Play date faux pas?

[mdsoccermom]

My daughter invited a friend (I will call her Allie) over for a play date. Anyway, the play date included lunch at our home. I made homemade pizza with pepperoni, bacon and cheese (my kids favourite toppings). Anyway, Allie proceeds to pick off all the toppings off her pizza, but eats it without complaint. As I am clearing the dishes, I remember that Allie's family is Jewish! I apologized to her about the pizza toppings and explained that I forgot about their family being Jewish. Allie says "it's o.k., I just don't like pepperoni and bacon". So I am not sure if she just doesn't like bacon or can't eat it due to her religious beliefs.

I know Allie's mother a little bit as our daughters have been in the same class since kindergarten and she has mentioned that they are not very observant, but has never elaborated. I am fairly confident that Allie just doesn't like pizza with pepperoni and bacon, but I am not 100% sure. Do you think I should ask the mother about their eating habits with regards to their faith or do you think it is up to her to mention it beforehand knowing that her child will be eating in our home.

P.S. I hope this doesn't break any disboard rules about discussing religion, as this is not meant to be a religious discussion, just a play date etiquette question.

Not all Jews keep kosher. And if she were kosher, she wouldn't have been able to eat the pizza after picking the stuff off anyway. She's old enough to know what she can and can't eat. If she said she didn't like it, then I would trust that she really didn't like it.

 

[mdsoccermom]

They can. Some choose not to.

One of my very best friends is Jewish (the one in the pic down below) She eats bacon, pork chops, etc. all the time. She makes Bacon Truffles. They're delicious!

Actually, it would be more accurate to say we can't, or that we are not supposed to, but some choose to do so anyway.

 

[MM27]

I teach 4th grade and have had several Muslim children over the years. Every time I was told about food restrictions, it's been from the child, not the parent. I think the girl would've told you if she couldn't have it.

I also believe, if the parent knows that lunch will be served, it is their job to make sure they are clear about what their child can/cannot eat.

 

[aprilgail2]

I would never have put all that stuff on a pizza if anyone other than my kids, who I knew would like that, were eating it.

When DH orders pizza, he has to ask the kids what they like, and what they don't (some LOVE pepperoni, some won't eat the pizza even if you take it off)..

I wouldn't eat the pizza if it had pepperoni on it even if it was taken off because it still has that gross pepperoni taste left behind.

 

[disfan07]

Most Jews who dont eat pork products for religious beliefs wont eat anything that the pork products have touched.

I am Jewish but we definitley do not keep kosher. Heck, one of my favorite foods is a bacon chesseburger....that breaks two of the Jewish dietary laws in one sitting

The only time we follow the Jewish dietary laws is on the major Jewish holidays (Passover, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, etc).

For the most part, IME, a Jewish child whose parents will knowingly permit him to eat in the home of a Gentile is not likely to be from a family which is strict enough about Kashrut to feel really upset about it.

Kind of. Strict about it in THEIR house yes, but they understand that outside of the house it is different. A family I used to babysit for kept Kosher in their house (no milk and meat, no shellfish, all kosher meat, separate dishes, etc). They also did not mix milk and meat when going out. But, they would eat out and at other peoples houses. Most Reform and Conservative Jews who DO keep Kosher (at least any from my past 3 synagogues) would not get upset about it and would let their child eat at another persons house. Orthodox Jews are a whole other story though.

 

[daisyduck123]

My DD would have picked everything except the cheese until she was about 14 YO. I wouldn't worry about this at all. Except, maybe next time, let the guest pick lunch!

Mine is 16yo and still picks the toppings off.

PLAIN CHEESE FOR EVERYONE!
When my kids have friends over, I only order plain cheese pizzas....I don't even ask what toppings everyone likes. There would be just too many different responses.