Food is one of the bases of Jewish culture. Questions with this tag relate to laws of food or anything pertaining to food.
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6answers
2k views
Washing hands for eating pizza
How many slices are required to make you responsible to wash on Pizza?
16
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3answers
1k views
Can you drink a beer (such as Miller or Budweiser) at a bar?
Can you buy and drink a beer (such as Miller or Budweiser) at a bar owned by non-Jews?
15
votes
2answers
307 views
Jews under Charlemagne
Jews under Charlemagne in the 8th century and the Carolingian emperors were accredited food providers in addition to providing wine for Christian mass. I am looking for halachic responses to these ...
14
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6answers
488 views
Fish eaten with milk?
Is there any halachik problem with eating fish and milk together? (A classic example is a bagel with lox and cream cheese)
14
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7answers
441 views
Eating Meat: What Changed?
Adam wasn't allowed to eat meat. After the mabul (Flood) we were suddenly permitted to eat (Bereshit 9:3). What changed (ie what was the reason we weren't allowed to before, why are we allowed to now ...
14
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4answers
256 views
When did kosher bakeries, restaurants, etc. start requiring supervision?
If my neighbor Shmerel keeps kosher and otherwise appears to be observant to the best of my knowledge, then I'd be allowed to eat in his house (assuming I'm invited), eid echad ne'eman b'issurin, his ...
14
votes
2answers
163 views
Can you walk and chew gum at the same time?
Rambam (Hil. Edus 11:4) writes (translation from here):
...base people are disqualified as witnesses by Rabbinic decree. This refers to people who walk through the marketplace eating in the ...
13
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6answers
328 views
Avoiding accidentally eating cheese
Whether one waits 6 hours, 3 hours, 1 hour, or somewhere in between, it is a common occurrence to find people mistakenly eating milk/cheese/yogurt too soon after meat. It seems like a problem that ...
13
votes
2answers
465 views
Why doesn't the OU put DE on food packages anymore?
The OU used to put DE next to the OU symbol when a product was Dairy Equipment. Such a product can not be eaten with meat but can be eaten right afterwards (you don't need to wait the amount of time ...
13
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2answers
2k views
12
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4answers
823 views
Is a rare steak kosher?
If you have a steak medium to rare, such that it's still pink in the middle, is it kosher? At what point is meat cooked enough?
12
votes
2answers
626 views
Why assume coffee is kosher
Why can it be assumed that coffee from coffee shops is kosher? Why couldn't the equipment become unkosher through exposure to non kosher ingredients or when being cleaned?
For example the Canadian ...
12
votes
4answers
733 views
What Bracha do you make on Sushi?
Really, as simple as that. What Bracha do you make on Sushi? Is the rice the main part and therefore a Mezonos, or is it just a toful in which case I guess a shehakol?
12
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1answer
402 views
Food in bathroom
Is one allowed to take food into the bathroom? I heard that the prohibiton is only on the type of bathroom used years ago.
12
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2answers
330 views
Is it permitted to take extra food from a buffet?
If you're at a hotel and there is a buffet meal, and you can take as much as you want, is there any problem taking a few extra rolls or any of the food back to your room for later?
I assume if I'm not ...
12
votes
1answer
131 views
In what way are mushrooms considered “non-nutritive”?
The Mishnah (Eruvin 26b) states that water and salt can't be used as the food for eruv chatzeiros or eruv techumin (thus Rashi; according to Tosafos only the latter). Rashi explains that this is ...
11
votes
5answers
8k views
What Issues Exist with the Tablet K Hecksher?
The Tablet-K hechsher is quite common on products in US supermarkets - especially cheeses. There seems to be a strong sentiment that it is not an acceptable hechsher, but I've heard no halachik ...
11
votes
4answers
1k views
Making seltzer/soda water on Shabbat or Yom Tov
Can a person make seltzer on shobbos or yom tov with something like sodastream?
11
votes
3answers
243 views
Peanut butter Bracha
What Brochah or Blessing is said when eating plain Peanut butter? Does the chunky variety (with pieces) versus regular make a difference?
I am referring to a case where it is eaten on a spoon, with ...
11
votes
1answer
387 views
Can a Christian “Grace” invalidate food?
Suppose there's a communal meal in a secular workplace, at which some of the food is reliably kosher. Now suppose that right before anyone takes any food, one of the participants, to general assent, ...
11
votes
2answers
258 views
Starbucks VIA on shabbat
Someone recently mentioned in a conversation about making/ not making tea on shabbat with a tea bag, that the Starbucks VIA coffee is micro-ground vs how ever regular instant coffee is made and that ...
11
votes
2answers
176 views
What is the bracha on “cookies and cream” flavor ice cream?
I saw here that Rav Belsky holds the following:
One of the flavors of Klein's parve ice cream is "Cookies and Cream" which contains cookie crumbs or bits which are sprinkled through areas of ...
11
votes
2answers
329 views
Can you remove a sticker from fruit on shabbos?
Is there a problem removing a sticker that was on your apple, orange, etc. on Shabbos?
11
votes
1answer
171 views
In a bulk food store, must I ask to see the original label every time I return and buy my favorite food?
I know that where I live, some foods don't need kosher certification. But most do.
Say I go to a reliable bulk food store, ask to see the original bucket that a certain food came in, see a reliable ...
10
votes
7answers
544 views
What can I feed a vegetarian at my Pesach seder?
Wait wait, it's not a question for Seasoned Advice. :-)
I have a vegetarian (not vegan) coming to my seder this year. Most of the vegetarian staples (as far as I know) are chametz or kitniyot. For ...
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5answers
422 views
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2answers
121 views
What was the dietary source of calcium in Talmudic times?
