a company that offers zabiha organic meats, but if you think the regular halal meat is outrageous you should see how much this stuff costs. I buy meat from local farms at a coop and, like Squeaky's husband, say a prayer before eating

[UmmSqueakster 54]

We are very fortunate to live in a metro area with lots of muslims, and as such have access to zabiha meat. Heck, there's even a local free range, grass feeding farmer who arranges to have some of his animals slaughtered zabiha, so we're uber spoiled.

When we first got married, we just ate supermarket meat, but after doing more research on the issue (see also this), we found that if zabiha is available, then one really needs to eat it, so that's what we do now. If it weren't available locally, we'd order some online, eat fish and shrimp, and more vegetarian. As it is, I've been working on AbuS' meat consumption for the last 2 years, and have cut it almost in half. I'm near vegetarian myself, so the extra cost of the zabiha isn't as much as it was when he was consuming tons each week.

When shopping at a regular grocery store, I read a lot of labels, and am familiar with what foods are considered vegetarian suitable. Meat gets processed a million different ways and shoved into processed foods a billion more ways, so it's often lurking under an unassuming name. As such, I don't buy a lot of processed foods, which has had the unintended consequence of being a godsend for my high blood pressure and cholesterol.

[Peace.... 281]

We are very fortunate to live in a metro area with lots of muslims, and as such have access to zabiha meat. Heck, there's even a local free range, grass feeding farmer who arranges to have some of his animals slaughtered zabiha, so we're uber spoiled.

When we first got married, we just ate supermarket meat, but after doing more research on the issue (see also this), we found that if zabiha is available, then one really needs to eat it, so that's what we do now. If it weren't available locally, we'd order some online, eat fish and shrimp, and more vegetarian. As it is, I've been working on AbuS' meat consumption for the last 2 years, and have cut it almost in half. I'm near vegetarian myself, so the extra cost of the zabiha isn't as much as it was when he was consuming tons each week.

When shopping at a regular grocery store, I read a lot of labels, and am familiar with what foods are considered vegetarian suitable. Meat gets processed a million different ways and shoved into processed foods a billion more ways, so it's often lurking under an unassuming name. As such, I don't buy a lot of processed foods, which has had the unintended consequence of being a godsend for my high blood pressure and cholesterol.

I clicked on your links you provided above, very interesting I must say. Thanks a lot for that bit of info.

[Yass 0]

As momof1 mentioned this is a gray area, and IMO it doesn't make a difference if the meat was a zabiha or I bought it from Walmart. I say bismiAllah and I eat. I'm a seafood junkie I don't eat red meat that much. My favorite dish is Sashimi, and I dislike anything spicy go figure.

[yassinerabat1 14]

Ohhhhh please, I would never ask him to do that, you have to be kidding right? That is like SELLING YOUR HOUSE & BUYING AN AIRLINE TICKET before your Visa is Issued. LOL have a great day

yes its a joke hehehehehe, for ma ticket its ok i will buy another one heheheheheehe i will take with me a big cow that i will eat till the next summer

[Samoray 165]

I think i will just use fish till i could find a halal meat store so it would not be an issue for me

[SweetHome_Alabama 5]

He can always eat Peanut Butter/crackers..Mohammed loved those and had never eaten them before.....Just kidding,lol.

Mohammed has not had any concerns about the food here, he just asks if we have a good gym...He may need it with American food!

[nab 74]

He can always eat Peanut Butter/crackers..Mohammed loved those and had never eaten them before.....Just kidding,lol.

Mohammed has not had any concerns about the food here, he just asks if we have a good gym...He may need it with American food!

i always ask ... "what is 'american food'?" chicken/roast beef, gravy, carrots, mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade rolls...? or fast food, since america seems to be the king of it?

lol you're from the south, so would that be deep fried catfish, deep fried okra, hushpuppies and greens?

