University Park, Pa. -- Starting this month, Muslim Penn State students can dine on Halal certified food weekdays on the University Park campus.
Similar to kosher foods, Halal foods have restrictions regarding proper preparation, cooking and serving. Assisted by graduate student Muhammad Atiyat and other representatives of the Muslim Students Association (MSA), Penn State's Campus Food Services will offer Halal sanctioned foods in Warnock Commons starting Jan. 27.
“It has been a group effort,” said Lisa Wandel, director of Food Services. “Muhammad has worked with us and we are excited to see how it works.”
Atiyat said that everyone from Food Services has worked very hard to put the program together, and he is pleased with the progress. As an undergraduate, he was involved in a similar program at Stony Brook University in New York. When he came to Penn State, he noticed there was only one restaurant in the area that sold Halal foods. He felt inspired to make a change.
“It’s an additional incentive for Muslim students to attend Penn State,” he said. “This highlights the importance of Halal foods for the students.”
The program will begin with a trial period during spring 2008. The World Beat station at BlueSpoon Deli will serve Halal dinners Sunday through Thursday. The World Beat is an a la carte eatery that specializes in international foods. Wandel said adding Halal dinners will be a welcome change for BlueSpoon.
“At night we are repeating the same meals from lunch,” she said. “With the Halal dinners, we can have Mediterranean menus at night -- something different.”
Although restrictions in serving Halal foods are not as strict as kosher, a few challenges remain for Food Services. Wandel said Halal-approved products are not labeled like kosher foods are. This means Food Services must communicate with vendors to make sure they sell Halal certified food and follow approved procedures.
Meats that are Halal certified follow Islamic law regarding how livestock is slaughtered. In any Halal food, no pork and no items with alcoholic ingredients are allowed.
Atiyat said promoting diversity at Penn State is important for everyone. By offering these dining options, students can be exposed to a culture that they might not understand or know much about.
University employees have benefited from the change as well. “It’s a great learning experience,” said Curt Weisner, assistant manager of Warnock Commons. “We haven’t even made the Halal food yet and our cooks have learned a lot already.”
Not only does the program offer a change on the menu, but it also introduces a new way of cooking to those who work in the kitchen.
“This program benefits Penn State because it’s education,” Wandel said. “It educates other students that are not familiar with these lifestyles.”
Both Wandel and Weisner said working with Atiyat has been excellent and has done wonders for the program’s progress, and Atiyat said it would have not been possible without the help of Food Services -- a true sign of teamwork, with results to show for it.