To not offer two types of beef burger at summer fair (halal and non halal)?

[NameChangedJune]

In addition a veggie option?

I’ve took responsibility for sorting the burgers for BBQ at summer school PTA fair.
I was thinking, I can buy all burgers as halal only. A good portion of the school population are either non-religious or Muslim.

However, DH is saying we should also offer a non-halal burger option (he is religious - Sikh and avoids halal due to his beliefs). However I think he is a minority and could have veggie? There are Hindus but they wouldn’t eat beef anyway so it’s a tiny amount of people other than DH who I think would care if we go full halal for the burgers.

IMO one type of beef burger that is suitable for most would be easiest. AIBU?

Animal welfare concerns, I said.

Im veggie but if I did eat meat I wouldnt eat Halal. I dont think saying "oh you dont want to eat Halal, here is the veggie option" is ok either.

Most still leaves 12% that arent pre stunned

@Simonjt I didn't say you didn't receive messages from anyone but it certainly wasn't me!

RSPCA says 65% are pre-stunned,

Veggie here too :)

Would you then be more inclinced to animals that aren’t stunned if you decided to start eating meat.

What though, if the animals are pre-stunned?

@dunnoburt I agree tbh. And as a veggie that would often mean me not having many hot options (or any!) but Id fill up on salad, crisps, cake etc instead. Im veggie but I never expect or assume people will cater specifically for my food choices.

Imcorporating the time and cost of a blessing into a production process isn't the same as one person praying in their own home.

35% aren’t, it’s probably that 35% that are being objected to. I don’t see this as a religious issue but a personal choice over animal welfare.

Even if you're Sikh, you'll only know people in your immediate circle unless you're religious, meaning they're unlikely to be very prescriptive. I have Sikh family by marriage, who are very into the Sikh community in the UK and abroad, most of them and their acquaintances won't eat halal/kosher meat.

Similar Hindus aren't supposed to eat anything that has touched beef, but many like myself don't care. I can't assume that 'most' Hindus don't though. I'm not particularly religious so I haven't met many.

In any case, people can have any dietary requirement they want. It's up to the host to decide what makes business and organisational sense based on what they're told by people. Even Muslims for example in certain places some aren't that strict and will happily eat anything.

No, the non-Muslims can buy themselves a veggie burger at this event as there are lots of Muslims and OP says ‘a tiny amount ‘ of people who won’t eat halal. So Muslims are the majority meat eaters.

How arrogant of you to think the small number of non-Muslims should be prioritised over the large Muslim cohort.

Was just thinking the same lol I'm a white British woman and don't follow any religion and I'm quite shocked at some of these comments tbh. I will only eat meat if it's killed in a lovely way lol right but an animal is still being killed so you can have a burger but as long as it's done in a lovely way it's alright is it. I eat meat and I will eat halal meat and it seems like a no brainer to serve halal meat at this event.

That's part of it for me, but I also feel that halal cannot become the default. Yes, provide it for those who need it, but there is no reason for the rest of us to be forced to eat potentially non-stunned and blessed meat.

I don't think I've ever bought any meat in any restaurant or shop and even thought about whether it is or isn't halal or whatever. It tastes the same so who cares if someone has said a prayer to it. They can sing to it or read it a poem if they want it doesnt matter.

I'm developing a lot of sympathy for the poster who said just buy one lot and tell people what they want to hear. It makes no difference in reality, noone will die and noone will know and everyone will be blissfully and ignorantly happy given all religion is made up anyway.

Oh right, it’s not the blessing you object to, it’s the Muslim blessing you object to.

Would you be happier if that one lot was halal or not?

You did actually, you told him ‘still wrong 😒 I'm in doubt you're Sikh or ever have been!’

@Simonjt Ive been veggie for 30 years and no plans on changing tbh but if I did........ how it is killed isnt something Ive ever really thought about (lazy of me I know!) - how it has lived its life is my concern (ie free range, organic) And specifically re Halal I dont want to eat food that has been prepared in the name of Allah (not because Im anti muslim but because Im not a muslim - if that makes sense)

Nice attempt at twisting.
Fail though.

But you’re fine with grace but not Islamic blessing?

Which is fine if you’re not, no one is saying you have to be, but at least just say what you’re so afraid to say.

So how would you cater the event?

I have sympathy for the OP too, in as much as anyone who has ever planned a catered event will know what a pain it is to deal with dietary requirements. There was a vegetarian at our wedding who didn’t eat aubergine or peppers.

The OP hasn’t said what proportion of the population are likely to by Muslim, verses the proportion who are both Muslim and (like you) don’t care. However, I think it is reasonable to expect to serve non-Muslims meat that meets the full U.K. legal requirements on animal welfare during slaughter. I only buy free-range meat and eggs for the same reason. It’s more expensive, but I’d rather eat meat less frequently and support high welfare farming. At an event like the OP’s if I was in a small minority I would just buy the vegetarian burger, but if the assumption is that non-Muslims are more accommodating, then that’s wrong. Halal meat is not meant to be for general consumption.

The only way is normal, halal and veggie isnt it?