Piloting an Adapted Halal Food Assessment Tool in Chittenden County, Vermont

Objective: The tools used to measure food accessibility and food insecurity need to reflect the growing diversity of the United States. A lack of cultural acceptability is prevalent in food insecure populations. Researchers must rethink the "American diet" that many tools are based upon. The purpose of this study was to pilot an adapted food assessment tool that complies with Islamic dietary laws. Methodology: Cross-content analysis of the Winooski School District Cookbook was used to develop a nutritional assessment tool that catered to the Burlington and Winooski communities while adhering to Halal guidelines as set by the Muslims in Dietetics and Nutrition (MIDAN) Toolkit. The tool was adapted from the Nutritional Environmental Measures Survey in Stores (NEMS-S) and the Somerville Food Assessment, which is a recent adaption of NEMS-S. After development, the tool was used to assess 30 retailers in the community across four different store types: Convenience, Chain, Niche, and Ethnic. Analysis: Bread, Milk, and Halal Animal Protein were analyzed across store types. Prices and availability of each food product were assessed and compared to concerning the other store types. Results: Chain/Niche stores had more items stocked compared to the other store types. Ethnic food stores were more likely to have Halal animal protein. Convenience stores were usually more expensive than the other store types. Future Research: To become a more comprehensive tool, the Halal Food Assessment could be expanded to include access to public transportation, the acceptability of food assistance programs, the overall freshness of produce, etc. Key Words: food access, cultural acceptability, food insecurity, food retail, nutritional assessment, Halal, diversity, alternative diets