Halal Food On Campus

Halal food practices seek to promote the health and humane treatment of animals. “Halal” food means “food permissible to eat” and is prepared in accordance with the religious teachings of the Quran and Sunnah.

In recent years, Chartwells Dining Services has worked in partnership with the Office of Spiritual and Religious Life to support students in their ethical and religious practices and to enrich all students’ experience on campus. A halal dining option is offered on campus at lunch and dinner every day of the week. Mather Dining Hall features a halal station at the far left end of main dining station, called “The Kitchen.” Halal food is indicated on the card placed near each entrée.

Chartwells Dining Services serves only halal-certified food products at this station. The dining hall chefs seek to provide a variety of dishes and feature South Asian, Middle Eastern, and North African as well as American cuisine. There is a rotating selection of proteins that include chicken, beef, lamb, and turkey.

To ensure the quality and integrity of halal food options, halal entrees are prepared in designated cooking units, and Chartwells chefs are trained in halal food preparation. Halal foods have no alcohol content and cannot include pork or its by-products, like gelatin and pepsin. Vegetarian foods are also available throughout the dining hall. Chartwells has made enormous strides to accommodate all students’ religious observance as it relates to their dining, and says that “our kitchen doors are always open” to any questions, concerns, or suggestions.