Catering for Individuals of Jewish Faith at School

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1 at Food Smart s an naq nutrition program As part of a healthy diet that promotes growth and development, children and young adolescents should be consuming a wide variety of nutritious foods every day. Students who are of Jewish faith observe the laws of Kashrut by eating foods. This is an important aspect of Jewish culture and is observed all year round. A wide variety of nutritious foods are available in a diet and with some planning, catering for Jewish students at school events and in the canteen can be simplified. This fact sheet is a summary of principles and suggests additional resources and organisations for more information. Parents can be another great source of information - don t be afraid to ask. It is possible to provide food that is nutritious and therefore in line with Smart Choices Healthy Food and Drink Supply Strategy for Queensland. Smart Choices is a Queensland Government initiative aimed at improving the nutritional value of foods and drinks supplied to students in Queensland schools. Smart Choices is based on the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating and classifies foods and drinks into three categories according to their nutritional value. GREEN Have Plenty- encourage and promote these choices AMBER Select Carefully- do not let these foods and drinks dominate the choices and avoid large serving sizes RED Occasionally- not to be supplied on more than two occasions per term What is Food? Those of Jewish faith only consume foods that are - meaning fit or proper. Kashrut law outlines: what foods are to be consumed; how they are to be prepared and combined; and how they are to be served. There are four basic food groups in Jewish cuisine: meat; milk; pareve; and non. These are outlined on the pages that follow.

2 at Table 1: Food Groups Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Food Groups (These foods ARE allowed) Non (These foods are NOT allowed) What does this mean for the school? Meat- all animals that chew their cud and have split hooves: Beef Veal Lamb Meat any animal that does not chew their cud and has split hooves: Pork (bacon, ham) Game meats Source meat and poultry items and remember to choose lean varieties (GREEN options) Poultry Chicken Poultry All other birds Do not offer pork products to Jewish children Meat Turkey Duck Goose The animal must have been prepared and killed according to Jewish Law meats can be sourced from a specialist butcher Any meat that has not been thoroughly cooked and still has blood present Any combination of food that involved meat AND dairy products together even if it is approved meat Cook meat until it is well done and use separate utensils and equipment for those used to prepare milk products Do not mix meat and milk products in a meal provided to Jewish children Contact the Kashrut Authority for butchers in your local area (www. ka.org.au)

3 at Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Food Groups (These foods ARE allowed) Non (These foods are NOT allowed) What does this mean for the school? Dairy All dairy products are allowed if they: Come from a guaranteed animal source that has been supervised at the time of milking Do not contain non- additives or ingredients Milk unflavoured fresh and UHT milk is allowed certified cheeses, yoghurts and dairy desserts A detailed listing of commercial brands of dairy products can be found on www. ka.org.au All cheese, yoghurts and dairy desserts that have not been certified as Any cheese that has been made with animal rennet Dairy products that are combined with meat in one meal. For example spaghetti bolognaise with cheese or a chicken and cheese sandwich is a non- combination Choose reduced fat dairy varieties as these are GREEN foods under the Smart Choices program Refer to Kashrut Authority resources to see if existing dairy products in the tuckshop or canteen are. Some mainstream brands already are. If you cater for a large number of Jewish children, consider changing all dairy products to brands if cost and availability permits. This will reduce confusion and issues relating to storage and preparation

4 at Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Food Groups (These foods ARE allowed) Non (These foods are NOT allowed) What does this mean for the school? Pareve (Neutral) Breads, cereals and baked products that have been certified as Homemade bread and baked products that use ingredients. They must be prepared with clean utensils in trays and an oven that has not been in contact with non- foods Breads, cereals and baked products that may have been cooked in the same oven as non- foods or with additives and glazes that are not allowed Refer to Kashrut Authority resources that specify which brands and products are acceptable ( All fruits and vegetables that have been thoroughly cleaned A fruit or vegetable is not allowed if it has not been thoroughly cleaned and has dirt, insects or worms present Include a wide variety of fresh, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables in the foods offered. Fresh, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are GREEN foods according to the Smart Choices strategy Pay attention when preparing vegetables and fruit and clean thoroughly Eggs from birds (e.g. chicken or duck eggs) Any blood spot found in an egg is not allowed and the whole egg must be discarded When cooking with eggs break them individually into a bowl to see if any blood spots are present

5 at Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Food Groups (These foods ARE allowed) Non (These foods are NOT allowed) What does this mean for the school? Seafood Majority of fish species are approved (e.g. cod, whiting, salmon, tuna) Fish must have fins and scales that can easily be removed Seafood No shellfish are allowed This includes prawns, crab, scallops Use fresh, canned and frozen fish in sandwiches, pasta bakes and other meals Avoid battering and frying fish as these methods increase the amount of fat Pareve (Neutral) Drinks Most drinks are considered to be Some juices, cordials and soft drinks may contain certain additives and flavourings that are considered not to be Check to see if juice or fruit drinks include grape juice as tropical varieties often do Cochineal, gelatine and grape juice are the major additives to be aware of Additional Non Food to Avoid Gelatine E441 (commonly found in jellies, juices, yoghurts, frozen desserts) Animal based Glycerol/Glycerin Emulsifiers including those on labels numbered 471 through 479 (certain margarines, dressings, sauces) Cochineal food colourant E120 (drinks, desserts)

