Planning a menu could be excruciating when you consider all of your guests’ diet plans, lifestyles, allergies, favorites, and dislikes. However, that doesn’t mean an exquisite menu isn’t possible anymore. Accommodating a certain diet isn’t as difficult as it sounds, and making a few changes to dishes with allergens, such as nuts, won’t make it disastrous.
Catering service providers are familiar with these concerns. After communicating with your guests regarding their meal concerns, relay all the information to your caterer and together, you can plan a menu fit for all, regardless of restrictions.
Here are some menu-planning suggestions that will help you satisfy every guest:
Plant-Based Food
This is especially suited for hosts with vegan and vegetarian guests. Identifying the difference between the two is important. Vegans don’t eat any animal products or animal by-products. These include red and white meat, eggs, fish, shellfish, dairy, honey, and gelatin. Vegetarians, on the other hand, only avoid red and white meat, fish, and shellfish. They can consume eggs and dairy and other animal by-products.
There are various reasons some people practice this lifestyle, apart from personal choice. It could be a requirement of a religion, like Hinduism, where its worshipers are encouraged to be vegetarians and avoid beef altogether. Jains and Buddhists are also discouraged from eating any kind of meat. Islam, Taoism, and Judaism also practice or favor vegetarianism, so take those into consideration.
A deli buffet may be suitable for both vegans and vegetarians, as well as your meat-lover guests. Deli meals consist of mixed greens with all types of dressing to choose from. Fruit salads, potato salads, chips, and other appetizers are normally present. Sandwich meats are an option for meat-eaters. Add a healthy selection of bread in your deli buffet as well, like ones that are gluten-free, whole-grain, and wheat-based.
If you’re making a salad, don’t stick to traditional ingredients, such as raw greens only. Add roasted vegetables, cooked grains, beans, smoked tofu, or seasoned nuts and seeds.
Explore Meat Alternatives
Instead of leaving solely greens and grains to your vegan and vegetarian guests, try preparing meat alternatives that even your meat-loving guests could enjoy. If your meat-consuming guests won’t be very comfortable with a meat substitute or alternative, leave options for them such as tacos and any dish where meat or other animal-based ingredients can be separated. Non-meat eaters can enjoy these as well. Tacos are effective because all ingredients are laid out separately. Pizza is also another recommended dish, where you can let your guests choose their own toppings.
Tofu is a well-known meat substitute that vegans and vegetarians love. It substitutes pork, chicken, beef, and seafood. Extra-firm tofu can be used to create meat-tasting dishes instead of the soft ones that people may typically know of. Researching or planning with your caterer about spices and marinates that will make a great tofu dish will be appreciated by your vegan and vegetarian friends, and your meat-loving guests can also get a chance to try it.
Prepare a Variety of Desserts
Desserts don’t always have to be sugary and unhealthy. There are at least 65 options for desserts that even non-vegans can enjoy. Desserts free from allergens, such as milk and nuts, can also be made. These desserts are also perfect for guests who may be observing a Keto diet.
Lemon raspberry cheesecakes, for instance, may sound full of sugar and fatty ingredients, but it’s all made from vegan ingredients like unsalted cashew, coconut oil, lemon juice, and frozen raspberry.
Cheesecake can be off-putting to non-dairy consumers, but it can be made from tofu or vegan cream cheese. Baked gluten-free cheesecakes are also possible. The options are surprisingly huge, so planning a dessert menu fit for all of your guests’ lifestyles isn’t so difficult after all.
It doesn’t stop with all of these options. For a more effective menu preparation, getting ideas from your guests themselves can be more feasible. When you know that the food you’ve prepared is approved by them beforehand, you’ll be safe from a lot of potential trouble. With the right catering service provider, your event will have a great meal selection that will satisfy every guest.