What exactly are halal foods?

As Halal meat and other halal foods become more popular in the Western world, the question gets asked more and more, “what exactly does halal meat mean?”.  Well, Halal means “permissible” in Arabic. Meaning the food has been certified permissible to eat for those of the Muslim faith. 

Okay, so what exactly is done to the food to make it certified Halal? 

• The animal must not be a pig, or another Haram animal
• The animal must not be already dead when slaughtered
• The one doing the slaughtering must be a believing Muslim
• The animal’s throat must be sliced through, severing all the arteries and veins.
• All the blood must be allowed to drain completely from the animal.
• The slaughterer must proclaim a prayer -- Bismillah -- on behalf of the animal

So after all that, it seems like Halal is just like any other animal slaughter, except more precautions are taken and the animal is given a more dignified death before being processed compared to these giant, mechanized slaughterhouses. This means the Halal meat you’re buying and eating is cleaner, handled with more care and, overall, more natural when it arrives on your plate.

So can you eat Halal if you’re not Muslim?

Yes, it’s true that Halal is for Muslims and those who follow the Islamic religion. But in places across Europe and The United States of America more and more non-Muslims are finding themselves seeking out Halal certified foods purely due to the cleanliness of the meat. As savvy shoppers become more and more aware of where their food comes from, they are moving towards eating Halal on an everyday basis.

Where can I find Halal meats and snacks?

You might be surprised to find that many neighborhoods have a specialty grocery store with a Halal butcher counter. A quick google search of your area is your best bet. There are services where you can purchase Halal snacks and foods online and get it delivered right to your door. At Halal’s Best, we’ve been producing Halal certified, 100% natural beef stick snacks.

Be sure to check out of full catalog of snacks at www.halals-best.com