Stepheni Norton’s journey from chief yeoman in the U.S. Coast Guard to Southern California farmer of pre-WWII fruit, vegetables and herbs began with a dream … and an insect bite.
Ensuring a safe meal boils down to the importance of communication and advocating for guests with special diets. Creating and delivering memorable events is the plan. But, if an attendee becomes ill due or food poisoning or a meal being contaminated with listeria, the likelihood of return engagement evaporates. Food safety aside, another way attendees can become ill is by being served a meal unsafe or inappropriate for their health condition. Equally concerning is serving a dish which contradicts a religious belief system or health choice. Food allergies, celiac disease, and diabetes are a few health conditions that require personalized…
While beer, wine and cocktails remain important social lubricants for group events, today’s increasingly health-conscious attendees would love to have some low- and non-alcohol options that look just as enticing as that signature margarita.
Latex lurks in everything from balloons to rubber bands to gloves and can cause skin and respiratory allergic reactions in a growing number of people. Are you doing all you can to ensure the safety of those with latex allergies at your events?
The Nat King Cole holiday tune about chestnuts is catchy, but for some of us in the food industry, this song leaves us scratching our heads. Are chestnuts a culinary nut? What about nutmeg? Isn’t it a spice? The world of nuts can be a little nutty (pun intended), confusing, and delicious! Let’s look at a few fun and important facts about these holiday favorites.
While you may be covering the bases for attendees with Type 2 diabetes already by offering healthy food options, those with the Type 1 form of the disease may need a bit more in the way of accommodations. Most of us have at least a passing knowledge of the most common form of diabetes, Type 2, in which the pancreas doesn’t make enough insulin, or the person has developed insulin resistance. But Type 1, also known as Juvenile-onset diabetes, is generally much less well-known, with the possible exception of those who were fans of the Baby-Sitters Club young-adult series…
Sugar, like caffeine, is a go-to picker-upper for most meeting attendees. Hang around the edges of any meeting break buffet table and I guarantee that, sooner or later, you’ll hear someone half-jokingly talk about learning how to ride the caffeine and sugar highs just right to avoid jitters on one end, and the inevitable crash on the other. But it’s no joke for attendees who live with diabetes, for whom soaring or guttering blood sugar levels can be potentially life threatening.
Before you can meet the dietary needs of those who prefer or require plant-based diets, you need to know all the different forms those who consider themselves to be “vegetarians” can take. “Do you have a vegetarian option?” These words once struck fear into the hearts of unprepared banquet servers and venue kitchen staff, who at best would scramble to whip up some brown rice and steamed broccoli in hopes that would satisfy the vegetarian conference-goer’s needs. With almost of fifth of the U.S. population either identifying as vegetarian or interested in going veggie at least part time (7.3 percent…
The month of September often symbolizes a time of change and transition as we exit the summer months and the autumn begins. The next 30 days are full of religious celebrations, including the Jewish High Holy Days. Read more about these sacred traditions in order to better accommodate employees and colleagues who observe them and the corresponding dietary restrictions. September 2 — Janmashtami Observance and Dietary Restriction Janmashtami is an annual Hindu holiday that celebrates the birth of Krishna, a popular and widely revered Indian deity. One of the largest religious festivals in the world, Janmashtami is celebrated by almost…
If you have to manage a food allergy or intolerance, traveling abroad or attending a business meeting or family picnic can be a minefield to navigate your allergy. From communicating your allergy in another language to knowing how that country, region or chef uses the food in their cuisine makes the already challenging situation even more difficult. Peanuts, for example, are used in many restaurants and street food stalls in Thailand. Often, the nuts are ground down to use as a garnish, meaning it is impossible to guarantee meals prepared nearby are entirely nut free. Mustard, an ancient flavor which…