I have a fondness for bars — my KIND bars are the bane of my snacking existence and I love experimenting with new flavors and new favorites. When I found out Fiber One had new bars in a birthday cake flavor, I scribbled them on our monthly grocery list.

Unfortunately, scouring through the groceries later, I didn’t come upon any brownies. My irate inquiries were answered with a shrug: “I couldn’t find them on Scan Halal.”

It might not be common knowledge but as a Muslim, I have some specific dietary requirements; my food has to be “Halal” which means free from animal and alcohol products; it’s similar to kosher but not enough that we can eat anything marked with the Kosher “K.”

Apps like Scan Halal and nonprofit websites have made it easier for us to discern between what is and isn’t Halal but there are still numerous food items that we can only ever gaze longingly at because they haven’t been entered in these apps’ or sites’ databases — food products from small, local brands, or newer food items or items exclusive to a certain area or even items that are freshly made in a shop’s own kitchen or bakery.

There are approximately 3.3 million Muslims in America, where Islam is the third largest religion after Christianity and Judaism. With so many Muslims, I believe food brands could seriously benefit by officially certifying their Halal foods as Halal.

Of course, there is always the legal ramifications to be considered and some brands may decide that officiating the Halal status of their foods is a burden that they would be unlikely to profit by.

But, for the sizable Muslim community in this nation, it would be a blessing to see the “H” symbol on packages and know at a glance whether the food meets our dietary restrictions or not.

Besides serving as a gesture of goodwill and religious acceptance, marking food with the Halal symbol will allow many Muslims, who currently must exercise extreme caution in their food choices, to buy from a more diverse array of foodstuff rather than relying mostly on our own cultural and international food markets.

As for the lady who gives me odd looks as I stop in the grocery store to painstakingly get my app to scan an item’s barcode, I’m doing what I can with what I have.

Hopefully, someday soon, grocery shopping won’t be as laborious a task and I might be able to have my favorite bar without worrying.