6 at Combining Foods Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Apart from the ingredients, under Kashrut law, another thing to consider are the rules governing the preparation of meals which could affect your practices in the kitchen. The following combinations of foods are not and therefore not allowed: Milk and Meat The laws around mixing milk and meat are very strict and most people of Jewish faith require separate dishes, cutlery, cooking utensils to prepare and eat milk and meat based foods Under Kashrut law, if meat has been consumed first - an individual should wait 6 hours before eating or drinking dairy products Under Kashrut law, if milk has been consumed first an individual should wait half an hour to consume meat products How do the rules about combining foods affect the meals and snacks that are being served? There are likely to be existing items on your tuck shop menu that are a suitable combination for Jewish students. For example: Sandwich combinations where the milk and meat components are not combined (e.g. chicken and salad or cheese and salad) Offer hot meal options such as vegetarian lasagne or meat based pasta dishes that do not contain cheese or milk sauces Vegetable slices/quiches with either meat or cheese, but not both, are appropriate These suggestions all include lean meat and vegetables, so are healthy choices. General Tips to Consider when Catering for Jewish Students Ensure all foods are prepared, cooked and served separately to non- foods to avoid contamination Use separate utensils, sinks, dishes, pans and serving tools when handling foods. Talk to parents whose children require foods for further insight into what is and isn t If there are only a small number of students requiring meals it may be an option to consider purchasing commercially available, certified meals that align with the Smart Choices framework

7 at Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Buying Foods In general, products may be found at a number of venues: specialty retailers and butcheries (go to Kashrut Authority Website Please note that not all products sold at these retailers are acceptable. Selected major supermarkets that maintain specialty sections Health food sections of supermarkets. *Please note Nutrition Australia Qld does not endorse the content or accuracy of the information that is contained on the websites and resources listed in this fact sheet. Catering for Those of Jewish Faith at The content of this fact sheet has been developed as a general guide for schools only. Any additional dietary needs and requirements of students, parents, teachers and other school community members should be addressed at the school s discretion and where relevant, at an individual level. This resource has been developed by Nutrition Australia Qld s Food Smart s program with the generous support of the Queensland Independent s Parent Council (QISPC) with funding received through the National Partnership for Preventive Health, Healthy Children, Smart Choices initiative. For more information on the Food Smart s Program, visit

8 at Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Vegetarian Pasta Bake Ingredients (serves 20) 2.5kg of dried pasta 5 cups (900g) legumes (e.g. red kidney beans, cannellini beans) 5 cups (1kg) mixed vegetables*(frozen of fresh) 2.5kg tomato pasta sauce 5 cups (600g) reduced fat grated cheese Method 1. Preheat oven to 180 C.** 2. Boil a large pot ¾ filled with water. 3. Add pasta, stir and cook until just soft, drain. 4. Prepare beans: drain and rinse beans. 5. Prepare vegetables: e.g. try dicing capsicum, grating carrot, slicing zucchini or mushrooms. 6. In a large bowl place cooked pasta,.au your choice of beans and your choice of vegetables and jar of pasta sauce, mix well. 7. Place mixture in a baking dish, spread evenly. 8. Cover with grated cheese. 9. Bake in oven, cook for minutes or until cheese has melted and is golden brown. This Vegetarian Pasta Bake is a GREEN style item and can be integrated into the tuckshop menu for all students and is also. A vegetarian pasta bake with added legumes is high in fibre. Remember to: Ensure the vegetables are thoroughly cleaned Use separate utensils and baking dishes that are for dairy products If a separate oven is not available cover the dish with foil so that it is well sealed * Fresh and frozen vegetables are Smart Choices GREEN foods and are all, however they must be thoroughly checked for insects or worms. ** Ensure that all cooking utensils, pans and ovens are.

9 at Food Smart s an naq nutrition program Cholent- Hearty Beef and Vegetables Casserole Ingredients (serves 20) ¼ cup olive oil 2kg gravy beef chopped into 2cm cubes 4 large onions, chopped 5 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tbsp paprika 12 cups water 1 tsp freshly ground pepper 1 cup pearl barley 5 large carrots, cut into chunks 6 desiree potatoes, cut into quarters, skin left on 2 cups canned cannellini beans, drained 2 cups canned dried borlotti beans, drained Method 1. In a heavy based pot, heat the oil. 2. Brown the meat on all sides and set aside in a bowl. 3. Add onions and brown till dark golden then cook garlic. 4. Stir in paprika and add water and pepper. 5. Put the meat back in the pot and add pearl barley, carrots, potatoes 6. Bring to a simmer. Cover casserole tightly with foil, then lid. 7. Place in an oven for 2 hours at 160 C. Check pot occasionally to see if more water is needed so the cholent does not dry out. 8. Once cooked remove from oven and stir canned beans through the dish. This recipe is a traditional beef casserole that is high in fibre, protein and iron. It would be perfect on a cold winter s day. It is a meal as there is no combining of meat and dairy products. This recipe is suitable for portioning into individual serves and being frozen. Remember to: Ensure the vegetables are thoroughly cleaned Ensure the beef is approved and a lean cut of meat Use separate utensils, baking dishes and pots that are for meat only