Good catering is an important element to organize a successful event, be it a wedding reception, a party or a corporate event. Your guests expect a great menu and they will look to you to make sure it's there.
Today, however, it's nearly impossible to get even a small group of guests together without worrying about certain allergies, sensitivities, and food preferences. Many people suffer from gluten allergies and literally get sick if they eat any of it. Some are religious and cannot eat certain foods at certain times, and others do not eat anything produced by an animal at all.
As an event organizer, you may wonder how much or how little you need to meet these needs. Today, it takes a lot more than throwing away a bowl of peanuts and offering a salad. What can you do to maximize your guests' happiness and be mindful of people with sensitivities? Here are some tips to follow when preparing a menu for an event.
Gluten is a general term for the proteins found in wheat, rye, barley and triticale. In general, gluten can be found in most breads, pastas and baked goods. Those who can't eat gluten usually stick to an almost back-to-basics diet rich in protein, such as chicken and fresh vegetables. To accommodate gluten-free diets, you need to include some options and make sure the caterer double checks all ingredients in their recipes.
Every event will have at least a handful of vegan guests. Therefore, it is very important that the caterer can prepare vegan options for them that do not contain ingredients derived from animals (including dairy and cheese). Vegetarians can eat vegan, but they may enjoy adding cheese to their food, so it makes sense to have both vegan and vegetarian options in your menu.
RSVPs are the ideal place to find out what food restrictions you are facing. This gives everyone the opportunity to clearly state what they cannot eat so that you can plan with the caterer. Even if you thought you had already planned the catering menu perfectly, knowing this information can make you aware of someone's food restriction that you weren't aware of.
When you're planning an event and trying to deal with a wide variety of food restrictions, a smart way to go about it is to have a buffet or bar where your guests can build their own plates. This could be a salad bar, taco buffet, sushi buffet, etc. It's a sensible option to let guests put together their own food and take only what they want (or can) eat. This may not feel as fancy as what you'd like as an event planner, but it's worth considering if you have a lot of picky eaters.
Once you've worked out the menu, it's very important to work with the caterer to make sure everything – and we mean everything – is labeled. These labels can look visually stunning, but they have to be there. Your guests know what's in the food they eat and if they can get sick. These labels should say things like "Contains Wheat," "Contains Soy," "Contains Meat," "Contains Dairy," etc., or they should just say "Vegan-Friendly," "Gluten-Free," "Vegetarian," etc.
