I have a bone to pick with the Shura of my masjid. What I have noted is that whenever food is arranged for some kind of event by shura some kind of junk food is served to the kids like pizza. At community picnics burgers and hot dogs are served to the community as a whole , of course halal meat is used for them.
Even for some small scale events for adults , any time the food is supposed to arranged by Shura Pizza , potato chips etc are served.
Should I be raising my voice against this practice. If we emphasize healthy eating to our kids and then we serve junk food are we not giving mixed messages to our kids ?
Does Islam has any concept of healthy eating and avoiding junk food ?
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
I have a bone to pick with the Shura of my masjid. What I have noted is that whenever food is arranged for some kind of event by shura some kind of junk food is served to the kids like pizza. At community picnics burgers and hot dogs are served to the community as a whole , of course halal meat is used for them. Even for some small scale events for adults , any time the food is supposed to arranged by Shura Pizza , potato chips etc are served. Should I be raising my voice against this practice. If we emphasize healthy eating to our kids and then we serve junk food are we not giving mixed messages to our kids ? Does Islam has any concept of healthy eating and avoiding junk food ?
Peace Mirch
My wife will inshaAllah write a fuller reply, but the answer is yes ... 'foul for consumption' ... any way I see your problem but to make things worse or more of a dilemma Muslims have junk food establishments and they are most likely event sponsors also.
It is an education process but before we can effectively wean our youth away from junk we need to wean our elders away from having anything to do with it.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
for you attention . I will look forward to the input by your wife.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
maybe its convenient and cheaper to have pizza and hot dogs than healthy food? idk.
i don't see this as a religious issue but rather of a healthy eating and how to make the ppl in the community aware of it.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
I think Masjid's events are a good way of setting examples for the kids/youth. Mashallah, 'brother mirch' you have brought up a good concern. I think you should bring this up with the Imam of the Mosque or the organizers of such events and see if they can work with something more healthy. Maybe having one such junk food item along with more of healthy stuff can be good too.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
Touchy topic, since you'll end up peeving off the fast food sponsors of the event. However, encourage them to strike deals with muslims in the area who are running food services serving healthier foods. Or you can also ask them to use less oil/sugar in their foods, and provide healthier versions of their foods. And of course, nothing is stopping you from bringing fruits and veggies to events.
I once posted a topic about this in religion forum stating that Islam actually discourages overeating and excess consumption of meats - if you study Islam, you'll see the Prophet really only ate meat when he had to, and didn't overeat in general. I got boo'ed off that topic pretty soon...
Pakistanis love their meat. Its a culture that has to be changed.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
i think as long as the food is "halal", whatever diet one has is thier personal choice and lifestyle.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
Touchy topic, since you'll end up peeving off the fast food sponsors of the event. However, encourage them to strike deals with muslims in the area who are running food services serving healthier foods. Or you can also ask them to use less oil/sugar in their foods, and provide healthier versions of their foods. And of course, nothing is stopping you from bringing fruits and veggies to events.
I once posted a topic about this in religion forum stating that Islam actually discourages overeating and excess consumption of meats - if you study Islam, you'll see the Prophet really only ate meat when he had to, and didn't overeat in general. I got boo'ed off that topic pretty soon...
Pakistanis love their meat. Its a culture that has to be changed.
If fruits , salads , veggies are present with biryani , nihari etc then I have no problem. Even in that case the kids are presented the choice of having pizza or share the main course but I think that is not a good practice.
Now for adults only events if Pizza is there with fruit , vegetables and salads I will not have any problem , but if is composed of pizza , chips and cookies I surely have problem with it.
On the point of me bringing the veggies and fruits, when the Masjid arranges for the food there is no point in me bringing anything to the event. Also the discussion is not about my liking or disliking the discussion is about supplementing or complementing junk food with healthy food and avoiding to give the kids a choice to stuff their stomach with pizza or any other kind of junk food at community programs.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
Pizza is served cause ... well .. kids love them ..
and for growing bodies, they do need lots of carbs and calcium. Pizza has them ...
