Friday, June 21, 2013

Halal Rations Available For Military Workers

By Linda Maynard


Certain meats that most people eat on a regular basis cannot be consumed by Muslims. This is because they follow certain regulations and beliefs that are within the Islamic faith. Muslims are taught to love and respect animals, and therefore can only consume meat if they know that it has been processed under acceptable circumstances. Halal rations in MRE form are provided to those who are in the military, and are suitable for consumption by Muslims.

Muslims may not eat pork or any pork-related products, but any other meat that is permitted for their consumption must be slaughtered and prepared in a different way to the norm. Meat that can be eaten must be from an animal that is killed in such a way that little suffering was endured. Muslims may also not consume blood from any animal, which is why the slaughtered animal's blood is drained before further food preparation techniques are applied.

The foods cannot contain certain ingredients, which include alcohol, and certain flavorings, colorings and processing aids. They may also not be put through machines which deal with any of these additives. Foods that are not Halal are considered as haram, and are forbidden to be eaten by a Muslim. Meat from animals that were already dead, and were not slaughtered for food purposes, may also not be eaten.

Kosher foods are often mistaken to be permitted for consumption by Muslims, but this is not true. Just because a food is kosher certified it does not mean it has followed Islamic laws. They are foods that are regulated by Jewish dietary laws, and they may contain substances such as alcohol, wines and gelatin that is not permitted within the diet of a Muslim.

Persons who work in the military may be provided with a meal pack that consists of a main meal, a side dish, other snacks and drink mixes. The packages are extremely quick to prepare, if they are to be eaten warm, and are therefore very convenient. They are known as MRE, or as a Meal Ready to Eat. Under most circumstances, they are suitable for consumption by a Muslim person.

They are usually best served warm, but can be eaten cold if necessary. Their preparation involves a few minutes in boiling water, or about half an hour's exposure to the sun. A hot engine will do the trick as well. The meals consist of about 1,200 calories each, and therefore provides adequate nourishment for military workers who are under physical strain. No ingredients that are forbidden for Muslims are included in the meal portions.

This type of food is useful for other scenarios as well. Those on hikes or camps like them because they are light-weight and high in nutrition. They are also convenient to serve during times of natural disasters, and have a long shelf-life so they can be stored for such emergencies.

A Muslim should still be cautious when consuming meal packages. They should read the product labels to make sure it does not contain any substances they cannot eat. Halal rations like these must also not be exposed to extremely humid conditions or water, as this could damage their contents.




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