How to Purchase Kosher Food

Keeping kosher means far more than swearing off bacon. The Jewish dietary laws, called kashruth, require that food be grown, harvested and cooked in adherence with the kosher way. For instance, strict butchering laws demand that the animal be killed swiftly and humanely in a prescribed way that immediately cuts off blood pressure to the brain. Non-Jews also benefit. For example, vegetarians can be assured that an item designated pareve will not be made with any meat products.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

1. Shop at a certified kosher market, meat shop or bakery. These are easier to find in some cities than others.
2. Find the kosher food aisle in your supermarket, which offers a stash of kosher diet staples.
3. Call ahead to markets, butchers and restaurants, and ask about the type of products they carry or serve.
4. Do your homework on Web sites like Kashrut.com and KosherConsumer.org to find out which products are kosher. Many well-known companies have manufactured their products in accordance with kosher laws. These include Thomas' English muffins, Lenders bagels, most Kellogg's cereals, Philadelphia cream cheese, Vlasic pickles, Pepperidge Farm, Coca-Cola, Heinz, Starbucks, Kikkoman soy sauce and Near East grains. Indicators such as KSA (Kosher Supervision of America) or OU (Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America) will be on the package.
5. Shop online and have foods delivered. You can also order kosher wine online; Kosher.com and MyKosherMarket.com are good sources.
6. If you're looking for a kosher meal while traveling, search for restaurants in databases like mail-jewish.org/krestquery.html. Chicago, Los Angeles and New York are known for their kosher restaurants. Disneyland and Disney World also have many kosher products available.

What to Look For:

• Kosher markets
• Kosher food aisle
• Mainstream products
• Symbols
• Web sites
• Urban areas
• Kosher restaurants

Tips & Warnings

• You can specify a kosher meal on an airline--and usually you'll get a better quality of meat or luck out with bagels and lox.