How To Ensure Your Food Is Kosher

Kosher is probably the most extensively used word in the Jewish food restrictions category. Whether you’re in Israel or a part of the Jewish community somewhere else in the world, you must’ve come across this concept. The word Kosher defines the essence of Jewish food and drinks.

It elucidates allowed and forbidden food items considered fit or unfit for consumption. With its roots deep into the religious and rabbinical teachings, Kosher is considered a set of stipulated rules that Jews must obey when buying, cooking, cleaning, and eating their food products.

The kosher concept is antique, and its application may vary from country to country based on their changing food manufacturing and farming concepts. However, the basics remain the same. Subsequent Jewish generations have done everything in their power to preserve Jewish teachings, and food restrictions are no exception.

Not too long ago, Jews prepared their food items in local kitchens only. They established small communities and factories at maximum, but today, big companies are in place to produce an expansive range of kosher food items. These foods aren’t just delicious but also completely adherent to the Jewish teachings.

So if you want to become an expert on identifying kosher food at restaurants, marts, shops, or street eateries, this guide’s your best friend. So let’s get started!

Kashrut’s Origins

Kashrut is a set of precise and close directions considered Jewish dietary rules and restrictions. Readers and preachers of Torah take Kashrut rules very seriously. Kashrut consists of clear-cut examples and descriptions about what Jews are allowed to eat.

In some instances, there’s also a specific mention of vegetarianism as a commandment of God. Many Jews restrict their food consumption to non-meat delicacies as they believe that it’s the ideal diet in the light of the true Jewish teachings.

However, if we look at the dietary restrictions from the Biblical point of view, the list of edibles also includes certain animals. According to the Torah (Leviticus 11), there are animals that can be consumed if only they’re slaughtered and prepped in the instructed manner.

Keeping Kosher in the Modern Day

While a kosher diet is easy to follow anywhere in the world, there are some key aspects that a consumer must keep in mind before buying kosher-labelled food items. Firstly, the basic principles of the Kashrut must be followed.

To make the identification of kosher food simpler and easier, we recommend categorizing the food items into milk and meat products. This offers a clearer perspective on the Pareve and Treif items, the former meaning neutral food products and the latter highlighting the forbidden items.

Whether a particular food item is considered kosher or not depends on how it was prepared, what ingredients were used in it, and its rabbinical supervision. Note that there are some products labeled as kosher but are prepared using non-kosher animals.

For your maximum assurance, look for Hashgacha approval on the food packaging. This means that the food was prepared using rabbi-approved and blessed methods. Here is a complete run-down of ingredients and food products that fall under the kosher category:

Spot the Right Dairy Products

In Yiddish, dairy products are referred to as milchig. These are kosher items if they’re obtained from kosher animals like goats, cows, or sheep. Milchig includes cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, etc.

Pay Close Attention to Meat and Its Derivatives

AKA fleischig, kosher meat includes properly slaughtered animals, mostly the ones that don’t prey. Foully slaughtered animals and their derivate food products are strictly prohibited in the Jewish community.

Furthermore, in order to keep your food strictly kosher, it’s important to prepare meat and non-meat dishes in separate pots and pans. For example, if a person is a kosher vegetarian, their meals must be cooked using separate utensils.

Understand Pareve Food Items

There are some food items such as eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds, and veggies that are considered pareve or neutral. These products aren’t made using meat or dairy and are permissible. Kosher Eateries, Restaurants, and Hotels

Jews pay close attention to restaurants and fine dining eateries to ensure whether their products are kosher or not. It’s important to check that a restaurant is supervised by a reputable Orthodox Rabbinic authority. You must not assume that an eatery abides by the Kashrut rules just because it advertises so.

Oftentimes, dairy and vegetarian eateries label themselves as kosher-friendly, which can be a lie. There are several ingredients such as bread shortening, margarine, cheese, dressings, and condiments that might not adhere to the kosher guidelines. While you may have ordered an innocent shakshuka at the restaurant, there might be presence of an ingredient or more that can nullify the dish’s kosher conformity.

About the Author

The author is an eminent leader in the field of Hebrew language adoption. He has worked in the industry for years, having collaborated with several local language experts to develop ways to make learning languages easier for people of all countries. She’s a regular contributor to the Ulpan-Or — a leading Hebrew learning institution. Whether you want to learn Hebrew fast, learn Hebrew for immersion, or start a Hebrew digital course, check out Ulpan-Or’s website today!