Expanding Halal Options to Meet Student Needs
By 2040, the Muslim population in the United States is projected to become the nation’s second largest religious group, according to the Pew Research Center. Muslim students often have trouble accessing culturally relevant halal options in public schools. But community-led organizations across the United States are working to provide appropriate meal options and improve food security for young people.
“[Halal] is an institution and comprehensive quality management system with clear religious guidelines that have been practiced for centuries,” Asma Ahad, Director of Halal Market Development at the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA) tells Food Tank. Currently, “there’s no governmental oversight, so there’s a lack of trust,” Ahad adds. She also says that “the observance of halal extends beyond meat.”
IFANCA is a nonprofit based in Des Plaines, IL providing third-party halal oversight throughout the entire supply chain.
According to the 2022 Illinois Muslims Report, 94 percent of Muslims in Illinois observe halal guidelines, and Illinois has the largest per capita population of Muslims in the U.S.
The report found that 39 percent of Muslim respondents with school-age children, along with 32 percent of students enrolled in college, lack access to halal food at their school. Chicago Sun Times reports that Chicago Public Schools (CPS) are failing to meet the needs of Muslim students who observe halal. Ahad says that the limited access to halal foods in schools is largely due to a lack of awareness and prioritization, a lack of funding, and a lack of understanding about halal foods and guidelines. This impacts food security for students across all income levels.
IFANCA is also working with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Chartwells Higher Ed, Muslim Youth of North America (MYNA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a training program and national halal guidelines for K-12 schools, colleges, and universities to ensure equitable access to certified halal foods.
