Out of curiosity, where does one draw the line with food preferences and catering for them?
I have an event tomorrow and got messages last night from two people, one saying they’re on a paleo diet and another saying she has now decided to go vegan. So it made me think back to my wedding and some of the odd things we catered to. Where do I even draw the line given the event is tomorrow!?
I understand there’s legitimate intolerances and allergies and would always be more than happy to cater to said ones.
The way I see it, all these paleo fad diets etc. are lifestyles and not a necessity. Do people really feel they need to request someone to cater to them for one day? For our wedding I had paleo, ketogenic, “I don’t like mushrooms”, I don’t eat seafood type of requests and obliged.. but now it has me overthinking it all.
But then it brings me to think, vegetarian and vegan is a lifestyle choice to so if I decline the paleo persons request and go with the overnight vegans, isn’t that giving preference? They too are lifestyle choices.
Thoughts please!?
13 Replies
I think it depends. I'd probably cater for these types of things at weddings because it's usually specifically asked on the invites ect and you want all your guests to have a good time, enjoy the food since you are paying a lot of money for them to be there. You don't want to be paying 100 a head for someone who's going to be hungry or miserable that they had to eat stuff they don't like.
If it's something far more casual... I don't know what your event is, but I feel if it's something like a BBQ at your house ect, then they should just take it apon themselves to bring a few snacks or dishes that is enough for everyone, but also enough for them if that's all they can eat.
If it's somewhere you've been catered for, that makes it harder for them to BYO I guess. And it's shitty they've left it so late. Maybe you could suggest they buy something separate when they arrive as you didn't take these into consideration when you ordered your catering and you haven't got time to change things at late notice.
If they let you know only a few days before an event then that’s rude.
These are obviously new changes in there lives.
My friends are polite enough to bring there own foods versus spring that kind of sudden change on me.
At a wedding I’d provide a vegan option (usually vegetarians are happy to eat). Beyond that unless someone has an actual proper allergy then they are usually very happy to have a splurge day for a wedding.
I think there should always be at least one vegetarian option available in this day and age.
I would absolutely accommodate for people with genuine allergies and intolerances but that's where I'd draw the line for a function like a wedding.
You wanna be keto, paleo, no sugar - I don't care, just pick something off my menu 🤷♀️
I know I have vegan friends, people with allergies in my family. So I’d cater for them. But if someone last minute decided to go vegan or go paleo I’d probaby tell them to eat what they’ve already picked and look through the choices they’ve already been given and pick what best suits their needs. I’d be so pissed I’d probably offer them their money back if it was a paid event 🤣
My sister is vegan, my mother is syliscilit and amine intolerant and it got to the point that if you want something different you bring it yourself. I have two kids with different intolerances (lactose and cmp) and I don’t ask people to cater around them, I sort it out myself if they need something different. I’m also allergic to seafood and will just not eat something if it as it in it because I’m an adult 🤷🏼♀️ So many people are on these fad diets now and it’s nearly impossible to keep everyone happy without cooking 10+ different things!
Let them know that they’ve given you very little notice for their dietary needs. That they should have let you know sooner as the catering has already been organised and has been organised for some time and you’re not sure you can cater for them at such last minute. Apart from a green salad. Can’t you eat meat when eating paleo? Salad and what ever meat is on offer would be something to consider. What are your catering choices? Maybe something can be altered to make it vegan?
I'm allergic to sooo many things and hubby and kids have intolerance. We bring a plate if we're really concerned we won't be able to eat anything and couldn't just eat later. I don't mind catering to it because I do it for us.... But I think vegans are more entitled in their attitudes than those of us with medical reasons for not eating certain things. Put a fruit bowl out.
I've noticed that entitlement too.
A lot of people (that I know) who have dietary restrictions due to their personal lifestyle choices really seem to impose their choices on their hosts with little regard to the inconvenience they cause. It's that attitude that gets people's backs up!
Whereas people (that I know) who have medical dietary restrictions don't tend to expect anyone to accommodate their needs.
Yes if that's what they eat, they're not going to change it for one day so they are going to let you know. I never understand the drama in this I've never met anyone who makes a huge fuss and I've never found it difficult to make things for everyone that are options for vegan or vegetarians and with that someone on Paleo or any a other diet. Would I prepare from scratch a special meal for each, no, and I don't think that's what they're asking, theyre just letting you know that's what they eat.
As someone who actually suffers from many food allergies, I usually don’t expect anyone to cater for me at all. I eat before or after or BYO.
Exactly. I think people who restrict food by choice just get annoyed that their choices aren't anyone else's concern
So the take away from this is, people with legitimate food allergies/intolerances are respectful and cater for themselves, those on fad diets expect to be catered too.
The irony 😂😂😂
Vegetarian isn't always a lifestyle choice. My sister has a meat allergy in that she is allergic to an enzyme found in meat.
So assuming it a lifestyle choice and feeding her something cooked with meat or cooked next to meat, or prepared with shared utensils would put her in hospital. Same thing goes for some vegans, some people on the Paleo diet as suggested by their doctor.
Something to be aware of when people makes such requests.