Pizza is not really a junk or un healthy food, Nihari and Birayni that you mentioned is more un healthy than Pizza.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
May Allah reward you for your sincere thoughts, Mirch bhai.
The harms that junk food does to our bodies and (according to latest research by Americans and Germans experts) now to our brains (learning problems in children) I think the junk food should be stated at least as *makruh*by the scholars based on latest research but oh well....
Complete prohibition of junk food, already meals and fizzy and sugary drinks should be started from the homes and by the parents, although when going on long journeys and trips take aways and junk food can be eaten but thats for once in 2 or 3 months.
For the mosque events I'd say chips and fizzy drinks need to go completely, pizzas, burgers and hot dogs can stay along with salads, fruits, sandwiches and fruit juices. Instead of completely avoiding the junk food, limit it and add different healthy food options and variety in meals.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
Pizza is served cause ... well .. kids love them ..
and for growing bodies, they do need lots of carbs and calcium. Pizza has them ...
Pizza is not really a junk or un healthy food, Nihari and Birayni that you mentioned is more un healthy than Pizza.
Anything(biryani or pizza) cooked in house in good oil is much healthier than fast food(ready frozen pizzas) and hotel meals.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
To be honest, Masjid events should promote Sunnah food so our kids and adults would learn what prophet used to est
Bread, olive oil, honey, Loki/Gosht, dates ..
Some of the Tablighi Bhais, when they do 3 day stay in Masjid, sometimes eat that ..
at least, if not all, a part of the food should be that
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
^If children are not used to eating healthy food [which most of them aren't] than that food would go wasted.
My hubby's sister who's in high school, during ramadan told me that no one likes eating dates in her school, i was kinda sad to hear that and i started buying dates for my little ones in weekly shopping and Alhamdulilah they love eating dates.
Parents need to build eating habits of their children not mosques or community though they can help by providing the info to parents.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
in our jamaats (tabligh) we eat pita bread with honey and cheese.. then for lunch we get seomthing light like tuna salad sandwiches.. then dinner is usually salan roti (ghost) or rice.
getting back on topic. you should raise this issue with the shura, go in their meeting and raise the point or contact someone who is in the shura and talk to them about to represent you..etc inshallah they will agree on it.
most of the times they dont have any other easy alternatives.. pizza is readily available and easy to serve. give them suggestions good ones..
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
I think keeping kids away from the food they have build habit for will be a big problem and next time you will not find them in those gathering. Cause they no longer have habit of eating good healthy food.
The best would be to to serve fruit and salad with the Pizza or Sandwiches. Take out chips completely as they serve no good. Don't take fizzy drinks give them juice or water.
People find it easy to get ready made stuff specially for kids no one bothers to do little extra, just a small change will make difference.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
It is really important that we should all eat healthy food and remain healthy because if you nor fit you can't do much of 'Ibadah. Allah Ta'ala has given this wonderful body and we should take care of it. So from that perspective I agree with sister (is it?) hareem that scholars should give people some kind of fatwa to make it makrooh but again there will be lots of fuss about it among Muslims so maybe it is is better if they do not do it.
I have stopped drinking soda (coke etc) and shortened my other junk food diet. Desi food is not total healthy as well.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
^ seriously! You want a fatwa against pizza?
If you really want it work make it a thinwa
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
^ seriously! You want a fatwa against pizza?
If you really want it work make it a thinwa
Boom Boom
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
Uh, a fatwa against junk food? 
I guess the concept of “personal choice” and “lifestyle” is lost on most Muslims.
Re: Junk Food and Islam.
well food is just food!
as long as its halal no worries about it
islam teaches us to eat how much ur body needs and avoid over eating
its never said that dont eat fatty or unhealthy food but its advised that eat properly dont binge so that u wont feel heavy and wont gain weight and wont get many related health problems
so what not to eat is not an islamic issue at all