Convenience stores are the easiest places to grab daily snacks. However, options for Muslim travelers are still quite limited, especially when it comes to finding savory snacks.
Recently, though, we discovered some savory snacks that are relatively safe for Muslim travelers! Save this post if you would like to try these snacks during your trip to Japan.
Where can we get these snacks?
Lawson is one of the three major convenience store chains in Japan. They have a sub-brand called “Natural Lawson,”which focuses on offering healthier and safer products for customers. As this brand has grown in popularity, some Natural Lawson products are now also available at regular Lawson stores.
In the snack section, you’ll notice a shelf with red-colored packages—these are products from Natural Lawson. If you take a closer look, you’ll find that some of them are labeled “plant-based.”
However, please note that in Japan, “plant-based” does not always mean suitable for Muslims, as some products may still contain alcohol. After checking the labels, we found the following items that do not list alcohol as an ingredient.
Plant-based Polvoron (both Maple and Roasted soybean and brown sugar syrup)
Plant-based strawberry and coconut biscuits
Tomato and basil grissini
Polvoron is a soft, crumbly biscuit, while grissini are savory stick-shaped snacks similar to Pocky. These products are not Halal-certified, so there is a possibility that alcohol may have been used in the production process. However, since they are confirmed to be plant-based, many Muslims may consider them relatively safe to consume.
How is the taste?
Sometimes, “plant-based” snacks don’t sound very appealing when it comes to taste—but these were actually quite good! The Polvoron, in particular, has a soft texture and comes in a Shingen Mochi flavor.
Shingen Mochi is a traditional sweet from the Mt. Fuji area, known for its rich brown sugar syrup and roasted soybean powder. This soft cookie beautifully captures that nostalgic Japanese flavor!
Since real Shingen Mochi has a short shelf life, Polvoron makes a perfect souvenir to take home from Japan. Each snack costs around 200 yen (about USD 1.50).
Consume at your own risk!
As these products are not Halal-certified, there is a small possibility that they may contain ingredients that are not suitable according to your beliefs.
Please check the labels carefully before purchasing to ensure they do not contain alcohol, or contact Natural Lawson directly for more information about their production process.