The Mishna in Ketubot Chapter 5 describes the basic diet of a working-class woman at the time (around the year 200):
ה,ז [ח] המשרה את אשתו על ידי שליש--לא יפחות לה מקביים חיטים, או מארבעת קבים ...
10
votes
3answers
185 views
Halachic status of kamut
Khorasan wheat, often known by one popular brand name thereof, KAMUT®, is an ancient grain that is related to modern-day wheat, but has a number of differences. Does it have the halachic status of ...
10
votes
3answers
251 views
What is the source of netilat yadayim before eating bread?
Where do we learn that we need to wash hands before eating bread? Why? And why bread and not other food?
10
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2answers
157 views
Nursing in the bathroom
Per Food in bathroom it is forbidden to eat in the bathroom. Can a lady nurse in the bathroom or is it considered like eating in the bathroom? (sources)
10
votes
1answer
149 views
May one reheat food on top of a crock-pot or urn on Shabbos?
According to my understanding cooked or baked food that is currently cold, may be placed on top of a pot that is on a blech on Shabbos to warm up.
What about putting cooked or baked foods on top of ...
10
votes
1answer
923 views
Why aren't any of the main American brands of chewing gum kosher?
These days, you walk into any American supermarket, you can find kosher chocolate bars, kosher jelly beans, kosher all sorts of stuff. I understand why the gummy worms aren't kosher, they contain ...
10
votes
2answers
321 views
In what way is kosher chicken different from brined chicken?
Over on Seasoned Advice, there have been a number of questions related to the nature of kosher meat and the amount of salt absorbed by the meat. Most recently, In what way is kosher chicken different ...
10
votes
1answer
70 views
Making a Bracha on disliked foods
If you, for some reason, must eat food you despise and will gain no enjoyment from it do you still need to make a bracha?
10
votes
1answer
672 views
Using a plata on Shabbat
I have a plata--an electric warming tray that does not have knobs or adjustments. I can leave it plugged in throughout Shabbat. I want to use it correctly when I have guests and to up my observance.
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9
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4answers
369 views
Why do we eat Milchigs (dairy) on Shavuos?
Why do we have a Minhag to eat Milchigs (dairy) on Shavuos?
9
votes
5answers
240 views
Is there anywhere that you can get round machine Matzos?
Hand Matzos always seem to be round, yet machine Matzohs seem to be square. Is there any company anywhere that produces round machine Matzos? Why not?
9
votes
3answers
230 views
When/how was the controversy regarding stainless-steel blades for shechitah resolved?
My understanding is that the use of stainless-steel blades for shechita (kosher slaughter) knives was introduced by the early Hassidic movement and initially opposed by the non-Hassidic leaders.
...
9
votes
3answers
411 views
Where did the “different bracha for mishloach manos” idea come from?
Rambam and Shulchan Aruch say you can send two types of meat as mishloach manos on Purim.
Yet somehow I (and many other people, apparently) were taught that the two different items have to be in two ...
9
votes
1answer
237 views
Does Drinking Seltzer == Drinking Water?
Inspired by this revision of this answer:
There are various minhag implications with regards to drinking water. Seltzer is essentially carbonated water. So how do those minhagim apply to seltzer?
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8
votes
8answers
409 views
Kosher accommodations in out-of-the-way US places
Are there any non-urban vacation areas in the United States with full-service kosher food available? I realize that the following are not hard to find:
Kosher restaurants in some urban centers.
A ...
8
votes
4answers
621 views
Who determines the kosher status of “new” foods?
Who determines the kosher status for "new" processed foods (e.g. Jell-O)? A few orthodox rabbis' approval? General consensus by the Jewish religious community? Certain kosher standards organizations? ...
8
votes
3answers
203 views
What Bracha did they make on the Mahn?
Did the Jews make a Bracha on eating the Mahn? Which Bracha did they make?
8
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4answers
887 views
Is the lemon slice added to a soda in many bars a problem kosher-wise?
Many bars (and hotel lobbies) will add a lemon wedge to the top of a glass of soda; often it's used to differentiate between Diet Coke (gets the lemon) and regular Coke (no lemon).
Does this pose a ...
8
votes
2answers
272 views
Bracha on frozen grape juice
For a cold dessert, I often like to freeze a cup of grape juice and then eat it with a spoon like an Italian ice. What is the appropriate bracha to say before and after eating this delicacy?
8
votes
2answers
310 views
How can people drink 7-11 Slurpees and soda?
There is no real Hechser on 7-11 Slurpees. How do people drink them? Is going on the Star-K's list okay? What about soda from the machine? I found that 7-11 switches the spouts sometimes. So even if ...
8
votes
2answers
386 views
What's the halachic advantage of double (or triple) wrapping food?
I've heard of both double and triple wrapping when it comes to shielding a food item in an oven with regards to Kashrus.
What exactly does double or triple wrapping accomplish that one wrapping ...
8
votes
1answer
86 views
Beracha on Intravenous
There Gemara Berachot 35 says "anyone who enjoys from this world without a Beracha is stealing."
Does one make a Beracha on intravenous feeding?
8
votes
1answer
127 views
What would the beracha be on tree-leaves?
What blessing would one make on leaves from [woody] trees that are routinely eaten? Is it ha'eitz, because they came from a tree? Is it ha-adama, because they're not "fruit" but are vegetative? Is it ...
8
votes
3answers
183 views
Eating before davening Shacharis
Are there any accepted authorities of Halacha that permit a man to eat (i.e., "real" eating such as consuming cake or cereal) before davening Shacharis under "normal circumstances" (i.e., a healthy ...
