J&M® Foods first achieved halal certification in 1995. President Mary Anne Jackson relates, “In 1995 My Own Meals, Inc. created its J&M Food Products Company division to focus solely on the development of the halal and zabiha halal prepared meals market. All of the products produced, marketed, and sold by J&M meet strict halal Islamic standards.”

J&M started out with ten meals that were strictly halal-certified; four of which were vegetarian meals. In 2002, they began offering the four vegetarian meals to the United States military as well as offering shelf stable meals in pouches to the market. Two new lamb meals were added in 2004, bringing the total halal-certified meal offering to seventeen (see below).

As to why J&M chose IFANCA as their halal certifier, Jackson says, “They were the best and most reputable. They were concerned about the proper production of the meals as halal. Some other certifiers were willing to accept meat not slaughtered by a Muslim and still claim it to be zabiha. With IFANCA, we have onsite trained Islamic inspectors/supervisors watching over all aspects of production and packaging, including inspecting all equipment for cleanliness before every production run. When consumers buy J&M products, they know they are getting a product that is authentically halal.”

J&M brand meals can be ordered directly from the J&M website (www.halalcertified.com), while My Own Meal® brand meals can be ordered from www.myownmeals.com. Recently, the brands have also been made available at Perdesi Grocery in Glendale Heights, Illinois. All halal-certified products bear the Crescent-M logo on the package. Jackson says, “We want everyone to know that we care and that the quality of our halal is high.”

As to what it took to get halal certification, Jackson says, “We had to help create the halal market in the US. Finding halal-certified ingredients was a challenge.”

 

In 1996, Mary Anne Jackson and J&M® Food Products Company created the United States military’s halal ration program, MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), under a defense contract. In addition to meeting the needs of our Muslim service men and women, they also made it possible to help our country train foreign militaries, provide relief to those affected by natural disasters such as in Pakistan, and provide humanitarian relief such as in Fallujah.

Since then, J&M meals are also available to institutions including hospitals, universities, and prisons so that people who cannot shop can still get properly halal-certified meals.

 

For further information visit:

www.halalcertified.com

www.myownmeals.com

 

Got a question?

Call 847-948-1290

Or email:

sales@halalcertified.com

halalcertified@sbcglobal.net

 

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The J&M® and My Own Meal® Product Offering:

J&M® Lamb & Lentil Stew

J&M® Old World Stew

J&M® Lamb & Barley stew

J&M® Vegetarian Stew

J&M® Beef Stew – 8 oz foil pouch

J&M® Florentine Lasagna

J&M® Beef Stew – 10 oz tray

J&M® Pasta with Garden Vegetables

J&M® Cheese Tortellini

My Own Meal® Cheese Tortellini

J&M® Chicken & Noodles

My Own Meal® Pasta with Garden Vegetables

J&M® Chicken & Black Beans

My Own Meal® Vegetarian Stew

J&M® Chicken Mediterranean

My Own Meal® Florentine Lasagna