The Event Planner’s Guide to Navigating Dietary Requirements

With more and more people identifying with dietary restrictive lifestyles, specific dietary requirements can no longer be avoided. Dietary requirements can be of a medical, religious or lifestyle nature, so it is important to display openness and creativity as an event planner. Whether you’re arranging a snack table, coffee and tea, or a full blown degustation menu, providing a menu with multiple choices is essential to your event’s success and is not as difficult as once thought, particularly with our bible of definitions and recommendations.

Vegetarian

Most people can identify with the restrictions of a vegetarian diet: no meat, poultry or fish. Non-meat diets are increasingly more common, which arrives concurrently with a plethora of options to provide your attendees with.

Recommendation: Provide a non-meat, protein alternative so your vegetarian attendees do not go hungry. They will appreciate being served more than just salad!

Vegan

People following a vegan lifestyle do not consume any meat product or any product of an animal. This means no dairy products, no eggs, and of course, no meat, poultry, or fish.

Recommendation: There are a plethora of soy-derived, wheat based and other protein options available to serve to those of a vegan diet, which can be supplemented with vegetables, nuts, grains and other raw products.

Pescatarian

Most simply put, a pescatarian diet is the same as a vegetarian diet, however seafood is consumed. In other words, no meat or poultry is the only restriction. Dairy and egg products are ok, but meat stocks are not.

Recommendation: As well as a vegetarian option, be sure to include a fish option in your menu that does not use any kind of meat stock. If it does include a sprinkling of meat-derived ingredients, make sure there is an option to have it without.

Gluten-Free / Celiac

People suffering from celiac disease cannot eat anything containing gluten –  a protein most often found in wheat, rye, barley and oat products. Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, rice, quinoa, beans, legumes and nuts are all ok.

Recommendation: If you’re providing something traditionally heavy in gluten like pizza, ensure a gluten-free option is available. Gluten-free options are becoming increasingly readily available.

Lactose Intolerant

Lactose is a sugar found in milk and, to a lesser extent, dairy products. Consuming lactose for people with this intolerance can cause very uncomfortable symptoms such as flatulence and bloating, amongst others.

Recommendation: We recommend offering a range of milks at your coffee bar, including soy and nut milks to cater for milk preferences, and offering dairy-free desert options. Many people who are lactose intolerant can tolerate products of goats and sheep, so consider a dairy-free cheese option too.

Nut Allergies

Nut allergies, and specifically peanut allergies, are one of the most dangerous allergies, because even the smallest trace of a particular nut can cause an extremely harmful allergic reaction.

Recommendation: To ensure guests can have a truly comfortable experience, it is best to identify which menu or snack items have been prepared in the presence of nuts or nut oils by labeling this with a card next to the food, or on the menu.

Shellfish Allergies

Certain religions forbid consuming shellfish, but shellfish allergies are also common. Shellfish includes lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, shellfish roe, squid, octopus, cuttlefish, crayfish, crabs and more.
Recommendation: It is best to identify when shellfish is an ingredient on the menu (especially if it not immediately obvious), and when other food has been prepared in the presence of shellfish.

Kosher

Guests following a kosher diet will not eat pork or shellfish, but will eat meat and poultry if it is butchered in a kosher fashion. Kosher guests will also avoid eating dairy and meat at the same meal.

Recommendation: Ensure portion sizes of your meals are large enough if dairy or meat is not consumed, and ensure your vendors have a Kosher butchering option available before you lock them down.

Halal

Observant Muslims will abstain from eating any pork or any meat if it has not been blessed in a way that follows the Muslim tradition. Alcohol will also be avoided.

Recommendation: Again, ensure your vendors have a Halal option available if any attendees select this option on your event registration form.

For a dose of meal inspiration that will appeal to the masses (or at least fit within most of your guests’ dietary needs) consider these 6 Dishes That are Friendly to All Dietary Restrictions. And finally, remember to inform your guests that it’s important to clarify any major dietary needs in the registration process!