The holidays are a time to gather, usually over food, and including everyone at the table doesn’t need to be challenging. Welcoming all kinds of eaters allows for a richer dining experience! Use this handy guide to include all diets in your holiday celebration.
First, what are some of the more common alternative diets you may encounter at your next Friendsgiving or Secret Santa exchange? Diets from veganism to religious stipulations, or medical needs, like a gluten-free diet, are pretty common with diners today. Here’s a quick run down:
- Vegetarian: Vegetarians do not eat any meat or any products of animal slaughter.
- Vegan: Vegans do not eat meat, or animal products. This can extend to products beyond that which kills the animal, like honey, eggs and whey.
- Ovo- and/or lacto-vegetarian: These vegetarians include dairy (lacto) and/or eggs (ovo) in their meal plan.
- Pescatarian: This is a mostly vegetarian diet, which also includes fish and seafood.
- Kosher: This is a diet from the Jewish faith and not only includes what items to eat or not, but also how to prepare them, which can include supervision of a rabbi in certain situations. Processed foods may have a Kosher label if prepared in the correct way. Otherwise, those eating Kosher do not eat meat and dairy at the same time, or if stored in the same place, and do not eat shellfish or pork. You can find more detailed information here.
- Halal: Halal foods are safe to eat by those practicing a Muslim faith, as opposed to Haram foods, which are not okay to eat. Those foods include alcohol and foods prepared with alcohol, pork and any animal slaughtered not in accordance with Islamic law, and foods that contain blood (i.e. blood sausage.) Use this great guide for more detailed information.
- Gluten-free: Those that choose to not eat gluten may do so for a variety of reasons, one of which includes the common Celiac’s Disease, an autoimmune disease that attacks the intestines with gluten consumption. Foods that contain gluten include wheat, barley, and rye.
- Major allergens: Many people avoid major allergens like dairy, eggs, tree nuts and peanuts, soy, and more for health concerns. Almost 6% of the US population has a major food allergy.
Consult Your Guests
You know who’s a real expert on your guests’ diets? Themselves! Be sure to talk about any major dietary concerns when inviting someone over for a food-focused event. Use this information to plan your main(s), making sure that at least one dish is in the clear. Consider including dietary restrictions in your potluck information, as well!
Buffet Tips for Allergens and Alternative Diets
If you’re serving the meal as a buffet, consider placing allergen-friendly dishes towards the beginning of your line, reducing possible cross contamination. You can also take advantage of labels to denote which items are vegan, etc.
Keeping it Friendly Family-Style
If serving everything at the table, be sure your guests with dietary restrictions know which plates work for their eating habits ahead of time. Make sure to keep individual serveware with each dish to avoid cross-contamination!
Ready to get cookin’? Start with our holiday recipes to keep things local, for everyone at the table!
Claire Butler is the Content Strategy Specialist for Taste the Local Difference. Contact her at [email protected].