Halal/Kosher for Years, Kosher Issues in Food

Halal/Kosher

For years, kosher issues in food service have been known. However, the kosher food market has never been so large as to warrant more than attention to a niche market. Halal food production is different due to the sheer size of the product market and is a different story. While kosher meals can be special ordered and catered, there are many more options available for halal needs. The hospital could actually leverage more patient choice for those who have elective procedures to choose this hospital (as opposed to going somewhere else). Though the kosher market is a smaller one, when combined together with halal, the two make for a huge financial and PR victory for the hospital in the long run, especially since these costs can be passed on to the consumer (the patient).

Analysis

While the information about kosher/halal special food service in hospitals is not readily available, it is making a dramatic impact in university food service environments. This has worked dramatically at colleges such as Bradley University that rolled out a completely halal menu during the 2010-2011 school year. According to Bradley University officials, The students can procure sandwiches and/or pizza that meets Islamic halal preparation guidelines. They say that the service will be expanded to include other foods such as hot dogs and chicken patties. Bradley estimates that 40 students benefit from the service.("Bradley university offers," 2010). Bradley has a total student population of 5,167 undergraduate students ("Bradley university -," 2011). While the population is small, other less observant students will probably start using halal now that the option is there for them.

In the opinion of this author, the good PR and potential market shift can be huge in the long run given the area's burgeoning Muslim population. We need to think of the hospital as engage in a market, and aesthetics such as dietary and religious needs will propel elective patients to other hospitals that will provide those services.

Muslims and Jews are taught to see their health a religious matter. They both believe that good nutrition is an essential step toward maintaining health. For Muslims and, health and food are acts of worship for which God must be thanked ( El Gindy, 2011).

Memo

In honor of the coming holidays, your hospital food service wants you to know that foods can be ordered to the specifications of your particular faith. Whether it be kosher or halal, we care about your health spiritually as much as physically and want your time here to be comfortable. The last thing that you need to worry about while healing is that your religious needs will be fulfilled. We respect all of our patient's religious beliefs and want them to know that we will do everything physically possible to do so.

Our Menus for the next weeks holiday meals are as follows:

Halal

Monday

Chicken Fried Steak, Gravy, Chicken Wrap Roasted Vegetables, White Rice

Tuesday

Flank Steak Agro Dolce, Grilled Chicken Marsala, Grilled Portobello, Ginger Glazed Carrots, Roasted Yukon Potatoes

Wednesday

Chicken Sorrentino, Vegetable Rissoto, Italian Roasted Red Potatoes

Thursday

Cherry BBQ Chicken, Roasted BBQ Ribs, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, side salad

Friday

Baked Potato Bar, Chili, Cheddar Cheese, Broccoli

Kosher-Catered Choice the Entire Coming Week available with the following options.

Breakfast

* Cold Breakfast

orange & grapefruit, Danish pastry, croissant, preserve, crackers, non-dairy spread, bagel, orange juice/coffee * Continental Breakfast

orange & grapefruit, Danish pastry, croissant, preserve, crackers, non-dairy spread, bagel, orange juice and coffee

* Hot Beverages

Tea, coffee, herbal tea, decaffeinated choices

Lunch

* Chicken & Noodle / Mushroom/Cream of Vegetable/Asparagus Soup

with baby Challah roll and spread

* Sandwich Selection

tinned salmon and cucumber, chicken or sliced beef with lettuce

* Vegetarian Platter (V)

a combination of seasonal vegetables

* Macaroni Cheese

mushroom, tomato and leek sauce topped with cheese

* Vegetable Schnitzel

All hot lunch choices are served with the chef's selection of seasonal vegetables

Dinner

* Chicken & Noodle / Mushroom/Cream of Vegetable/Asparagus Soup