What foods can Jews eat and what foods can Jews not eat?

Answer 1

In addition to the regular laws of keeping kosher, matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten during Passover, while leavened foods such as bread, cake, cookies, cereal and pasta are forbidden. Some also avoid legumes.See also:

More about Passover

Answer 2

The basic commandment:

On passover, Jews are commanded not to eat (or own, or have in their property)what's called "hammetz" - חמץ, which means anything that includes at least one of the "five grains" (wheat, barley, spelt, rye and oat) that after it was picked - was wet with water, and not fully baked within 18 minutes.

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Over the years, variois customs developed regarding this prohibition. some Jews don't eat fully baked matza (flour and water, fully baked within 18 minutes of first wetting the flour) that got wet AFTER it was baked (-this tradition is known as it's Yiddish name - "gebruchs", literally meaning "broken"). some won't eat a group of other grains (called kitniyot - קטניות) for several reasons, and there are many other restrictions that different groups accepted upon themselves to prevent a possibility of getting into a situation of eating hammetz.

Answer 3

They must eat kosher foods as listed in the Torah (see Deuteronomy ch.14). These are explained in detail in the Talmud-volume of Chullin. Additionally, food must be prepared and handled following kashrut-laws and with kosher ingredients only. Processed foods should be labeled as having had kosher supervision during their processing.

Answer 4

In order to be kosher, food has to be prepared according to the kosher-laws (see Deuteronomy ch.14). These are explained in detail in the Talmud-volume of Chullin.
* Meat must be from those land animals which have split hooves and chew their cud (such as beef, venison and mutton).
Fish have to have scales and fins. Shellfish are not kosher.
Birds cannot be among those listed as forbidden in the Torah (Deuteronomy ch.14) and cannot be hunters/scavengers. In actual practice, today we eat only those species concerning which we have a tradition that they're permitted, such as domestic chicken, geese, pigeons and turkey.

* Animals must be slaughtered in the manner specified by Jewish law and must be free of all disease. In actual practice, those who keep kosher purchase meat which is certified as having been prepared in the kosher manner.
As much blood as possible must be removed from meat before cooking, since consumption of blood is forbidden (Leviticus ch.17). This is done at home or by the kosher butcher, through salting, soaking and rinsing.

* Dairy and meat cannot be combined in the same meal and there's a waiting period between eating one and then the other. After dairy: 1/2 hour. After meat: 6 hours for most Jewish communities.

* Fruits and vegetables should be checked to be sure they're free of bugs. Some Jews avoid cauliflower, asparagus, and the like, because of the difficulty in checking them.

Additionally, food must be prepared and handled following kashrut-laws and with kosher ingredients only. Processed foods should be labeled as having had kosher supervision during their processing. Any food that does not meet these requirements cannot be eaten by those who are religiously observant Jews.

See also the Related Links.

Link: Could you give me a list of kosher and non-kosher types of fish?

Link: Why do some Jews not keep kosher?

Link: The use of rennet