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Popular foods you never knew were kosher

[additional-authors]
February 4, 2016

For those of us in the Jewish community, ensuring that our food is kosher is not just a lifestyle choice or a trendy fad, it is irrevocably linked to our faith. These rules which are set out by the laws of kashrut are the basis of keeping to a kosher diet. The problem lies with not always being able to tell whether a food is kosher or not. Something my own Mum was keen to warn me about when I was venturing out as a teenager and tempted by the usual junk food fodder.

In today´s world, there are many products which might appear to be kosher, but include a tiny amount of a product which is prohibited, and likewise, there are foods which might not appear to be kosher, which are. After discussing this with some of my kosher-following friends, I looked into it a bit further and discovered that it is estimated that between 40% and 50% of the products which can be found on the shelves of grocery stores are now kosher.

Nowadays, it’s not just us Jewish folk who consume kosher products, there is now a multitude of people buying and eating kosher food who aren’t Jewish, but see it as a healthier way of eating, and many of the biggest, multi-national food companies are seeing the benefits of getting kosher food certification for their products. Coca-Cola and Proctor & Gamble, for example, have been front runners in making some, if not all of their products suitable for those on a kosher diet.

The specifications to certify foods are a little complicated, but there are lots of resources to help understand it. Earth Kosher is a good one for those checking internationally, or for us Brits, KLBD is a useful resource. When it comes to changing perceptions, what I’ve found recently is that more importance is being bestowed on brands to have a kosher certifying and labelling system – allowing those who follow a kosher diet both peace of mind and a growing variety of food that they can eat. The world of food is opening up to those of all faiths and beliefs, which is helping to educate the wider world.

Popular foods

So when I first broached the topic, I became aware of just how many of the popular everyday foods, which many people would never imagine are kosher, were actually adhering to the kosher laws. With this spiking, I then thought that Businesses are becoming savvy to the mass appeal and using this as a USP for their products even if they are not directly shouting about it. Some of the options now available to those who follow a kosher diet from both the US and here in the UK are as follows:

·Oreos – Oreos products have been kosher since 1998, so you can munch away at the delicious chocolate and cream cookies, or other Oreos products until the cows come home.

·Pringles Bacon Ranch Chips – And not just bacon ranch flavour – Pringles BBQ, Honey and Mustard and Original flavours are also kosher.

·Heinz Products – There are many Heinz product which are kosher including Heinz Beans, sauces, Jack Daniels grilling sauces, pickles, salad dressings, vinegars, ketchup, relishes and peppers – although they recommend checking first on the label.

·Lindt Chocolates – Lindt have a number of assorted chocolates which are all made to the best quality and kosher certified.

·Nutella – One of the world´s most famous sandwich filling, toast topping, or spoon eaten chocolate and hazelnut spread is also kosher certified – great news for everyone out there!

·Hellman´s Mayonnaise – You can make your perfect sandwich taste a whole lot better, by knowing that the whole range of Hellman´s mayonnaise is kosher.

·I Can´t Believe it´s not Butter – It really isn’t butter, and all of the I Can´t Believe it´s not Butter spreads really ARE kosher, with a taste of butter.

·Slim Fast – For those who are trying to lose a bit of weight, some Slim Fast bars and bites are also kosher.

·Blue Dragon Egg Noodles – Get the authentic egg noodles taste with the kosher Blue Dragon egg noodles.

·Gatorade – The popular sports drink company who offers thirst quenching, re-hydrating drinks packed pull of nutrients and electrolytes are all certified as kosher.

·Krispy Kreme – The mixing plant where Krispy Kreme donut mixes are made have been declared kosher, as well as some (but not all) of their stores.

·Hershey´s Chocolate – Another one for chocolate lovers, almost all of the Hershey´s chocolate range is kosher.

Although sticking to a kosher diet isn’t the most difficult thing in the world, especially if like me, you are eating mostly at home, it can sometimes prove to be a little repetitive, and difficult if you are out and about. Both myself and my friends have found that with the rise of food companies getting kosher certified, this means that there are a lot more options for us in the Jewish community and others who wish to stick to a kosher diet. If you aren’t happy with the lottery at the supermarket, then there are some tailored sites to help you shop kosher but these aren’t always convenient, especially if you need your products quickly.

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