5 Tips for hosting wedding guests with food allergies & food choices
At every wedding held at In The Grove there has been at least one, and usually a handful of guests with either food allergies, intolerances or specific dietary needs.
In Australia, an estimated 1-2% of adults and 4-8% of kids under 5 have a proven food allergy*. The most common food allergies we see are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts and other nuts, with less common ones being wheat, sesame and soybean.
Then there will be those guests who have chosen to make specific food choices, e.g. they don’t eat meat, fish, etc.
As a host you will want all of your guests to have a wonderful experience. We have highlighted five tips to help you navigate this:
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You won’t find out unless you ask
A good option when you send out your wedding invitations is to ask guests to let you know when they RSVP if they have food allergies or have made specific food choices. Some of the most common food choices and allergies are listed below:
Vegetarian (VEG) - a person who does not eat meat or fish
Vegan (VE/VG) - a person who does not eat animal products including diary, meat, etc.
Pescatarian (P) - a person who is a vegetarian but will eat seafood
Gluten Free (GF) - no wheat, barley, rye or oats. Also known as Celiac.
Lactose Free (LF) - no milk products
2. Talk to the caterer or chef
You will find caterers and chefs are more than happy to make suggestions for your guest’s food requirements. After all, they are the trained professionals so will have done it before and will know all about cross-contamination in food.
If your menu isn’t compatible with certain guests’ diets, your caterer will usually recommend whipping up something special just for them.
3. Allergy friendly nibbles
Choosing options from the canape menu made without meat or animal products will satisfy both vegan and vegetarian guests. To accommodate guests with food allergies, ensure you serve options without nuts, dairy or gluten.
4. Label the food
If you are planning a buffet or food station, a great option is to label each dish as vegan, vegetarian, GF or nut-free to help guests hunt down dishes that they can actually eat.
You could also let these guests jump the line and serve themselves first to help avoid cross-contamination.
5. Don’t forget desserts
Some of your guests may miss out on your yummy wedding cake, but they shouldn’t have to miss out on a sweet treat! Remember to label and fill your sweet table with GF, vegan and nut-free offerings so guests know exactly what they can eat.
And finally, as your venue & wedding planners, we will ensure that we check with you on where guests with specific dietary needs are seated and that our staff know what’s on the menu.
Bon appetite!
- Sandy Hatton, Business Owner at In The Grove
*https://allergyfacts.org.au/allergy-anaphylaxis/food-allergy
