With the level of contamination of food happening all around the world, visitors to new destinations need to be extra careful these days to ensure what they consume is strictly Halal while traveling. Here are 8 tips to help you do just that:
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Stick to eating from a restaurant or kitchen which has been certified by the Halal certification body of the country. Although in some instances even some certified outlets have been found to have issues, they are by far, the safest option. Most such outlets will display their certification logo somewhere in the premises. Check out our listing of Halal restaurants, most of which are Halal-certified. We will continue to add more Halal-certified restaurants from around the world
If you cannot find a Halal-certified restaurant/kitchen, then the next option is to find a food outlet that is without doubt managed by Muslims. Although with the wide use of processed ingredients, even the Muslim cooks may sometime not be fully aware of what they use, this is the second best option.
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The third option, if the above two are not available, is to stick to strictly vegetarian or strictly seafood restaurants. However, in some instances, they may use alcohol or non-Halal ingredients for food preparation, especially when it comes to seafood. Confirm with the restaurant that they do not use alcohol or animal-based ingredients/oil for food preparation.
If the chances of finding any of the above outlets at your destinations is unlikely, make sure you carry your own snacks and ready-to-eat packages.
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Avoid restaurants that say they use Halal meat, but also serve non-Halal meat/food. In the majority of cases, they will be preparing non-Halal meat/food and Halal food in the same kitchen and contamination is bound to happen.
When purchasing processed food/ snacks at the destination, check for an authentic Halal logo. If the logo is not present in the packaging, avoid buying them, (unless you are an expert on reading and decoding the ingredients!) since no processed food is now beyond the danger of being contaminated. Only way of guaranteeing that they do not contain any non-Halal ingredients these days is an independent certification and monitoring of these products.
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Don’t assume bread and other bakery food are Halal if they are not certified. There are plenty of ways non-Halal ingredients can get into that food as well.
You can always feast on fresh fruits and vegetables from the local market in your destination and become a locavore! "O mankind! Eat of that which is Halal and Tayyib on the earth....." Quran 2:168
Click here for more Muslim-friendly travel tips for your next holiday
