Food allergies or sensitivities, religious practices and ideological beliefs are some of the main reasons why people rely on specific diets or follow dietary restrictions. While some restrictions are intended to prevent life-threatening events, others reflect the guest's personal and moral beliefs. For some people, food choices have a significant impact on their health and well-being. Allergies, diabetes, celiac disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are just some of the diseases that require dietary restrictions.
Imitation meats, a protein substitute for vegan and vegetarian diets, are increasingly common on our corporate banquet menus, including plant-based meats such as Beyond Meat. A vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat, but can eat foods made with animal by-products, such as eggs and cheese. The moral reasoning is that it's okay to consume food from an animal that doesn't result in the killing or mistreatment of that animal. Because of this, vegetarians also tend to consume only animal products that have been ethically sourced.
Vegetarian-friendly foods are therefore much easier to define and prepare. The simple rules to follow are to stick to vegetables and meat substitutes. Some vegetarians choose to eat fish, which is common enough to have created its own name: pescatarian. While there's usually no clinical or food allergy-related reason for this, it's essentially a matter of drawing the moral line or purely out of a preference to avoid some meats and not others.
Unlike a vegetarian diet, vegans will not consume any animal products, including meat and animal-derived by-products. While vegetarians choose to avoid meat, often because of the treatment animals receive, vegans continue that line of thinking, but they are against animals being raised and placed in a captive environment for the sole purpose of exploiting their lifestyle for the creation of food. By their moral reasoning, veganism is a dietary preference, not an allergy or food intolerance to these products. However, a vegan diet may be a good option for someone with a dairy allergy, as it is very safe to consume vegan-friendly foods.
Avoiding meat products is relatively easy, however, ensuring that a full meal is vegan-friendly can be more complex. There are a lot of animal-based products used in the manufacture of food and beverages that you might not expect. Because a significant amount of processed foods contain milk or animal products in some way, whole foods are often the best solution for someone following a vegan diet. This ensures that there aren't any hidden ingredients in the foods you're trying to enjoy.
While you may only be preparing one meal or a single day for someone following a vegan diet, it's worth mentioning the effort and planning necessary to ensure that your body gets all the nutrients it needs and that are usually found in animal products. Therefore, supplements are often required for products such as vitamin B12, which is only found in animal products, and iron. Protein can also be a problem for some, but there are many animal-free alternatives that provide a large amount. Sometimes referred to as the “caveman diet”, the paleo diet is a dietary preference, not a diet based on food allergies or intolerances.
The name comes from the Paleolithic Era, a time when much of the human diet was based on food that could be hunted and collected. According to the Mayo Clinic, the benefits are thought to be lower rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. A paleo diet excludes all grains, grains, and legumes that are grown on farms. Barley, wheat, oats, and pinto beans are some Paleo Leap examples of foods to avoid.
Dairy products are also banned. We've discussed dairy products extensively before, but since paleo is an option, it's up to each person as to where to draw the line regarding the exclusion of dairy products. A low-FODMAP diet is based on a study by Dr. Susan Shepherd and expanded by Monash University, which details the effects of diets on people suffering from gastrointestinal problems such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
The interesting thing about a low-FODMAP diet is the correlation between sensitivity to lactose and gluten. Since FODMAPs appear in both wheat products and those containing lactose, this may explain the reaction that many people have to these foods, as well as some reasons behind the increase in reported intolerances. A low-FODMAP diet is very specific in terms of the foods you can eat, and there may be differences between varieties of the same fruit and the amount that would cause a negative reaction. As these foods affect everyone differently, a person would have to follow a FODMAP diet for exactly a period of 2 weeks or more and then start introducing certain foods one by one to measure the effect on their body.
Because of this, it can be difficult to care for someone following a strictly individual FODMAP diet. For this reason, many people will prefer to consume gluten- and dairy-free products, giving them the best chance of making them safe for them. We have the option of filtering for allergens or diets in our menus, as well as labels on individual foods, as in the following example. This product does not contain gluten (G) or dairy (D) and is suitable for both vegetarian (V) and vegan (Vg) diets.
Members are not required to participate, so check with your guests to determine their dietary specifications. Unlike the allergies and intolerances mentioned so far, a vegetarian diet is more of a preference and a voluntary dietary restriction on certain foods. The chances of serving a vegetarian guest are relatively high, so it's essential to understand their dietary restrictions. Dietary limitations have always been present in society, but they seem to be much more popular today because many people choose to restrict or skip some meals for reasons of health or personal well-being.
Here are some of the most common special dietary requirements, along with their meaning and the foods that can be safely ordered so you can be ready for your next event. There are also some strict guidelines for fasting during festivals, specifically Ramadan, but these won't affect you as a company. While some restrictions are based on religion or morals, others can have serious health consequences if not enforced. One in five Australians has food allergies or intolerances, so the chance that you'll have to meet one or more special dietary needs is almost certain.
Some of the most common dietary requirements are those based on religious or allergy-related reasons. But how can you keep track of each person's specific allergies, needs and special dietary requirements? You want to order the right foods, but there has to be an easier way. Just by expanding your vegetarian and vegan options, you automatically cater to other people with dietary needs. .
