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Allergies
Posted on February 25, 2016
We all love a good party, right? The friends, the fun, the food… But that last one can be a bit tricky when you’re hosting a crowd with different allergies and dietary concerns. To hopefully cut down on the stress and allow you more time to spend celebrating with your loved ones, here are some helpful tips for hosting an allergy-friendly dinner party:
When inviting your guests, be sure to request that they inform you of any food allergies or dietary restrictions ahead of time. This will help you to create a menu that everyone may enjoy without worry. If you are sending out formal invitations, consider asking friends to list any food allergies or sensitivities (as well as their level of severity) with their RSVP.
When cooking for someone with a food allergy, it’s important to be aware of how you prepare each dish. Be sure to thoroughly clean all utensils and surfaces to avoid cross-contamination. If you are dealing with multiple allergies, you may even consider setting up different work stations within your kitchen (as space permits) in which to make different dishes.
When it comes to food allergies, there’s no such thing as too much communication. So when setting out your dishes, be sure to label each one – i.e. vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegetarian – so that your guests know which are safe for them. And instead of seeing this as a chore or distraction, we recommend finding a fun way to incorporate these labels into your party décor – perhaps with different colors, shapes or themes to denote different dietary concerns.
If you have set up a buffet, invite those with food allergies or sensitivities to fix their plates first. Not only will this ensure that they find something safe and tasty to eat, but it will also help to prevent cross-contamination. Even though you should assign each dish its own serving utensil, things can often become harried and hectic when dealing with a large party of hungry friends.
For more helpful tips for living with food allergies as well as deliciously dairy-free recipes, be sure to visit us at daiyafoods.com. You can also meet the un-FOUR-gettable flavors of our new Daiya Cheezecake, which just so happens to be the perfect dessert to serve at a food allergy-friendly party!