My Dear Watson, it’s Foodimentary!
As event professionals, it’s easy to get caught up in making everything grand. Dressing things up and making fancy upgrades is impressive, but it can also get complicated. Especially when it comes to designing event menus. That’s where foodimentary comes in.
What is foodimentary? According to Urban Dictionary, food blogger John-Bryan Hopkins created the word foodimentary, defining it as “a specific way of looking at food or a food item.” And, that’s what we’re going to do—look at our food through the eyes and stomachs of those with food allergies and other dietary needs.
We’re going to focus on basics this month, but with a twist. We’re going to look at foundations and food basics we often take for granted in planning meeting menus. How can putting our attention on details that are easy to forget, reinvigorate our menus and the attendee experience? It’s foodimentary, of course!
How many times have you seen bacon on a salad instead of on the side? It’s easy to think we are doing everyone a favor by placing a crowd pleaser on the salad from the start. But for vegetarians and vegans, the mainstream preference for bacon leaves most food inedible for them.
What about alcohol? We often bend over backwards to ensure a non-alcoholic option at get-togethers when we know an alcoholic will be attending. How many times have we double checked that sparkling cider will be available for pregnant guests when providing champaign for a toast?
But all too often, managers forget to label which bagels are gluten and which are gluten-free. Why?
For someone with celiac disease, a missing label can land them in the hospital or make the entire breakfast inedible.
This month we’re going back-to-basics! How can we take a different look at menu choices? Where can we identify gaps in our sensitivity to custom eaters? And as custom eaters, what are some of the logical approaches we can take to help others understand our needs without talking down to them?
It’s all coming up this month, so be sure to come back to see the other blog posts this month and follow me on social – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram.
Remember, it’s foodimentary!
