For any event being planned, it is always a requirement that everyone be given food of his or her preference. However, because of the vast number of diets and diseases that are related to improper meals, it becomes very challenging to start.
Even acknowledging these constraints goes a long way in creating a menu that can be enjoyed by one and all. In this article, the focus will be on the main dietary restrictions and ways how to make a celebration good for everyone.
What Are Dietary Restrictions?
A diet is a restrictive set of rules that individuals must adhere to, concerning the allowed and prohibited types of food. Such restrictions may be due to the specific allergy, health issues, religious matters, or individual preferences.
Some common dietary restrictions are:
- Eggs.
- Milk.
- Tree nuts.
- Wheat.
- Peanuts.
- Soy.
- Fish.
- Shellfish.
These are special requirements that should be addressed to cater to all guests’ needs and let them have a proper meal during the event.
Before proceeding to it, it is wise to use a dietary restrictions survey to ensure that you are on the right side. This is a simple format that helps you get some of the required details from your guests before the occasion to enable you to cook meals to their liking.
Common Dietary Restrictions: What You Need to Know
Menu planning is therefore essential to have at least a general impression of the dietary restrictions when planning the menu to be used to feed all the guests. A gluten-free diet is required when there are several individuals with intolerance or sensitivity to gluten which is a protein in wheat, barley, and rye. For such guests, it will be necessary to have substitute foods like rice, quinoa, or corn meals for the particular meals.
Exclusion of dairy products can be helpful for people with intolerance to milk sugar or people with dairy product allergies. Surprisingly, it is safe and possible to give these guests plant-based milk like almond or soy milk to use in their meals.
Another common problem is nut allergies and they are quite severe. All foods involving nut products must be correctly labelled while there should be no nuts available to prevent a mishap.
Some guests may have dietary restrictions in terms of avoiding certain types of food products or altogether as seen with vegetarian or vegan guests who do not consume meat products or animal products in VB’s case respectively. Adding a range of meals, where at least some of them contain enough plant-based ingredients, guarantees satisfying options for guests.
And some guests may adhere to halal or kosher dietary laws, which involve specific food preparation methods in line with Islamic or Jewish practices. Offering halal or kosher-certified dishes can help meet these needs.
Finally, the meals are suitable for patients with diabetes and hypertension, as they contain low sodium and low sugar foods. Not using salt to season the foods and not using sugars in preparing the dishes means that those guests do not have to compromise on the nutritional value of the foods they are taking.
How to Conduct a Dietary Restrictions Survey?
A dietary restrictions survey is a simple and effective way to gather important information from your guests before the event. This allows you to plan a menu that meets everyone’s needs.
Tips for Conducting a Survey
- Include the survey with the invitation to the event, this will give the guests ample time to fill the survey.
- Add questions that concern particular allergies, intolerance levels, or need for special attention to certain forms of foods. For example, questions like: “Are there any foods that you are allergic to?” or “Do you need a vegetarian or a vegan menu?”
- After getting the responses, you will use the response to inform the menu designs. It is also important to consider the dietary needs or preferences common to most of your guests.
Creating an Inclusive Menu: Tips and Tricks
Having a diverse menu involves a way of doing everything so that the needs of everyone are catered for. Here are some tips to help you plan a menu that works for everyone:
- While preparing the same dish for different menus, it is recommended that one should not use the same spoons, knives, or chopping boards.
- When putting your dishes on the table, it is helpful to label them using some relevant information such as gluten-free or contains nuts. This way there will always be something that will find favor with everyone who eats from that particular restaurant.
- After a delicious soup, propose a vegan dish for the main course and a dish with meat for the other option.
With these tips, you can create a menu that’s inclusive, delicious, and satisfying for all your guests.
When creating an inclusive menu, Keif’s Catering ensures that all dietary needs are thoughtfully considered, whether it’s for a private gathering or a corporate event.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
Even with the best intentions, some common pitfalls can arise when catering to dietary restrictions. Here’s how to avoid them:
Pitfalls to Watch Out For:
- Always plan for some foods that can suit any dietary conditions that may be brought up suddenly.
- When handling any type of food, always make sure that you keep the allergens away from the other food products to prevent cross-over. Especially for severe allergies, such as to nuts or gluten, it may be crucial.
- Be careful not to have any cross-labeling since this may lead to confusion when preparing food.
Knowing about these points will help plan and prevent them from becoming problems during a particular catering event.
Final Thoughts: Making Your Event a Success
On the contrary, it is completely possible to eat out and not experience a moment’s anxiety about any special diet that one has to adhere to. Evoking your guests’ needs, the survey regarding dietary restrictions, and the balanced menu are the key steps that help you design an event-oriented menu that satisfies all the guests.
Of course, the main idea is to make sure that each guest will eat something, whatever their diet is. And if you put a little extra effort into it, your event will turn out perfect with all your guests leaving full and satisfied.
Now, every guest that comes to our event is unique, and each has special dietary needs that have to be met at Keif’s Catering. That’s why we do everything possible to provide opportunities for all possible types of diet. Such as; gluten-free, dairy-free, or nut-free, For any specific diet preference, we will be able to accommodate it. We also offer several vegetarian and vegan choices and also serve halal and kosher foods for customers with dietary restrictions.