WHAT HALALPAK IS ALL ABOUT?

Assalamu alaikum, Alhamdulillah I finally initiated this blog project that I have been planning to do for a long time. My goal in this HaIaIPAK blog is to share our knowledge, our opinion and information with my Muslim sisters and brothers about the Halal Products & Services in North America. Trying to have a Halal lifestyle in a non-Muslim country has a lot of challenges. I know many Muslims in North America are struggling to take all the right steps in their daily lives. I know many sisters have a lot of questions about the food we eat, about the publications we read, about the programs we watch, about how to raise our kids in a non-Muslim society etc. I hope this blog will be an environment that we exchange knowledge, share information, experience and learn how to live in a Halal way together. I also hope this blog will serve as a tool to create more Halal awareness among non-Muslims. When my husband and I attended food shows in Chicago and met with American Food manufacturers there to discuss Halal Food ingredients, they told us that they do not receive enough calls concerning Halal Food ingredients. That unfortunately shows us that as Muslims we do not do enough to create that Halal awareness. It is a long-term goal to achieve to develop "Halal Consciousness" about any type of products and services that we consume as Muslims but it is not impossible. We started seeing some Halal Certified products on the shelves but it is not enough. Consumer Behavior of Muslims is extremely important for the developing Muslim Market in North America. If we like to see more Islamic Magazines, Books, Audios, Videos, and Halal Certified products, we have to be keen on our own regulations rather than being regulated by someone else. Developing the awareness of Halal prod­ucts and services is utmost important task for every Muslim family member. It is very crucial for us to call and find out about the ingredients American companies use in their products. Every phone call they receive is recorded and reported to the management. The more phone calls they receive from Muslims, the better they will recognize the Halal require­ments. Inshallah I will try to add as many posts as possible every week. Please help me to make this blog an interactive one with your comments.