Although there are people who may feel comfortable with eating cold foods such as hummus or sliced carrots on non-kosher plates, others will only consume store-bought products with specific kosher labels on single-use dishes. Unless what you know is on the contrary the safest thing you can do is assume that your guests maintain the utmost level of kosher observance.
Check out these tips to remember if you are planning to invite kosher guests to your non-kosher household.
- Before you even go through the trouble of preparing anything, you might want to consult first with your guests to make sure they are comfortable eating any dish you are planning to prepare. Even raw veggies, which are basically kosher, can be debatable in certain communities, so it would be best to always check before you prepare. Make sure you also serve the foods on disposable dishes.
- Introduce your kosher guests to your kitchen. It allows them to check the kosher label on the cookie box that can boost their comfort zone. This will also let them lend you a hand that will be good not only for them but also for you as the host. This will also ensure success in certain tricky cases. For example, only those with experience in keeping kosher may notice that the mayonnaise, despite being kosher, actually contains dairy ingredients, which means it cannot be added to meat sandwiches.
- Purchase and use disposable plates, cups, and cutlery. Everything you do to the kosher food must be done using disposable products. You should also use a disposable knife or even a brand new one instead of your non-kosher knife for cutting. Grab a pack of cheap cutting mats if you are not ready to invest in a brand-new cutting board then hand wash it using a new sponge.
- Purchase products at stores with kosher labels on them that can be prepared and served cold such as baked goods, cheese, deli meat, crackers, bread, and the like. Ensure that the products are sealed in their original packages until the arrival of your guests. This way, you will be able to determine directly if your guests feel comfortable with using your dishes and serving utensils, or if would rather use disposables.
- You can either buy parve or dairy products or purchase parve and meat products. Avoid buying and serving your kosher guests some meat and some dairy since the Jewish dietary laws forbid mixing meat and dairy.
- Fresh whole fruit, the majority of raw vegetables such as Persian cucumbers, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, raw nuts, tea, and coffee are usually considered suitable for kosher diners, even with no certification.
- Most importantly, observe the right attitude. When you are resentful about making an extra effort, your guests will feel this resentment and will find it hard to enjoy the food. Always treat the kosher needs of your guests like you would any other important dietary needs.
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