What you Need to Know About Diet Accommodating Caterers

June 29, 2016 - Dishes

When you need an event catered it is very important to find diet accommodating caterers. Many people have special dietary needs and restrictions. In fact, recent studies have shown that 25 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, 15 million people have food allergies, and 1% of the population has a severe gluten intolerance. And those are just the people with health issues. Nearly one-third of all Americans are on a completely voluntary gluten free diet. You might be looking at these facts and wondering how you can ever serve food at an event and make everyone happy. The best way to accomplish this is by finding a caterer who can take care of the heavy lifting. Here is what you need to know about diet accommodating caterers.

Gluten-Free Catering

With the enormously growing trend of gluten free diets finding gluten free caterers is extremely important. There is a big difference between the people who have severe reactions to gluten, and those who just choose to avoid it, but the fact remains that many people can or will not eat it. Gluten free caterers will offer things like gluten free breads, salad options, fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood options. Of course to be gluten free none of these items can be breaded or fried.

Dealing with Food Allergies

As we said before there are 15 million people in the United States who suffer from food allergies. In this case communication is the key. You need to find out what types of food allergies your guests have. One simple way to do this is to have them report an allergy when they RSVP. This will help you prepare your caterer to deal with the specific need. You can also ask the guest if they are comfortable with the options after speaking with the caterer. The caterer can make sure that the allergen is not present at the meal or when the food is being prepared, ensuring that all of your guests remain safe.

Food for Diabetics

The rate of diabetes is growing so quickly that this is a top request for diet accommodating caterers. It is important to remember that diabetes is an illness and not necessarily the result of poor choices. Again, you need to find out if any of your guests are diabetic. You will then want your caterer to prepare food options that will not spike the guest’s insulin levels. This means limiting the amount of carbohydrates and having more non-starchy vegetables, lean proteins, and nutrient dense whole grains. The caterer will also want to be keenly aware of portion sizes. A diabetic can share in great meals, but they need to keep everything in moderation.

Conclusion

Dietary needs must be accounted for, and they are so prevalent it is a wonder why more companies are not offering gluten-free catering. We are proud to be one of the few gluten free caterers who are also able to accommodate other dietary needs. Of course we can also provide regular meals, if no one in your party has dietary restrictions. If you need catering services in the Walnut Creek area, with or without dietary restrictions, please give us a call today.