Chances are, you know someone who is currently on a lifestyle diet. Whether a low-carb diet (the most popular in 2019, with 31.1% of millennials expressing an interest in this eating lifestyle), or a vegan or vegetarian friend or colleague, there are dietary restrictions all around us. So, when it. comes to booking a catering service for corporate events, how can you manage such restrictions or requests?
Today, providing a wide variety of options at an event is not just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have. At Catering Visions, we have been developing custom breakfast, lunch and dinner menu options for years, and while keeping up with your guests’ restrictions can be a challenge, it doesn’t have to be impossible.
Here are the most popular special diets you should know about and how to manage them when partnering with a catering service for corporate events
1. Vegetarian diets
Vegetarians do not eat meat, seafood or poultry, though they do eat food derived from animals, such as eggs or dairy. With this diet, unlike the vegan diet, it is simple to remember as it is essentially “anything but animals”.
Great ideas for vegetarians are:
- Vegetarian sandwiches
- Mixed vegetable medleys
- Tomato and goat cheese quiche
2. Pescatarian diet
Pescatarian diets are similar to vegetarian, though they accept seafood within the diet. This means that any and all seafood can be consumed; from salmon to shrimp, and everything in between.
Lunch items for vegetarians can include:
- Seafood and mushroom risotto
- Planked salmon with wild rice
- Shrimp pad thai
3. Keto diet
The keto diet reduces carb intake by less than 50 grams per day. For reference, this is less than the amount of carbs in a plain bagel. As such, cooking for a keto diet needs creativity!
This creativity can actually be a lot of fun.
Here are some great keto recipes to create:
- Coconut curry with vegetables
- Baked chicken with onions
- Satay salmon and zoodle salad
4. Paleo diet
The paleo diet is an interesting one, as it is arguably one of the most basic diets around. The paleo diet reflects our hunter-gatherer ancestors, in the sense that it consists of meat, fish, vegetables, and more. It does not include dairy, beans and grains, as these were not on our dinner menu when our ancestors were walking the earth!
Check out some of these great paleo ideas:
- Pulled pork with butter lettuce
- Vegetable-stuffed chicken
- Sirloin with sautéed kale and spinach
5. Raw food diet
Here’s a twist! Raw foodists eat menu items that are never heated above 115 degrees Fahrenheit. Only 75% – 80% of raw foodists actually follow the diet each and every day (you can only imagine how difficult it would be to follow!)
This diet traces back to the late 1800s, when a series of experiments began that tested the effects of raw food on human health. Since then, the diet has evolved tremendously.
- Lettuce wraps (easy to create as an appetizer!)
- Soups (from raw mushroom soup to mango and ginger soup)
- Colorful fruit salads
Whatever the diet, know that there are always options to support your guests who are being mindful of their health. At Catering Visions, we have supported corporate clients with their diet requests for years! At your next event, consider how Catering Visions can help you create the perfect array of options for your guests.