Homestay Host Guide to Halal Hospitality
** View a PDF version of this blog post to print a copy for your home **
Hosting a guest from another culture is a wonderfully enriching experience for everyone involved. A key part of showing hospitality and respect is being mindful of your guest’s dietary needs. For many Muslims, this means adhering to a halal diet.
This guide is designed to make catering for a halal dietary requirement simple and stress-free. Providing halal food is far more straightforward than you might imagine.
Our goal is to give you the confidence and practical knowledge to make providing halal food a seamless and rewarding part of your hosting experience. Thank you for opening your home and making a guest feel welcome in Australia.
In this blog post…
What is Halal?
Making Aussie Favourites Halal
Halal Shopping Guide
FAQs
You’re Now Ready to Cater for Halal Guests
What is Halal?
When it comes to halal food, it’s far simpler than many people imagine. At its core, the concept is straightforward. Halal foods are categorised into three groups:
- Halal: This simply means ‘permissible’ or ‘lawful’. These are the foods that are permitted for consumption according to halal guidelines.
- Mushbooh: This word means ‘doubtful’ or ‘questionable.’ It refers to ingredients where the source is unclear (e.g., gelatine that could be from pork or beef). It’s important to be cautious with these items.
- Haram: This is the opposite of halal and means ‘forbidden’ or ‘unlawful.’ Foods in this category must always be avoided. The two most significant and non-negotiable Haram categories are pork and alcohol.
Here are some examples:
Making Aussie Favourites Halal
To make providing for halal guests a seamless part of your routine, you can easily adapt your family’s favourite meals to be halal-friendly.
Cooking Tip: Be careful of cross-contamination. Ensure pork or non-halal meat, or their juices, do not touch halal foods, either directly or indirectly through shared utensils, surfaces, or hands.Section 3
Halal Shopping Guide
Shopping for Halal can feel like the biggest hurdle, but it is surprisingly straightforward once you know what to look for.
Your Supermarket Cheat Sheet
You can find a wide range of halal products at your local supermarket. Many now have dedicated sections and stock certified brands, making shopping convenient.
Both Coles and Woolworths now feature dedicated halal meat sections in many of their stores, while Aldi and independent grocers also stock many halal products. There are also a number of halal butchers in Australia.
Here’s a handy list to take on your next shopping trip:
Restaurants and Takeaway: Here’s a list of halal friendly restaurants and takeaway in major Australian cities.
Apps like Uber Eats have a “Halal” filter, allowing you to easily browse and order from a wide variety of local halal restaurants, from kebabs to curries.
Becoming a Food Label Detective
The ability to read a food label is your most powerful tool. It allows you to confidently determine if a product is suitable for your student.
The clearest and most reliable indicator is a halal certification logo on the packaging. Familiarise yourself with these logos, as this is your guarantee of compliance.
Scan the Ingredient List
If there is no logo, the next step is to scan the ingredient list for obvious Haram items. Create a mental “watch list” of common non-halal additives that can appear in processed foods and avoid them:
FAQs
Can I ask my guest if I’m not sure?
It’s highly encouraged that you talk to your guest about how to manage their needs. They will appreciate you asking rather than guessing. Communication is the key to great hospitality, and it shows respect for their dietary needs.
Can I still cook pork for my family or have a drink?
Yes, other household members can cook pork or have a drink. The key is to avoid cross-contamination. Ensure pork or non-halal meat, or their juices, do not touch halal foods, either directly or indirectly through shared utensils, surfaces, or hands. Similarly, alcoholic drinks should be kept separate from halal food preparation areas and utensils.
Does the other meat need to be halal certified?
Generally speaking, yes, you should only use halal-certified meat. However some guests may be OK with non-certified meat (except never pork or pork products) but it’s best to check with the guest.
What if I accidentally use a non-halal ingredient?
Don’t worry, mistakes can happen. If you realise you’ve accidentally used a non-halal ingredient or there’s been cross-contamination, the best approach is to kindly explain the situation to your guest and offer to prepare an alternative option.
Can I take my guest to any restaurant or takeaway?
Of course, however it’s best to choose a restaurant that offers halal options for the student. Here’s a great website to search for halal friendly restaurants and takeaway in your city. Apps like Uber Eats have a “Halal” filter, allowing you to easily browse and order from a wide variety of local halal restaurants.Section 5
You’re Now Ready to Cater for Halal Guests
We hope that you have found this guide useful. Catering for a halal diet is not about memorising complex rules, it is an act of hospitality for your guest.
If you remember nothing else, keep these three simple principles in mind:
- Avoid the obvious: Steer clear of the two main Haram items: pork and alcohol.
- Check the label: For complex items, check the label.
- When in doubt, ask: Your guest will always appreciate you asking rather than guessing. Communication is the key to great hospitality.
With this knowledge, you are now well-equipped to navigate the supermarket, read food labels, and prepare delicious meals that everyone can enjoy together. Thank you for your commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive home.
Want to join the AHN family? Sign up to host today!
Interested in learning more?
We’ve busted common myths about catering for halal guests and also have a blog post from Melbourne host, Pete, who shared his story about enjoying some tasty halal meals while hosting Ghanem from Saudi Arabia.
