Many Muslim students at the University of Arizona find it challenging to find food that meets their dietary needs. Those who follow halal standards – eating only foods and drinks allowed by Islamic law – experience daily challenges that can impact their health, time and overall college experience.

“Usually, I cannot find halal food that meets my dietary needs on campus, so I just eat veggies or fish here on campus,” said Malika Mamurjonova, a UA student. “If I don’t find anything to eat, I go home and spend time cooking. But I would prefer spending my time on my studies, especially in exam seasons.”

Halal food must come from a lawful source, animals must be slaughtered in the name of God and in a specific, humane manner, and it must not contain pork, alcohol or any ingredients derived from them.

Across UA’s sprawling campus, dining venues serve a range of international cuisines such as Mexican, Indian and Chinese – but halal-certified options are notably absent.

Santana Madero, who studies engineering management, said a lack of readily available halal options on campus can add time and hassle to her day.

“I don’t find halal options as far as I know near campus. I usually have to go without eating during the day, or I have to bring my own food, which is kind of hard to pack every day since I am on campus the whole day long,” she said. “I would be fine with anything, any cultural food as long as it meets halal standards.”

Manar Alsaadi, a pharmacy student, added that the lack of options for students like her sometimes has physical consequences.

“I honestly sometimes end up having headaches, then I have to leave the class and go back home to eat,” she said.

Halal options are available in select dining locations on campus and the university has made efforts to increase accessibility, according to a written statement from UA Dining Services.

“The current state of halal food options available on the UA campus is varied, including numerous vegetarian options. Saffron Bites provides halal-certified chicken in their meat-based dishes. We also identify items that are halal friendly, meaning they do not contain haram (impermissible) ingredients like alcohol, pork and its byproducts, uncertified animal products, and vanilla,” the statement said. 

Sourcing halal ingredients poses challenges and demand for those items is “irregular,” Dining Services said in the statement, but added that there has been an uptick in requests for halal food on campus recently. 

Despite those efforts, some students still feel the university needs to pay more attention to their dietary needs.

“I think U of A is not the best at recognizing the religious significance of halal food. Many students don’t even know what halal food is,” said Angelina Altunyan, a computer science student and recent convert to Islam.

“It would be amazing if there was a halal option at like Cactus Grill on campus, as it is a buffet-style place to eat, which a lot of people love,” she said. “Buffet style is the best because it can be customized, and you can choose anything you want.”

The student-led Muslim Students Association (MSA) advocates for Muslim students on campus. Next year, the group will add a new position on their board dedicated to pushing for more halal options at the UA, said MSA President Mahmoud Srour. 

The group also regularly hosts events with halal meals. 

“We try to support the Muslim community with our welcome dinners and potluck days. And we offer halal food at all of our dinner nights,” he said. “We offer free halal food every Ramadan.”

Those meals are sponsored by students and community members. 

“Halal is not only about what you eat, but also how animals are treated during slaughter,” he added. 

A halal process requires that animals undergo minimal suffering, for example avoiding electrocution and other common slaughter practices, as well as “the recitation of the name of Allah during the sacrifice,” he said. 

As Muslim students continue to navigate their daily routines with limited food choices on campus, some say they’re hopeful that growing awareness and conversations about the needs of Muslim students will lead to improvements. 

“I would be so thankful for any halal food options that we can have,” Madero said.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.