I am running Hospitality for a somewhat local convention, and one of my duties is to run the Green Room, where the invited pros hang out and relax. They were sent a notice to let me know what foods to avoid, and this is the list I recieved:
Allergic to crustaceans and squid.
Allergic to mint.
Allergic to most artificial sweeteners; respiratory reaction.
Allergy to MSG, lactose intolerant
bell peppers and jalapeno peppers (including pepper jack cheese)
dairy allergy, not fatal, but will put me out of commission
Dairy, gluten
Gluten Free.
Allergic to solid olives.
Gluten-free, Dairy-free
I am allergic to walnuts. I’m fine being around them, I just need to know if any food contains walnuts so I can avoid that dish.
I am vegetarian. Thank you for asking!"
I am Wheat Free, Dairy Free, Garlic (and other Alliums) Free, Nut Free, Red Meat Free, and Fat limited - All do to a Pancreatic Dysfunction. I eat a very specific diet mostly based on Rice, Oats, Poultry, and handful of Vegetables. I do not expect my weird diet to be accommodated.
I cannot eat raw tomatoes or anything that has contained raw tomatoes (i.e. cannot pick them out of a salad - it’s the juice that triggers it). Cooked tomatoes are fine!
I do not eat meat. Fresh-cut flowers make it difficult for me to spend time in spaces where they are. While not exactly a food allergy, the lack of breathing is a concern for me.
My allergies are uncommon: squash, bananas, eggs and mushrooms are issues. (It’s only eating, not touching.) I’m lactose intolerant and can take lactaid. All this said, I can adapt to most anything. Love the lemonade of years past and love iced black tea! Love the hummus and veggie grab-and-go option! Thank you. You’re Green Room staff rocks it.
Mussels and Halibut
No allergies so contact/cross-contamination isn’t an issue, but I am vegan.
peanuts
Peanuts
Severe allergy: All shellfish and many other types of seafood including calamari, scallops, tile fish, and salmon. I can easily avoid it. The trouble is when something I am eating has been cooked on a shared surface or in the same fry pit with seafood/shellfish.
Severe Capsicum Allergy. Capsicums are found in fruit peppers (Bell Peppers, Red Pepper, Paprika, Jalapenos, Chili Peppers, Tabasco, Worcestershire Sauce, most Curries, Montreal Spice Seasoning) but not common Black Pepper (which is a seed). Anything with the words “spice” or “spices” in the list of ingredients probably contains capsicum. My allergy is such that even small amounts of capsicum from reusing utensils, pans, or grills without washing them can cause blisters in my mouth and throat.
Peanut allergies and severe dairy allergies - just need to know if something has milk in it. A non-dairy creamer like soy or Mocha Mix is great for coffee.
Vegetarian
Wheat, Dairy and Corn*
Understand that I will be operating out of a large suite and an adjoining room, so avoiding cross contamination will be pretty much impossible. Any suggestions?
Is it possible to get mixed nuts that don’t have a “CAUTION!!! May have been exposed to peanuts or processed on machinery that also processed peanuts” notice on the package? Also…allergic to solid olives?
Is this a convention for people with allergies? Because that many different people with that many bizarre allergies in one place is really weird. I’ve been on staff for many many large events with thousands of people and never seen anything like that.
You don’t need to find one food that meets everyone’s needs. You just need enough of a variety that there’s something for everyone (and label everything, of course). It looks like the only allergies so severe that you shouldn’t even have them in the same room are capsicums and cut flowers.
There’s also a lot of overlap in those restrictions, with multiple vegetarian/vegan, multiple capsicum allergies, multiple nut allergies, and multiple seafood allergies.
And one respondant even suggested an option that looks like it would work for everyone: A veggie tray with hummus (just make sure it doesn’t include any peppers). That might even be good for the person who says they don’t expect their diet to be accommodated.
Good advice. Just make sure there are no peppers or spices on the tray, and double check the hummus.
Cheese tray(no pepper jack), with non-dairy cheese on a separate tray.
I just wouldn’t have asked. Presumably these are adults who know what not to eat.
Peanuts caused us many headaches in the highschool concession stand I volunteered at. Kids who are allergic know it but they didn’t understand we used peanut oil on the fried stuff and all nacho type chips have the peanut warning.
Of course all chocolate bars have the warning. Try telling a 9yo they shouldn’t have a ‘plain’ Hershey bar.
I always sent them to get a parent if they insisted.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen bananas on a fruit tray. They go brown so quickly that I don’t think they are very popular.
My suggestion is a kind of buffet with separate and clearly marked food items. If anyone is so allergic that they can’t eat any, they should bring their own food.
I don’t handle this for my conference, thank Og, but there was one person who showed up and said he could only eat kosher, without warning anyone in advance. (And we do ask.) They had to get take out, very expensive takeout, from many miles away.