- "Kosher" refers to a set of Judaic dietary laws concerning the source, storage, preparation and delivery of food. The best known law is to never eat pork. However, there are many concepts, such as the extremely sanitary meat-slaughtering process, that give kosher foods a higher quality than the average foods. So, while the concept is inherently Jewish, people of many faiths choose to consume kosher products.
- Kosher products can be identified by an official kosher seal. The seal is usually a capital "K" combined with another symbol, such as a thin circle or star. The seal lets you know that the product, manufacturing process, ingredients and so on, have been inspected by a rabbi and certified by a kosher organization.
- If a product only has the letter "K" on it, it may or may not be kosher. Since a single letter cannot be patented, companies are free to use it at their discretion. The seal needs the letter "K" plus an extra symbol, such as a circle, to be patented and to truly represent certification by a kosher organization. Different kosher organizations use different symbols, so there are many different kinds of kosher seals.
- Fresh meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables are very difficult to find with a kosher seal in the average store. Fresh meat and dairy are often prepared locally, and using kosher practices is often seen as too costly. Fresh fruits and vegetables are usually sold too quickly and do not use the basic packaging required to be certified as kosher. If you don't want to produce these items yourself, you'll need to go to a specialty kosher store or custom order them.
- It's surprising how many popular drink brands are kosher, even the diet ones. From bottled iced tea to a can of diet cola, some of the best-known products in the drink industry carry a kosher seal. If you're looking for something a little stronger, such as a healthy wine, there are also many choices. For a lower calorie count, stick with a light red wine instead of a sugary blackberry wine.
- If you're looking for healthy snacks, you're in luck. Many of the popular diet and diet plan companies have come out with kosher protein bars, snack bars, granola bars and more. Packets of fruit or nuts, cups of applesauce, whole wheat crackers and even frozen finger-foods make it easy to stay kosher while following a healthy diet.
Kosher
Kosher Seal
Warning
Fresh Meat, Dairy, Fruits and Vegetables
Drinks
Snacks
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