Nisayan â€“ buying OU food for cheap

ShakleeMom

Wed, Sep 03 2008, 7:08 pm

We are very makpid to use ultra heimish hechshers for our food. Yet, I know we can go to a supermarket and get some basics for a lot cheaper such as ketchup, sauces, cans, pasta, and snacks. Many times it’s even a quarter of the price.

How can I resist – I haven’t stooped yet. I wish I know what the right thing is.

mummiedearest

Wed, Sep 03 2008, 7:12 pm

I think if it's that tempting, you should ask a rav. does makpid here mean minhag, or do you not trust OU's kashrus? based on your post, I assume it's a minhag, so talk to someone knowledgeable in halacha about it. it depends on what the minhag stems from, I imagine.

Fabulous

Wed, Sep 03 2008, 7:33 pm

Actually I think she was referring to different but cheaper meds that wouldn't work as well or expired meds that may do harm because cheaper.

I totally admire you and would have a very hard time too. (our family always ate plain ou etc...) But I did used to wonder about chalav stam, how much better and cheaper things are and now dh does eat it, so I do too.

amother

Wed, Sep 03 2008, 7:54 pm

(Anonymous because I'm Chassidish and maybe should not be saying this.)

I hate to burst your bubble, but often the OU hechsher is better than other Chassidishe hechsherim. They are, without a doubt, much more on-site and careful than others. They may have different minhagim, so you do not buy their milk or meat products, but pareve stuff? I don't think there is any problem in buying stuff like ketchup or cans with an OU.

If you really are tight in money and buying cheaper staples will help your family and the budget, maybe you should do it.

Mrs. XYZ

Wed, Sep 03 2008, 11:57 pm

Quote:

I hate to burst your bubble, but often the OU hechsher is better than other Chassidishe hechsherim.

daamom

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:22 am

And often they are not. Yes, maybe the OU are often more on-site and careful about some things. But they are definitely more lenient about other things. Most, if not all, items that have a heimishe hechsher also have the OU. So you're pretty much ensured that all bases are covered. So even if the OU might be "good enough" for certain foods, the heimishe hechsher is certainly a bonus, taking care of anything that the OU might have been maikel on. How could you say that eating OU is just as good as eating OU + another hechsher?[/quote]

There may be kulos that the OU relies upon, but it's within the realm of halacha, so it's going to be kosher. you can find out for yourself what their shitos are.

Probably the largest problem in the world of kashrus is NOT what the policies of the hashgacha are, but the supervision.

Granted, mistaked are made everywhere, but the ou's supervision is pretty good. Once you find out what their kashrus policies are, you can be assured that (as much as any human being can guarantee) they are being upheld quite well.

A heimishe hechsher may be more machmir on some things, but the supervision may not be as good. I have heard about a chassidish hechsher who had mashgichim working for them who ware not even so knowledgeable about the kashrus laws! This is an area in which you need to do research - far too many people rely on a kashrus symbol that LOOKS good.

catonmylap

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:32 am

As long as you don't see the other food is treif, you are going to have a difficult time with this nisayon.

Every time I see the heter mechira vegetables for a shekel a kilo I want to buy them. If I saw them as "treif," I wouldn't have the temptation.

You need to discuss this chumra with your dh and why you want to keep this(the rationale etc). As long as you don't really believe it's better for your neshama, you are going to have issues. You also need to discuss with your dh and whoever is guiding you to keep this if "financial considerations" mean anything.

Mrs. XYZ

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:41 am

Quote:

There may be kulos that the OU relies upon, but it's within the realm of halacha, so it's going to be kosher.

Yes, kosher. But there are many people who dont want to rely on those kulos.

Quote:

A heimishe hechsher may be more machmir on some things, but the supervision may not be as good.

So that is why I said that a double hechsher- having both OU + another hechsher is the 'safest' way for some.
It is true that many times the heimishe hechsher totally relies on the OU, they just check to make sure that everything is according their standards. They are sort of just giving their ok to the OU.

Ima'la

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 12:43 am

LADIES, PLEASE DO NOT TURN THIS THREAD INTO LASHON HARA ABOUT DIFFERENT HECHSHERIM!

OP, I hear you. If the cost of buying heimishe hechsherim is a strain, can you ask your rav if there are certain products that you can buy OU? Maybe some "less complicated" products would be ok?

If not, try to remember that as Yidden we spend extra money in many areas to be more mehudar. IY"H soon, your DH will hopefully buy a stunning, mehudar esrog, to fulfill the mitzvah of arba minim in the most beautiful way. And while he is doing that, you are being mekayeim the mitzvah of kashrus - and of listening to your rav - in the most mehudar way, with the ketchup that is most mehudar for your family.

Disclaimer: My post was written to give chizuk to OP - not to imply that one shita is objectively better than another. Her rav says to buy heimishe, so that is what is mehudar for her family. I do not mean to imply that s/o who buys OU w/ the haskama of their rav is less mehudar

Whew!

Mrs. XYZ

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 1:27 am

Quote:

There may be kulos that the OU relies upon, but it's within the realm of halacha, so it's going to be kosher.

Yes, kosher. But there are many people who dont want to rely on those kulos.

Quote:

A heimishe hechsher may be more machmir on some things, but the supervision may not be as good.

ShakleeMom

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 3:55 am

About tw years ago, a friend of mine was trying to get a hechsher for her cookies that she manufactures. She got an OU, and some other basics. Then she wanted two big names to attract all varieties of customers. A certain unnamed lace kept denying her application. The third time, she sent it in with an $1800 check and then they mailed her an acceptance letter. Mailed it, get it?

I know that they relied on the OU, clearly. They also relied on her husband’s grey hair. I find it appalling and when you see Twizzlers for less than $1.00 at Wal-Mart, you just get conniptions.

Ruchel

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 4:04 am

ShakleeMom wrote:

You know what's your supposed to do. If you want "ultra heimish", whatever that means (after mehadrin la mehadrin, "ultra heimish"?), you pay the price.

amother

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 5:11 am

ShakleeMom wrote:

My husband says that the hechsherim are $$$$$$$$$$$$$. Of course, some are more careful than others, but you just showed proof that it's about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.

greenfire

Thu, Sep 04 2008, 5:26 am

Ima'la wrote:

Ima'la I just love your disclaimer ... could have been a tad smaller (eye strain makes it more mehudar) and moving about ... in case we can read too much ... Nervous