[caybee 21]

It's difficult to find meat here that has been slaughtered the Islamic way and that is not terribly expensive. My husband abstains from pork products. Teaching him what products contain pork and to read labels is a job in itself because so many things do which you would not expect. If something is marked "kosher," it is a pretty safe bet; in any case, it won't contain pork. There is also a halal mark, but my understanding is that it isn't standardized. I don't think I've ever seen a halal mark on local foods.

My husband does miss the meat from back home in part because it is drained completely there. It does taste better, in my opinion.

[Jenn! 918]

Sometimes my husband gets all fired up about only eating halal meat, so I tell him that I'm happy to cook only halal meat for him if he brings it home. The halal store is about 20 minutes away and right near where he works. He never brings it home and ends up eating the non halal meat.

My rationale is that if it's really that important to you, you'll make the effort.

[SweetHome_Alabama 5]

I know it is off topic but I have to say....Jenn, your son is too cute

Sometimes my husband gets all fired up about only eating halal meat, so I tell him that I'm happy to cook only halal meat for him if he brings it home. The halal store is about 20 minutes away and right near where he works. He never brings it home and ends up eating the non halal meat.

My rationale is that if it's really that important to you, you'll make the effort.

Nab...."i always ask ... "what is 'american food'?" chicken/roast beef, gravy, carrots, mashed potatoes, green beans, and homemade rolls...? or fast food, since america seems to be the king of it?

lol you're from the south, so would that be deep fried catfish, deep fried okra, hushpuppies and greens?"

Deep South is ALL the items you mentioned if you cook at home and Fast foods if you are on the go alot....Deep South may use a lot more PORK items and BBQ , but I am not 100% sure if we use it most...but yes to fish and chicken and beef and don't forget cornbread and Pinto beans and fried potatoes and potatoe salad, sqaush, etc.

[nab 74]

lol the "american food" thing gets me cause i always thought our food was "real food" (i.e. pot roast or stuffed peppers or the otehr things listed) but in recent years i've come to realize more often than not foreigners think "american food" is fast food and i dont think of that stuff as "food" at all!

my FAVORITE "real american food" reference is in an old movie "Prince of Tides"... sad movie but one hilariously great part where the domineering man who is hateful to his wife throws his food (i think she had made french food?) she was trying to make him something special but he wouldnt even taste/try it. he screamed at her "i want REAL AMERICAN FOOD!" so she calmly went to kitchen and fried up some onions or potatoes with a can of dog food while the children watched with their eyes as big as saucers! she served him up what looked like corned beef hash and potatoes and he dug in, scooping it up like his spoon was a shovel while dog was whining and begging

whenever i want to tease my son or husband i ask in a certain 'tone' would they prefer "real american food"? (just for the record I would NEVER feed someone dog food but i love to tease them )

Edited November 12, 2010 by nab

[Cheryl & Medo 3]

Medo and I eat any meat but PORK. We buy halal meat when we can get to Chicago. We did get a whole lamb that was halal. We even had to pick it out of the heard. I cryed couldn't look at that that poor sheep knowing he was about to be cut up in min.s

[nab 74]

Medo and I eat any meat but PORK. We buy halal meat when we can get to Chicago. We did get a whole lamb that was halal. We even had to pick it out of the heard. I cryed couldn't look at that that poor sheep knowing he was about to be cut up in min.s

i understand that! being reared on a farm i know what it is like seeing 'pets' being taken to slaughter so this is something i have always drawn clear line on here... the only 'food source' my child can make 'friends/pets' are the laying hens (and milking goats when we get them), the others are treated equally in condition (housing, food/water) but as far as carrying them around, singing to them, petting them for hours, hand feeding, and so on like a pet = nope... they are here for a purpose and that is FOOD, not pets. no unproductive pets for us.

[sandinista! 1,816]

Sometimes my husband gets all fired up about only eating halal meat, so I tell him that I'm happy to cook only halal meat for him if he brings it home. The halal store is about 20 minutes away and right near where he works. He never brings it home and ends up eating the non halal meat.

My rationale is that if it's really that important to you, you'll make the effort.

yr refusal to infantilize yr husband and making him put his money where his mouth is a rare treat in these here parts.