(Chicago Tribune) Muslim students who eat halal usually only have a few options in the school cafeteria line once they’ve passed the hamburgers, chicken nuggets and deli sandwiches: a slice of cheese pizza, maybe a salad, fruit, yogurt, a carton of milk.
“Just not a lot of healthy, filling choices to pick from,” said Khadija Basith, whose children attend Forest Glen Elementary School in Glen Ellyn. “Even if there aren’t halal options, I want to at least see them offering a good veggie burger or a good fish wrap.”
Halal refers to food that is permissible according to Islam’s rules. Meats such as chicken and beef are halal depending on how the animal was treated, slaughtered and prepared. Pork, for instance, is never halal. Students who abide by halal rules tend to choose vegetarian meals or seafood to play it safe.
