NetCost Market: Kosher Now Open in Queens!

For observant Jews, keeping the laws of Shabbat and eating a kosher diet are a part of following traditional Jewish law. Even if you’re a secular Jew, you may decide to keep kosher as a matter of taste, tradition, identity, or health.

What Does it Mean to Keep Kosher?

According to Jewish law, keeping kosher involves following three basic principles:

• Avoid eating non-kosher animals. Non-cloven-hoofed animals (such as pigs), predator or scavenger birds (including gulls, owls, and hawks), and fish without fins and scales (shellfish) are all off-limits.
• Avoid eating meat and dairy products together.
• Only eat meat that has been drained of blood and slaughtered in a certain way.

Examples of kosher foods include:

• Cow, sheep, goat, and lamb, as long as the meat comes from the forequarters of the animal
• Domesticated fowl, including chicken, turkey, quail, and geese
• Scaly fish, including tuna, salmon, halibut, and mackerel
• Eggs that come from kosher fowl or fish, as long as they don’t have traces of blood in them
• Dairy products, such as milk, cheese, butter, and yogurt—provided that they stem from a kosher animal and are not mixed with meat-based derivatives
• Unprocessed fruits and vegetables
• Grains and bread that are processed with kosher ingredients
• Nuts and seeds and the oils derived from them, as long as they are not cross-contaminated with non-kosher meat or dairy products

During Passover in the spring, different rules apply. For instance, all leavened grain products are traditionally forbidden, including wheat, oats, rye, barley, and spelt. Still, some of these grains may be permitted if they don’t contain yeast, including matzo, which is usually made from wheat.

Kosher Symbols

Many processed foods sold in North America are labeled with certain symbols to indicate that they are appropriate for observant Jews to consume. These include a U inside a circle and a K inside a triangle, among other approved symbols. Some people play it safe and only purchase food with these symbols. Others may decide to eat products without kosher symbols after reading the ingredients list and determining that they are kosher.

Shopping for Kosher Food

Are you looking for a place to stock up on kosher ingredients or prepared meals? Stop by NetCost Market in Queens (97-10 Queens Blvd., Rego Park, NY 11374). We recently expanded to add a kosher-only section to our store, which is fully certified and sanctioned by the overseeing rabbis. Some of our products include kosher salami, chicken and turkey franks, cheese balls, crepes, chocolates, and much more.

Choose NetCost Market for all your kosher needs! Over the past 20 years, we have remained committed to helping our customers save time and money while offering food selections from around the world. We’re proud to be a local supermarket with a global reach. Plus, with online shopping and grocery delivery options now available, we can bring your kosher ingredients straight to your door. Shop with us today!