Graphic by Sana Amin/The Gazelle

Confession: I tried a Big Mac for the first time in my life last August after moving to Abu Dhabi. Coming from the U.S., some might consider this a sinful prospect, and even non-U.S. American. But to me, reading the 100% pure halal beef label was a magical moment. The implications of having or not having access to halal food is something that many non-Muslims, and even Muslims not living in their respective countries, often don’t consider. But these can have a tremendous impact on things like cultural preservation and travel.

Eating at a restaurant that doesn’t serve halal food can be awkward if you’re sharing a meal with those who aren’t familiar with the term. Statements like, what does halal mean and why don’t you order chicken, I thought it was only pork you guys don’t eat, often filled my culinary excursions. To clarify, the term halal classifies meat slaughtered in line with the Islamic Law of Sacrifice, and also determines the permissibility of consuming food and beverages that contains porcine and/or alcoholic content. In other words, halal meat ensures that a clean and humane process has been used to get the meat.

I knew Muslim families that would drive long hours to stock up on halal meat because it was unavailable in their neighborhoods. Our family was one of the lucky ones. The city I come from — Dearborn, Michigan — has one of the highest concentrations of Muslim Americans in the United States. Dearborn is home to the largest mosque in the United States. Incidentally, it is home to quite a few halal meat markets and restaurants that are conveniently located near my home. I could do without The Big Macs, but I don’t think I could have survived without my beloved chicken shawarma sandwich.

It’s interesting to live in a country where I don’t have to think twice about whether the food I’m eating at restaurants is halal or not. The implications of religion and food on my life have been something I’ve learned to appreciate since then. Even when traveling, I take my dietary choices into consideration. While I don’t let my gastronomical needs dictate my travel experiences, I know many Muslims that would refrain from travel because of the lack of availability of halal food. For me, the experience of travel is extremely important, even if that means staying on a vegetarian diet for the duration of my stay. I remember laughing when I saw a picture that a Muslim friend of mine posted, expressing his joy over finding a halal restaurant in Shanghai over January Term this year — I could relate to the struggle!

Although my parents moved to the U.S. before I was born, their decision to live in Dearborn must have been largely influenced by the availability of Muslim-friendly commodities. Food is a large part of any culture. Although I never lived in Lebanon, I feel tied to my Lebanese roots partly because of the food I ate at home. Meat in particular is prominent in lots of Lebanese dishes, and over the years as more and more Muslims have moved to my city, more halal restaurants have opened  Even restaurant chains that do not traditionally serve halal food are catering to the population. If I hadn’t grown up in an area where halal meat was readily available to me, I might have been more distant or reluctant to maintain the ties with my family’s ethnic background and my religion. It just wouldn’t have been as easy. However, my mind is now trained to think in this adaptive manner. I am not used to always having halal options wherever I go. Therefore being in an environment where halal food is not available would not be as foreign to me as someone who has had it their whole lives, and I would more easily be able to adapt and deal with it.

In an ideal world, halal food would be readily available and recognized anywhere we go to preserve Muslims’ freedom of choice and not place limitations on things such as travel just because of the unavailability of the food that one chooses to eat. Why is it any different than vegetarian, vegan or Kosher food? It’s interesting to see how the availability of halal food has influenced my life and the lives of other Muslims living away from their home countries. It has shown me that food can fundamentally affect the experiences of people, who may belong to the same culture or belief system.