To serve these foods to muslim friends

[MissMildred]

Hi - posting here for traffic but also because I don't want to BU. I invited some new school friends and their parents for a bbq in a couple of weeks and two of the families are muslim and mentioned they only eat halal.
I want to make an effort to make them feel comfortable, and it has also been very interesting learning all about what is halal or haram. Obviously no pork will be served. However, some of the guidance on the internet is not clear, so I wondered if anyone with this diet could help me with these items and whether it would BU to serve them up:

Vinegar - if I served this in eg. a coleslaw, are all types of vinegar fine? (Eg is the vinegar not seen as alcohol anymore?)
Butter - Am I overthinking this? Would you eat butter?
Alcohol - I know you wouldn't drink this, but is it acceptable for others in the group to be drinking a glass of wine?
Halloumi - I can't figure out if this is okay or not.

Also - any tips you might have would be great, especially if there are brands of crisps, bread, butter etc....you might use.

Thank you!

Vegetarian choices and all halal meant - no pork - and all is good.

Watch out for hidden pork - eg gelatine in sweets - and wine vinegar.

Fine to serve alcohol, just not to your Muslim friends.

I honestly would just talk to them. Say you want to make sure they have plenty of food to eat and let them know what you’ve planned and ask if that’s okay. They won’t be offended and it takes the guesswork out of it.

I’m Jewish and it’s much like keeping kosher. There’s massive variation from people who wouldn’t eat a thing prepared in your home to people like me who eat everything no matter what. I’m never offended though if people are thoughtful enough to ask.

I won't eat halal meat due to the treatment of the animals and if invited to a BBQ then I'd be pissed off if you cater everything to suit the few and have no options for those who don't like the cruelty.

I seriously don't get this argument, sorry. You don't like cruelty but you're happy to eat an animal that's been killed for you to eat? Only if it's been killed the right way, then it's presumably not cruelty.

Not muslim related but sort of similar is that some vegetarians don't eat eggs. Some Hindu people don't for IIRC religious reasons.

For vegetarians, check that the label says 'suitable for vegetarians' (or vegans).
I generally recommend you allow more vege food than you think because it is not as filling and the meat-eaters will probably eat it too.

You’re a considerate host,they’ll appreciate your efforts

Interesting comments. I'd thought for some time that a lot of the meat we eat is halal anyway, so hadn't intended to announce it. I thought it would be quicker to go direct to a butcher rather than check labels in a supermarket. I'll 'up' the veggie options.
I personally wouldn't care if I was eating halal. I'd understand why some may prefer not to, but IMHO I'm eating animal meat anyway, however it was prepared - as long as it had a good life when it was alive.
I don't see it as catering for the minority - I invited them them all and want them to have a relaxing time. That's being a good host?

I think you are considerate too. The bbq sounds a great idea.

My Muslim mates they’re nonplussed at other folk drinking at social events.

Malt vinegar is widely found in the middle east - of brands you woukd recogonise.
Lurpack and President butter are also found - along with loads of local brands.
Pretty sure you also get halloumi (tho I've never looked as I hate the stuff)

I think you sound lovely OP. We only eat halal meat, seems to stay fresher for longer (DH & DS are Muslim). As pps have said, most halal meat is slaughtered in accordance with UK guidelines and your butcher should be able to confirm that for you! Bloody Daily Mail Enjoy your BBQ! Saha ftourek (Lets eat in Arabic)

Makes me laugh when people won't eat halal meat because of "animal welfare" but will eat non halal meat. Either way the animal has been killed. You're either a meat eater or you're not, there's not really an "ethical" way to kill an animal for food.

And I am a meat eater. I'll eat any kind of meat.

I am guess those who won’t eat halal meat do not eat in Indian, Turkish, Iranian or Lebanese restaurants

All animals who enter a slaughterhouse feel fear and suffer

Thanks for the label info Dunes

I refuse to eat halal meat too. I fundamentally disagree with it partly for animal welfare reasons but partly because I don't want any part of the relugious side of it from a religion I'm not part of and a God I don't believe in.

I think you should tell your non-muslim guests you plan to serve halal meat so they can make their own choice. You may find they don't agree with eating halal meat and then you will need to serve non-halal as well. It seems unfair to only cater to one section of peoples requirements.

Your definitely overthinking this I'm
A Muslim so butter, cheese (halloumi) is fine as is vinegar and most crisps too. Personally I don't have a problem with others drinking alcohol but people may feel uncomfortable if you're using the same bbq to cook something halal , veg or fish for them as your using to cool non halal food .

If I was a meat eater I wouldn’t eat halal. We had a local halal slaughterhouse and as part of my work in the veterinary profession I visited slaughterhouses. I can assure you halal slaughter is crueller. Most people i know who are meat eaters would not be happy with you serving halal meat

And on the alcohol point, you are trying to be considerate to what your muslim guests may or may not want but you are catering to the minority if you won't serve alcohol just because they are there.

I'm looking up veggie BBQ recipes as we speak

Sadly saying a prayer does nothing for the pain and fear that animal goes through. It shouldn’t be allowed in the UK

I would happily eat (stunned) halal meat but still think you should tell people it's halal so they can make that choice for themselves. To those who argue 'why would people object about a prayer said before the animal is killed' well right back at you 'why would people object if a prayer WASN'T said before the animal was killed'. Admittedly, I am looking at this though atheist eyes so there are probably lots of things I will just never get but I just don't think information about food should be withheld from people.

Presumably you know them well enough to invite them to your house, so can ask them what they prefer/can’t have etc....

I don't know much about it, but how is it dairy is ok? The calves that have been killed won't have had a prayer said.

people may feel uncomfortable if you're using the same bbq to cook something halal , veg or fish for them as your using to cool non halal food

Top tip!

Cook the veggie food first, then fish, then halal meat, finally non halal meat. I do this for veggie friends so they don't have 'contamination'. Just make sure the veggies etc eat first and the meat eaters wait and don't all scoff the veggie food.

I didn't say that I wasn't serving alcohol. I was asking for advice on how muslims might feel about this being at the BBQ. It's useful for me as a host, but I'm also interested in hearing opinions as I feel that unless you ask, you don't learn. When I had Japanese guests for dinner, I found it useful to read up on things that might make them feel more comfortable. That doesn't mean I'm going to change who I am in order to accommodate them. I see it as being a polite host.

To be honest, I don't go in for a lot of alcohol around children anyway, so it wouldn't be a major omission for me if I chose not to. We also don't know each other as this is a new school.
I'm trying to avoid asking the guests lots of questions as I'm sure they won't want to feel I'm going to a lot of effort for them