Dietary Needs

Ice Cream Guest Post | thrive!
Lifestyle Choices July 13, 2018

An Ice Cream Story – Guest Blog Post

Lifestyle Choices July 13, 2018

Ever since my first lick of ice cream, it has been an endless love story. Trading my toy out for ice cream at Chick-fil-a was the easiest decision I ever had to make. I spent every spring, summer, fall, and winter craving ice cream when I was happy, sad and anywhere in between. After giving up dairy, I thought my long and faithful love story with ice cream had come crashing to an end, but I soon realized how many other options I have. The first destination on my road to discovering dairy-free ice cream options landed with the classic…

Read more

Celebrating Independence
Dietary Needs Duty of Care Meetings & Events July 5, 2018

Celebrating Independence

Dietary Needs Duty of Care Meetings & Events July 5, 2018

  How to Make it Easier for Those with Dietary Needs to Eat Safely & Feel Included As we (i.e., me and my U.S.-based readers) celebrated 242 years our country’s independence this week, I got to thinking about the words independence and freedom, how they relate to food and beverage, and what I do to promote safe and inclusive food environments. By Merriam-Webster’s definition, independence, in the simplest of terms, is “the quality or state of not being under the control of, reliant on, or connected with someone or something else.” And the definition of freedom is “the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice…

Read more

religious dietary restrictions
Religious Dietary Practices June 30, 2018

July Religious Dietary Restrictions Calendar

Religious Dietary Practices June 30, 2018

In keeping with my commitment to bring a helpful monthly religious dietary restrictions calendar to everyone, here are July dates to keep in mind as you plan menus for July events. July 10th Observance & Dietary Restriction Martyrdom of the Báb is a Baha’i observance beginning at sunset on July 9th and ending at the end of the day on July 10th. It is a time of mourning for The Báb who was a prophet and founder of the Baha’i faith. He was executed on this day in 1850. How to include participants Because this is a time of mourning…

Read more

June Dietary Restrictions Calendar thrive!-sized for blog
Dietary Needs May 23, 2018

June Religious Dietary Restrictions Calendar

Dietary Needs May 23, 2018

In keeping with my commitment to bring a helpful monthly dietary restrictions calendar to everyone, here are June dates to keep in mind as you plan menus for June events. May 16th – June 14th   Observance & Dietary Restriction Ramadan – is an observance in Islam. Muslims have significant work restrictions and fasting during the entire month. Not only are the usual religious dietary restrictions in place, but Muslims must refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours. Even smoking is prohibited as food and water particles passing through the nose and mouth are prohibited. Worshipers break the fasting…

Read more

thrive! birthday, food allergy awareness month
Dietary Needs May 9, 2018

Celebrate Food & Beverage Inclusion & Awareness

Dietary Needs May 9, 2018

  As I sat down to write this month’s newsletter with a focus on Food Allergy Awareness Month (#FAAW18) and Celiac Disease Awareness Month (#CDAM18), I remembered that May is also the anniversary of my company. Happy 8th birthday to thrive! How apropos that I officially opened thrive! in the month that also celebrates and raises awareness of food allergies and celiac disease, two of the many dietary needs that I advocate on behalf of so individuals with them can eat safely and feel included where they eat. Eight years ago I wasn’t aware of the annual celebrations, I just knew I wanted and…

Read more

thrive-may-dietary-restrictions-iStock-675553176
Religious Dietary Practices April 25, 2018

May Religious Dietary Restrictions Calendar

Religious Dietary Practices April 25, 2018

In keeping with my commitment to bring a helpful monthly dietary restrictions calendar to everyone, here are May dates to keep in mind as you plan menus for May events. May 1st   Observance & Dietary Restriction Lailat al Bara’ah (Islam) – This holy day is known as Lailat al-Bara’ah (“Night of Forgiveness”) in Arabic and Shab-Barat in Persian. It is celebrated on the night of the full moon. It is believed this is the night when fates are fixed. How to include participants Followers observe the date by holding a vigil throughout the night. They congregate at the local…

Read more

Cannabis-thrive-iStock-823470506
Dietary Needs Food Service Laws & Regulations Meetings & Events April 11, 2018

Cannabis Update for Meetings and Events

Dietary Needs Food Service Laws & Regulations Meetings & Events April 11, 2018

With more and more states legalizing marijuana, your next event might be held in a state where it’s legal—and if that’s the case, you better believe that some event attendees will want to get high. There’s a lot to learn about the topic before allowing cannabis at your event, but I’ve compiled the basics to get you started. [list icon=”icon: check-square-o” icon_color=”#d81c5c”] As of January (when Vermont signed on), recreational marijuana use is legal in nine states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington. In Vermont and the District of Columbia, it’s legal but, you can’t buy…

Read more

APril calendar religious dietary restrictions thrive
Religious Dietary Practices March 28, 2018

April Religious Dietary Restrictions Calendar

Religious Dietary Practices March 28, 2018

In keeping with my commitment to bring a helpful monthly religious dietary restrictions calendar to everyone, here are April dates to keep in mind as you plan menus for April events. March 30-April 7th   Observance & Dietary Restriction Pesach / Passover is a Jewish holiday with a significant work restriction. It’s a week-long observance commemorating the freedom and exodus of the Israelites (Jewish slaves) from Egypt during the reign of the Pharaoh Ramses II. It is one of three pilgrimage festivals. Family gatherings, ritualized meals called Seders, reading of the Haggadah, lighting of Yahrzeit memorial candle at sundown on…

Read more

Food-labels-law-thrive!-iStock-517971284
Food Allergies March 21, 2018

Food Labels: Meaning, Safety, and Duty of Care (Part One)

Food Allergies March 21, 2018

Food labeling is a growing concern for millions on a global level. It tells us the nutritional content, ingredients that may be harmful, like allergens, and other important info such as whether an item is halal, kosher, or heart healthy. Consumers are also increasingly confused by value-added labels, such as non-GMO, organic, and free-range. Food label laws are barely keeping up with consumer’s needs, but here’s what you need to know when it comes to dietary restrictions.  At thrive! it’s important consumers and professionals both understand what these labels mean, but the meetings and events industry, HR professionals, caterers, and…

Read more