Are Lays Halal? Which Lays Chips Are Halal?

Are Lays halal? This is a question that many Muslim consumers have when it comes to purchasing snacks and food items.

In this blog post, we will explore the halal status of Lays chips and provide information on the ingredients used in their production. 

Whether you’re a Muslim looking for halal snack options or simply curious about the topic, this post will provide valuable information on the topic of halal Lays chips. So, let’s dive in!

Are Lays Halal?

Yes, original classic lays chips are, indeed, 100% halal. However, the other flavors on offer pose problems for halal people, as they contain whey protein and cheese. When it comes to original lays Chips, the ingredients used to make the chips are not considered to be haram (forbidden) by Islamic law.

According to the Lay’s official website, the only ingredients that can be found in Lay’s potato chips are:

• Potatoes
• Vegetable Oil
• Salt

None of these ingredients are made using animals or animal byproducts. So yes, Lay’s Classic Potato Chips are halal. 

As with most product lines, there are several flavors on offer by the brand and some varieties are halal while others contain animal-derived ingredients.

The only ingredients that could be a concern are the enzymes which are used in the production of cheese.

They are used to aid in the fermentation process, but the source of those enzymes is not always clearly identified.

However, the lays manufacturers has not provided any halal certification for the products, so it’s not clear if the enzymes used are from halal sources or not.

• RECOMMENDED READING: Are Funyuns Halal? What You Should Know

Which Lays Chips Are Halal?

Lays chips do not have any Halal certified snacks. However, the Kosher lists products on their official site is made with no animal enzymes or animal flavors.

After carefully analyzing each flavor available on Lay’s official website, we came across a bunch of flavors that are halal and do not contain ANY animal ingredients, which include:

• LAY’s Classic Potato Chips
• LAY’s BBQ Potato Chips
• LAY’s Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips
• LAY’s Limón Potato Chips
• LAY’s Dill Pickle Potato Chips
• LAY’s Chesapeake Bay Crab Spice Potato Chips
• LAY’s Lightly Salted Potato Chips
• LAY’s Lightly Salted BBQ Potato Chips
• LAY’s Simple Sea Salt Thick Cut Potato Chips
• LAY’s Simply BBQ Thick Cut Potato Chips
• LAY’s Baked Original Potato Crisps
• LAY’s Kettle Cooked Original Potato Chips
• LAY’s Kettle Cooked Reduced Fat Original Potato Chips
• LAY’s Kettle Cooked Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper Potato Chips
• LAY’s Poppables Sea Salt Potato Snacks
• LAY’s Stax Original Potato Crisps
• LAY’s Wavy Original Potato Chips
• LAY’s Wavy Sea Salt & Pepper Potato Chips
• LAY’s Wavy Reduced Fat Orignal Potato Chips
• LAY’s Wavy Lightly Salted Potato Chips

On the flip side of chips, there are also varieties within this list you may be surprised do have cheese and other animal-based flavoring agents.

Here are some of the Lays Potato Chip Flavors that contain cheese:

• Cheddar and Sour Cream Lays
• Chile Limon Lays
• Flamin’ Hot Lays
• Honey BBQ Lays
• Sea Salt and Vinegar Lays
• Sweet Southern Heat Barbeque Lays
• Kettle Cooked Lays Honey Chipotle
• Kettle Cooked Lays Jalapeno
• Kettle Cooked Lays Maui Onion
• Kettle Cooked Lays Mesquite BBQ
• Kettle Cooked Lays Sea Salt and Vinegar

Imam al-Nawawi said in al-Majmu’ (9/68):  

“The ummah has agreed that it is permissible to eat cheese so long as it is not mixed with anything impure, such as adding rennet from a source that is not halal because it was not slaughtered according to shari’ah. This ijma’ (scholarly consensus) is the evidence for its permissibility.”

Conclusion

It’s no secret that Lays potato chips are extremely popular in America. Because of their green packaging and simple yet effective brand messaging, they are one of the most recognisable brands in the world.

If you’re trying to eat healthier but don’t want to give up your favourite foods, Lays chips are a great option!

But are they halal? The short answer is yes—but probably not as you’d think. While it may appear to be a simple question with a simple answer, it can be a little more complicated than that.