Tag: registration

An iPad and iPhone on a table. On the iPad is a picture of two women who are on video screen. On the iPhone is the Eating at a Meeting podcast logo with Episode #175 Celebrating the Season of Faith, Food & Freedom with Hallie Loeb.

Episode #175: Celebrating the Season of Faith, Food, and Freedom

Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator Julie Cunningham shares the main message she hopes people understand through her book “30 Days to Tame Type 2 Diabetes,” and how to help event attendees with diabetes — how about everyone — enjoy a meal without feeling deprived or worried.

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Allergic Living Spring 2016 cover

Mixing Business & Allergies

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of Allergic Living. Off to a convention and packing special food needs? There's much to know. Allergic Living Spring 2016 As I exited a luncheon in a hotel ballroom last fall, I saw a fellow attendee being tended to by a swarm of EMTs and convention staff. She was being treated for an anaphylactic reaction to the food she was served. She had informed the meeting planner and hotel of her serious food allergies, yet in this case, that wasn’t enough. Fortunately, after a trip to the hospital, the woman recovered…

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Watermelon Tomato Gazpacho Ingredients

Do you Know What Ingredients You Need to Create a Safe Food Event?

An Analysis of the Ingredients Used for an Event Earlier this year, I attended a meetings industry conference where I was hired to give two presentations on how to manage dietary requests at meetings and events. The challenges with managing dietary needs can be confusing, frustrating and never ending. We already have a lot on our to do list, so adding a few more ingredients might seem annoying. However, I see those ingredients as opportunities to make attendees feel safe, valued and confident in their experience. I commend the organization for taking steps to meet the needs of their more than 2,000 attendees…

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Putting out "fires" at events is part of a meeting planner's job description. What procedures do you have in place to manage them successfully?

How to Avoid Food Allergy Catastrophes at Events

I hate to be a downer, but when was the last time you thought about the worst case scenario at your event? Catastrophes can come in many forms: hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis, acts of terrorism, bombings, riots, medical pandemic, attendee accidents or death. Having procedures in place to handle situations is key to ensuring guest safety, whether you’re a meeting or event planner, a travel director or representative of a corporation. It’s your responsibility (it falls under your duty of care) to your attendees while at your event. Aside from these five standard safety measure all meeting planners and travel directors can…

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Food Allergies

Eight Ways Meeting Planners Can Advocate for Guests with Food Allergies

From employee picnics and business lunches to association conferences and corporate conventions, food-allergic employees and event participants have a lot to navigate when at work or business and social functions . As professional meeting professionals, we have a duty of care at all times. People must be able to trust us with their health and safety while they are at the meetings and events we plan. To justify that trust, we must make the care of our event participants, supplier partners, exhibitors, speakers, sponsors and staff our first concern, treating them as individuals and respecting their dignity and their needs. That includes ensuring…

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Event Budgeting

How to Keep Dietary Restrictions from Sinking Your Event Budget

Meeting planners are worried about many things when thinking about accommodating guests with special dietary needs, but one of the major fears is the cost. This concern needs to be addressed up front and throughout the planning and budgeting process with both your suppliers and your attendees so you aren’t sinking your event budget. Take a recent question I received after a webinar I gave for Collinson Media. Cathy just hosted a conference for 4,300 people. Of the 458 special meal requests she received, 41 were halal and 12 were kosher. With seven meal functions during the three-day conference, that equated…

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