Halal Foods
Our cafeteria provides halal foods at every meal in the Welles Dining Hall. All Halal foods should be labeled as such. If you need help finding Halal foods, just ask for assistance from one of the dining staff!
Students who are seeking halal foods off-campus have a variety of good options. International Gourmet Pantry (1514 W Michigan Ave) is located just three blocks from campus and provides a variety of halal options. Many restaurants in Kalamazoo provide halal options for dine-in, take-out, and catering: Shawarma King, Cumin Indian, Middle Eastern Appetite, Rasa Ria, Saffron, Bab El Salam, Curry in a Hurry. When ordering, please note that some restaurants have a limited halal menu while others are completely halal.
Dining During Ramadan
Students on the meal plan will have 5 options for obtaining meals during Ramadan:
1) During regular campus dining hours, student may come to the Welles Dining Hall and receive a disposable to-go container. They may pack themselves a meal from all the available options to be taken home and eaten after sunset.
2) Late Night dining options: Late-night pizza is open until 10:30pm seven days a week. Special for Ramadan, at least one hot meal station will be open during late night hours in Welles.
3) The Richardson room is open until 12am (Sunday-Thursday) through the end of the winter term.
4) Robust Breakfast bags will be available in Welles Dining Hall for pick-up from 5pm-10:30pm. We’ve worked with MSA to put together a breakfast menu that includes a variety of delicious items with plenty of calories to sustain students for the day.
5) As always, the Hungry Hornet program will be active during Ramadan. Any student in need of food can secure a free meal from the refrigerator in the Hornet Suite. Special attention is being to make sure there are halal options every day.
Finally, every Monday and Thursday during Ramadan, campus departments host community dinners in the Stetson Cavern.
Kosher Foods
Kalamazoo College does not have a kosher kitchen facility and there are limited kosher options in southwest Michigan. Kosher foods are available year-round in most of our local grocery stores including Meijer, Aldi, and Walmart. During Passover, most stores do extend their offerings and set out special displays. However, supplies tend to be limited and we encourage students to move quickly and not wait until the last moment to purchase need supplies.
During Passover, dining services provides a modified menu of “kosher for Passover” meals in the main cafeteria. Chaplain Candido works with our local Chabad House to provide snacks and treats in the Cavern that are kosher for Passover. Students are able to request Passover basics from the Chaplain and we often do a bulk order before the holiday begins. To learn more, reach out to either Chaplain Candido or to the student executive board of Hillel.
Each Friday of the quarter, challah is provided in the Cavern for students.
Other Considerations
Students who require other dietary accommodations, should make an appointment with Chaplain Candido in Religious and Spiritual Life to discuss how best to meet their needs. Students following dharmic diets should be easily accommodated by current offerings in the Welles Dining Hall and Richardson Room. If students find that the College is not addressing their religious dietary restrictions, please let Chaplain Candido know so that Religious Life can advocate for an appropriate remedy.
Community is fostered around shared meals!
Many religious traditions have guidance about how and what to eat. Beyond that, many students arrive on campus with allergies or lifestyles that limit their ability to eat in large groups. A good interfaith practice is to plan a meal that centers around a vegan option and has vegetarian, gluten free, and other side options. (Think taco bar, lentil soup, curried cauliflower, etc.)
