Bridging Nutrition and Faith: Ensuring Halal Food Access, One Plate at a Time

Bridging Nutrition and Faith: Ensuring Halal Food Access, One Plate at a Time

In today’s age of bite-sized nuggets of information constantly overloading our senses, critical issues that deserve our immediate attention sometimes get swept away. One such pressing issue is that of food insecurity and global hunger.

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization defines food insecurity as the lack of regular access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth, development, and an active, healthy life. Based on this definition, the FAO estimates that in 2023, nearly 733 million people worldwide were impacted by hunger, approximately one in every eleven individuals globally and one in five across the African continent.

Food insecurity is a silent pandemic that doesn’t differentiate

It would be commonplace to associate food insecurity and hunger with third-world and developing countries. However, what’s often considered normal is not always backed by the truth. Food insecurity remains a significant issue in the United States, affecting millions of households, including those with children. According to the ‘Household Food Security in the United States in 2023’ report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approximately 13.5% of households in the U.S. experienced food insecurity. This comes out to around 47.4 million people in the U.S., including 14 million children. The Map the Meal Report 2024 goes so far as to say that children are more likely than adults to suffer from food insecurity, resulting in poor health and long-term behavioral challenges.

Breaking these numbers down further doesn’t make for pleasant reading.

“Among households with children under 18, 17.9% or 6.5 million households in the U.S. were food insecure.”

In 8.9% (3.2 million households in the U.S.), both children and adults experienced food insecurity. Furthermore, approximately 1.0% (374,000 US households) had children who experienced reduced food intake and disrupted eating patterns due to insufficient resources. ​These numbers also show a year-on-year progression, which hints at a lack of, or at the very least, inadequate provisions and checks.

 A growing crisis of access

While comprehensive data on food insecurity among Muslim children specifically is limited, available statistics highlight an even bleaker picture with regards to the broader challenges faced by Muslim communities in accessing adequate and culturally appropriate food. According to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding’s (ISPU) American Muslim Poll 2022: A Politics and Pandemic Status Report,

“10% of Muslims in the U.S. reported “sometimes” or “often” not having enough to eat in the past week, a rate comparable to Black and Hispanic communities.”

Does halal matter?

Behind these jarring numbers lies another dimension often overlooked: the need for food that aligns with specific cultural and religious values. According to data from the US Religious Census, Islam, at 1.34% of the total population of the U.S., is the third-largest religion in the country. According to ISPU, 83% of Muslims in the U.S. prefer a halal diet, which goes beyond mere dietary guidelines and encompasses the ethical treatment of animals, avoidance of certain ingredients, and strict hygiene cleanliness standards. This isn’t a matter of preference; it’s a matter of necessity.

When these socio-religious obligations are not met, vulnerable families, especially children in school settings where such options are limited, often face an impossible choice. One that makes them choose between violating their faith or going hungry. Health experts point out that such choices have dire consequences, with poor nutrition, in particular, often triggering a lifetime of setbacks—from poor academic performance to long-term health issues and social marginalization.

Illinois takes a bold step

At its core, the issue is one of acknowledgement and religious/cultural inclusion. A historic turning point arrived on March 28, 2025, when Illinois became the first state in the U.S. to require public schools, hospitals, and other state-run facilities to provide halal and kosher meal options upon request. Known as the “Faith by Plate Act,” this legislation reflects a growing understanding that access to culturally and religiously appropriate meals is a matter of equity, not luxury.

The “Faith by Plate Act” which was signed into law by Governor JB Pritzker, was a combined effort by multiple diverse parties, all with a single goal, to ensure Illinois, which has the country’s highest per capita Muslim population, to have more access to halal food options at public schools and institutions. IFANCA^® (Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America) supported State Senator Ram Villivalam, who was the lead sponsor of the bill, along with the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, helping to secure the bill’s passage in both houses. Under the new law, schools and state agencies no longer decide if halal is “important enough” to warrant a menu item; they must now ensure it’s available.

