Eating halal while travelling

The one trick that works anywhere

Ingredient names are written in the local language. E-numbers are not. The European E-numbering system is used or mirrored across most of the world precisely so that additives can be identified across languages.

So when you cannot read a single word of a Vietnamese or Thai ingredient list, you can still find E471, E120 and E904 in it. Scan for codes, not words.

HalalFoodScan itself is localised in Arabic, Dutch, English, French, German, Indonesian, Japanese, Malay, Spanish, Thai, Turkish, Urdu and Vietnamese, so the explanation comes back in your language even when the pack does not.

Before you go

• Download the app before you fly. Do not rely on finding wifi in an airport.
• Set your language in Settings so results come back in the language you think in.
• Learn the local words for pork, gelatin and alcohol. Three words in the local language is a high-value ten minutes.
• Research certification in your destination. Knowing what the local mark looks like is worth more than any ingredient knowledge.
• Pack a buffer. Dates, nuts, tinned fish, instant oats. Enough for a first day when you are tired and everything is unfamiliar.

By destination type

Muslim-majority countries

Malaysia, Indonesia, Türkiye, the Gulf, Morocco, Egypt, Pakistan and similar. Halal certification is often mandatory or near-universal, and the local mark is on almost everything. Your main task is learning to recognise the local certifier: JAKIM in Malaysia, MUI/BPJPH in Indonesia, TSE Helal in Türkiye, ESMA in the Gulf. See halal certification logos.

Countries with large Muslim populations

UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Singapore, India. Halal shops and restaurants are easy to find in cities; supermarket products are usually uncertified, so scan.

Countries with small Muslim populations

Japan, Korea, much of Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe. Certification is rare and staff may be unfamiliar with the concept. Rely on ingredient checking, prefer whole foods, and be aware of the local hidden ingredients, for instance pork-based dashi and lard in Japanese ramen broth, or mirin and cooking sake in almost every Japanese sauce.

How do halal airline meals work?

• Request a Muslim meal (MOML) at booking, and reconfirm 48 hours before departure, because special meals are frequently lost in rebookings.
• MOML standards vary by carrier and catering kitchen. Gulf and Southeast Asian carriers generally have the most reliable provision.
• Vegetarian (VGML) or vegan (VGML/VLML) is a solid fallback if MOML is unavailable, since it removes the meat question entirely.
• Check the snack packs. Biscuits and crisps served alongside are ordinary retail products with ordinary additive questions. Scan them.

Eating out abroad

1. Seafood is the most portable option. No slaughter requirement, and available almost everywhere. Note the madhhab differences on shellfish.
2. Vegetarian dishes remove the meat question, but watch for animal stock, lard in pastry, and fish sauce in Southeast Asia.
3. Ask about the cooking fat. Lard is standard in some cuisines.
4. Ask about wine in the sauce. Routine in French and Italian cooking, often unmentioned on the menu.
5. Beware shared fryers. A vegetarian item fried in the same oil as pork is a real issue in many kitchens.

Supermarket shortcuts abroad

• Vegetarian and vegan symbols are near-universal and do not require reading the language. India's green dot for vegetarian is especially useful.
• Whole foods need no checking. Fruit, vegetables, rice, plain nuts, eggs, plain dairy.
• Buy the simplest version of anything. Fewer ingredients, fewer questions.
• Scan before you queue, not after you have paid.

Frequently asked questions

Keep reading

• Halal certification logos explained
• Is seafood halal?
• Halal ingredient checker: read any label