What are the basics of kosher?

  • Only some animals are kosher, such as cows, sheep, chicken, and certain fish
  • Animals and birds must be slaughtered in a specific way and their blood removed
  • Meat and dairy are never combined
  • Insects are never eaten
  • Even traces of non-kosher must be avoided, and meat and dairy are cooked and prepared with separate dishes and utensils.

Read: Guidelines for Household Help in a Kosher Kitchen

What makes food kosher?

If food contains no traces of non-kosher ingredients and was prepared in a kosher kitchen, following kosher laws, it is kosher.

Browse: Kosher Symbols

How do I know which food is kosher?

Certain raw fruits and vegetables are always kosher, provided they have no insects in them. Processed kosher foods are often labeled with a symbol of a certifying agency.

Read: Do Packaged Frozen Veggies Require Certification?

Who eats kosher food?

Kosher laws are mandated in the Torah (Jewish bible) and expounded upon in the Talmud (oral law). They are thus binding on all Jewish people.

Read: Who Are the Jews?

Which animals are kosher?

Land animals that chew their cud and have split hooves—such as cows, sheep, and goats—are kosher. Certain birds—such as chickens, ducks, and turkeys—are kosher as well.

Read: What Are the Signs of a Kosher Bird?
Read: Which Animals Are Kosher?

What makes meat kosher?

Meat is kosher if:

  • It is slaughtered following the shechitah procedure by a qualified shochet
  • Blood has been removed by salting and soaking the meat
  • It was prepared by a Jewish person using kosher utensils
  • It was not mixed with dairy or any unkosher foods

Read: Buying Kosher Meat

How to keep a kosher kitchen?

Some basics of keeping a kosher kitchen:

  • Only kosher food is ever allowed to be cooked or served
  • Meat and dairy are kept completely separate, often in different areas
  • A Jewish person is involved in the food prep and supervises all that goes on.

Read: What Is a Kosher Kitchen?

Which fish are kosher?

Fish that have fins and scales are kosher if they are prepared in a kosher environment. Common examples are salmon, carp, whitefish, tuna, and trout. Fish do not have to be ritually slaughtered.

Read: Buying Kosher Fish

Are eggs kosher?

Eggs from kosher birds such as chickens are kosher. Note that blood is not kosher, so all eggs must be checked for blood spots.

Read: Kosher Eggs

Why does kosher matter?

Healthy food is good for the body; kosher food is good for the Jewish soul. Through eating only kosher, Jews live in accordance with G‑d’s will and nourish their souls.

What is glatt kosher?

Only animals deemed healthy according to Jewish law are kosher. After slaughter, the lungs are checked to ensure that they contain no lesions. Animals with smooth lungs are known as “glatt,” which is Yiddish for smooth. This term has come to refer to food that is kosher according to the highest standards.

Read: What Does “Glatt Kosher” Mean?

Is all dairy kosher?

Milk from kosher cows, goats, or sheep is kosher, provided it has not been mixed with meat or processed with anything non-kosher. The sages decreed that a Jew must be present during milking to ensure that only milk of kosher animals is included. This is known as chalav Yisrael.

Read: Kosher Dairy Products

Can Meat and Dairy Be Eaten in One Meal?

No. After eating meat, six hours must elapse before dairy may be eaten. After most dairy, meat may be eaten much sooner, depending on exact custom.

Read: Why Wait Six Hours?