Salad - Non-Certified Establishment

OU Kosher

QUESTION: May one eat a salad at non-kosher restaurants while on the road?

ANSWER: Rav Belsky, zt”l ruled that one may absolutely not eat a salad at a non-kosher or vegan restaurant. Here are several of the reasons:

  1. Maris Ayin – eating in a non-kosher restaurant gives the impression that one is doing something forbidden.
  2. The knives used to cut the salad may be soiled from non-Kosher use and that would make the salad non-kosher.
  3. Even if the knives were clean, if they were used to cut ‘sharp’ or spicy vegetables, they will transfer the non-kosher taste from previous usage.
  4. Many vegetables need to be checked for insect infestation in order to be considered kosher.

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The Gerald & Karin Feldhamer OU Kosher Halacha Yomis is dedicated to the memory of Rav Yisroel Belsky, zt"l, who served as halachic consultant for OU Kosher for more than 28 years; many of the responses in Halacha Yomis are based on the rulings of Rabbi Belsky. Subscribe to the Halacha Yomis daily email here.