IFANCA — making halal compliance second nature for institutions

Since its inception in 1982, IFANCA’s central focus has been enhancing access to halal products for those requiring them. With over four decades of experience, the organization is a leader in setting and upholding the best practices in halal certification. The IFANCA team, composed of industry experts and scholars in Islamic jurisprudence, has developed standards that have undergone extensive review and are widely endorsed by Islamic scholars and the practicing Muslim community.

IFANCA’s reach extends well beyond Illinois, collaborating with more than 70 countries across the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries to maintain standards of cleanliness, ethical sourcing, and transparency. In the U.S., IFANCA has funded educational programs at places like Texas A&M University, focusing on ethnic and faith-based food systems. It also supports a permaculture garden at Zaytuna College that blends Islamic ethics with environmental stewardship.

IFANCA has also initiated pioneering projects in public institutions such as universities, correctional facilities, and food banks. It published the Handbook for Halal Campus Dining Food Service Programs, a comprehensive guide that provides best practices for institutional compliance with halal standards. Their impact is evident in major initiatives, such as collaborations with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), Alliance to End Hunger, and food banks in Pennsylvania and Delaware, where they help distribute halal-certified products to diverse communities.

These projects aren’t just about checking boxes; they’re about shaping a new generation of leaders who appreciate how religious practices, ethical considerations, and sound environmental policies intersect.

A roadmap for inclusive food security

As the global hunger crisis intensifies, inclusive policies become increasingly urgent. Studies show that, in addition to short-term effects such as insufficient nutrition, social exclusion, and psychological distress, unchecked food insecurity among children can lead to poor academic performance, reduced life expectancies, and socio-economic marginalization.

“By showing that large institutions can incorporate halal-friendly systems at scale, Illinois’ example offers a blueprint for others grappling with food insecurity among Muslim populations.”

When states or organizations integrate faith-based dietary requirements into their offerings, they take a meaningful step toward inclusive and dignified access to nutrition.

Halal certification, in this context, is more than a religious seal of approval. It’s a powerful framework for addressing hunger in a way that respects cultural identity and ethical principles. With the right leadership and collaboration, initiatives like the Faith by Plate Act can be replicated everywhere, from bustling cities to remote refugee camps—anywhere people need both sustenance and a sense of belonging.

References:

1. S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service. Household Food Security in the United States in 2023. Economic Research Report no. ERR‑337. https://doi.org/10.32747/2024.8583175.ers
2. Feeding America. Map the Meal Gap Report 2024. Washington, DC: Feeding America. https://www.feedingamerica.org/research/map-the-meal-gap.
3. Alliance to End Hunger. 2023. Faith-Based Approaches to Ending Hunger: Leveraging Faith, Advocacy, and Action. https://alliancetoendhunger.org/resources/faith-based-approaches/
4. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2023. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2023: Urbanization, agrifood systems transformation and healthy diets across the rural–urban continuum. Rome: FAO. https://www.fao.org/publications/sofi/2023/en/
5. Illinois General Assembly. Public Act 103-1076, SB 0457. 103rd General Assembly, 2025. Accessed July 3, 2025. https://www.ilga.gov/Documents/Legislation/PublicActs/103/PDF/103-1076.pdf.
6. Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). 2022. American Muslim Poll 2022: A Politics and Pandemic Status Report. https://www.ispu.org/american-muslim-poll-2022/
7. Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America (IFANCA). n.d. Handbook for Halal Campus Dining Food Service Programs. https://www.ifanca.org/
8. S. Religion Census. 2020. Religious Congregations and Membership Study. https://www.usreligioncensus.org/

Muhammad Yahya is an MPA graduate from Northern Illinois University and the Program Associate at IFANCA. With a sociology background and public administration experience, he focuses on strategic analysis, community engagement, and advocacy for inclusive policies.