Harvard University Dining Services to Increase Halal Chicken Options

Harvard University Dining Services is in the process of ensuring that the majority of the chicken served in their dining halls is halal, according to a statement from a HUDS spokesperson.

Halal is a certification under Islamic dietary law outlining the “ethical and legal parameters required for food consumption,” according to Khalil Abdur-Rashid, a Muslim Chaplain at Harvard. The chicken served must have been allowed to graze freely and killed humanely, among other guidelines.

Back in 2015, HUDS began to serve halal chicken on the grills at all dining halls, following a student survey demonstrating Muslim students’ preference for healthier protein options.

“HUDS has long worked in partnership with our on-campus Muslim Chaplains and community to support halal dining in the undergraduate dining halls,” Crista Martin, director for strategic initiatives and communication at Harvard University Dining Services, wrote in an emailed statement.

“Our work to support diners who eat halal has included labeling menu options that contain alcohol and pork in our web-based menus; as well as the provision of halal certified grilled chicken at all grills in the College dining locations,” she added.

The current shift is a result of HUDS’ identifying a “local collective of small family farms that provides antibiotic free chicken which is also processed in a matter that allows it to earn halal certification,” Martin wrote.

Abdur-Rashid wrote in an emailed statement that “halal certified proteins are a vital part of Muslim life on campus.”

“I’m deeply appreciative of all the efforts that Harvard University Dining has made to expand halal dining. HUDS has been and continues to be a strong partner with our office and they have been diligent in making sure the diverse needs of our students are met in the most authentic and appropriate ways,” he wrote.

While a Jan. 22 email initially announced the change as planned for the 26th, a follow-up email on Jan. 28 informed students that it would take “another couple of weeks” for all chicken to be halal certified, according to an email to the University’s Office of the Muslim Chaplain mailing list.

But Martin indicated the change may exceed this timeline, writing “we are hopeful that in the next six to 12 months we will be able to make this transition.”

“This work is part of our larger strategic vision to provide a hospitality experience that fosters community, prioritizes health, cultural connection and religious sensitivity, challenges food systems convention, and relentlessly innovates,” she added.

—Staff writer Isabella G. Schauble can be reached at isabella.schauble@thecrimson.com.