Keeping things separate

The ban on eating meat and milk together goes back to the biblical commandment not to cook a kid in its mother’s milk. Kashrut therefor does not allow meat to be cooked or eaten with dairy products such as butter, cream, or cheese.

Over the centuries, this ban has been subject to increasingly strict interpretations, which has resulted in the common practice today of using separate pots, dishes, table linen, and even separate sinks and refrigerators for milk and meat foods.

Not meat, not milk

In addition to milk and meat, there are neutral foods called pareve that include fruit, vegetables, eggs, and fish. These foods can be prepared and eaten with either meat or dairy products.