All Muslims don't want curry!

United Airlines offers Muslim meals, but they are the same or very much like the Hindu vegetarian meal. Can United broaden the selection or is the reader stuck?

Not all Muslims want curry as their special meal on the airplane.

In case you missed it in the Discussions area, reader tebuan pointed out that the Muslim meals he gets on United Airlines look more like Hindu vegetarian meals, and are less appealing to him than some of the standard meals - which he would have found both acceptable and enjoyable.

The menus for Special Meals on United Airlines include this description of the Muslim meal:

"Muslim meals

"Below are the guidelines United follows when preparing Muslim meals.

"Prohibited

"Pork, sausages, alcohol, eel, animal fats

"Allowed

"Fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt, nuts, rice, corn, pasta, eggs, herbs and spices, cheese and dairy products, dried beans and peas. If locally available, poultry is slaughtered according to the specified Halal methods."

Tebuan mentioned that the regular meal on one of his flights was salmon with green beans. There is no mention of fish in the United list above, other than that eels are not allowed. tebuan says he could have eaten the salmon meal.

In fairness to United, they offer quite a diversity of meals. It appears that what they might be able to use is an advisor who can tell them how to broaden the selection.

In the case of Special Meals on Air Canada the airline's website doesn't tell the details of what the actual Muslim meal contains.

As a non-Muslim, I was curious about what sort of guidance might be available to caterers. One article I found is intended for Muslim weddings where the caterers are not Muslims. In Birmingham, England, the Local Education Authority has put out a booklet of Official Guidelines in Meeting the Religious and Cultural Needs of Muslim Children, which includes a section on Meals, and an Appendix about the careful handling of Halal meat.

Neither of these is really specific enough to use as a planning document for a caterer, although each is a good general starting point if one is working on a team where Muslim friends are available to help!

"Why Halal is not Vegetarian Diet" is more specific about some of the dietary rules of Islam, and also mentions tebuan's original point about United Airlines serving a Hindu vegetarian meal to those requesting the Muslim meal.

During my brief foray into researching this topic, I came across different interpretations of the dietary rules in Islam, which made me wonder whether there is one authoritative source to turn to. I confess, I started to have some sympathy with the meal planners at United! It's not that the dietary rules are difficult, but some of the minor ingredients in some food products could be problematic for strict observers. No wonder the meal planners take a conservative route. However, that doesn't let the airline off the hook altogether.

It would be lovely if the airline could either tell the passenger in advance what the meal will be, so he can choose. Or, perhaps they could carry a few "spares" of the regular meal for those who are able to eat it, even if they have ordered a special meal. But that would be a cost and we passengers are the ones who pay the costs, so it probably wouldn't be a popular suggestion.

I know people criticize airplane food, and often for good reason. However, I have had some nice meals while flying (not always, but sometimes); it's often just the luck of the draw.

What do you think is the answer to tebuan's dilemma? He can't change airlines - it's his company's policy to use United. Should he sit there with his curried vegetables and rice, or should he ask for the regular meal instead of the special one he ordered? What are the chances he would be allowed to substitute?