# Convention menu dilemma **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** food-cooking\ **Created:** [February 26, 2023, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384 "2023-02-26T02:04:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![nicky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f0a364/32.png) [@nicky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nicky)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/61 "2023-02-26T19:41:26Z")
If capiscum and pancreas are excluded its a hell of a lot easier. A core of vegan dishes, with gluten free options, plus obvious cheese and meat plates. Tomato olives and bananas separate, no mint or walnuts unless obvious . ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/62 "2023-02-26T19:59:10Z")
> [@nicky](#): > > If capiscum and pancreas are excluded its a hell of a lot easier The person has a bad pancreas, not an aversion to eating them. They [might](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Want_to_Eat_Your_Pancreas) or might not want to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/63 "2023-02-26T20:03:17Z")
Unfortunately, it sounds like one of the two capsicum-people has an allergy severe enough that that probably isn’t a good idea, even if there are other things for that person to eat. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/64 "2023-02-26T20:03:48Z")
Let us know how it went! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/65 "2023-02-26T20:05:59Z")
Will do. I knew there would be difficulties from the start, or as my friend SC likes to say, “You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, Fred!”. ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/66 "2023-02-26T20:50:45Z")
This won’t help you, but my partner dealt with a similar issue for “snack time” at a conference of 600: the restaurant put together a French fry bar with all sorts of dips and condiments, all labelled with ingredients. It was a big hit. Say, if you you could get your hands on an air fryer…Sorry, as I said, no help, but I still remember that chipotle ketchup fondly. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/67 "2023-02-26T21:43:19Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > > [@nicky](#): > > > > If capiscum and pancreas are excluded its a hell of a lot easier > > The person has a bad pancreas, not an aversion to eating them. They [might](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Want_to_Eat_Your_Pancreas) or might not want to do that. I like the cut of your jib, mister. I also find that wiki article’s lack of plot synopsis disturbing. Perhaps someone in anime-land needs a Force choke. 🙂 FWIW, I agree w @Chronos’ take on Mr. Pancreas. He meant well as in “I hope you can try a little bit in my direction and I’ll uncomplainingly make up any shortfall.” > [@echoreply](#): > > Originally I was going to ask the attendees about “restrictions and preferences”, but the hotel had me change that to “allergies and sensitivities”. Yep. Good plan. Small story time: I’m diabetic. Not disastrously so, but I try to eat very few simple carbs. Like one or two forkfuls per meal max, and zero in many meals. Last night wife and I went to a local Brazilian restaurant with a former co-worker of hers & his wife. They’re Brazilian and had made the invitation. For the completely uninitiated, a common subset of Brazilian cuisine can be _very_ crudely summarized as great piles of seasoned grilled meat and baked or fried starches combined in myriad ways. Not a green vegetable or complex carb in sight. All washed down with lots of sweet cocktails made from a rum-like booze. Served in portions that Americans can’t begin to finish, not even large Americans. Wife and I are not large; rather the opposite. Of course we let them order and I ate and drank what was served. Which was delicious; this place was packed with native Portuguese speakers for a reason. My pancreas was quite unhappy with me (post-meal BG 300 vice my usual 125ish) but no severe lasting damage ensued. Just one more tiny whittle off the darn thing. Not something to do often, but not a crisis either. That’s the practical difference between “I (usually) won’t eat \” and “I _can’t_ eat \”. Catering to the latter is just basic good hosting. Catering to the former, in the extremes, is just facilitating guests’ controlling behavior in many (too many?) random directions. And armed with a large enough demanding enough guest list leaves you serving water in one room and sparkling water in another. That way lies madness. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/68 "2023-02-26T21:51:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Why would you assume that? A solid olive with pimento wouldn’t be any less allergenic than a solid olive without pimento. It was a joke. I would think anyone allergic to solid olives were allergic to pieces. Maybe solid olive is something I’m not entirely aware of. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/69 "2023-02-26T21:52:34Z")
I think it is solid olive(and pieces) vs. olive oil. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/70 "2023-02-26T22:04:33Z")
For something sweet, maybe marshmallows? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/71 "2023-02-26T22:16:24Z")
I might also suggest having a bowl of epipens on the buffet. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/72 "2023-02-26T22:17:37Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I also find that wiki article’s lack of plot synopsis disturbing. [Here ya go](https://i-want-to-eat-your-pancreas.fandom.com/wiki/I_Want_to_Eat_Your_Pancreas_(Novel)). ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2023, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/73 "2023-02-26T23:03:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > We are a not-for-profit convention competing with the Big Buck Cons for these pro’s time So the snackers will be _professionals?_ Meaning… Big Name authors? Famous enough that you have to cater (pun intended) to every preference? Hmm, I wonder, does that mean they’re pickier than amateurs? Luckily, you know them (personally?) better than we do. . > [@Czarcasm](#): > > Also…allergic to solid olives? A thinly veiled plea for you to chew her olives for her. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/74 "2023-02-27T00:42:38Z")
Rice crackers, purified water and bottles of tequila. Throw in a couple of sliced limes. Call it good. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/75 "2023-02-27T00:44:49Z")
I was thinking of serving Cokagne, both regular and sugar free. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/76 "2023-02-27T01:37:06Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > > [@LSLGuy](#): > > > > I also find that wiki article’s lack of plot synopsis disturbing. > > [Here ya go](https://i-want-to-eat-your-pancreas.fandom.com/wiki/I_Want_to_Eat_Your_Pancreas_(Novel)). Thank you. Totally not what I expected. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/77 "2023-02-27T02:26:08Z")
> [@kitap](#): > > For something sweet, maybe marshmallows? Marshmallows in general aren’t vegan, though, although it’s probably possible to identify brands specifically made for vegans. ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/78 "2023-02-27T02:32:59Z")
Apparently there is a brand called Dandies that has vegan marshmallows. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/79 "2023-02-27T02:45:53Z")
I’m pretty sure Planters does this. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2023, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384/80 "2023-02-27T02:50:57Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > It was a joke. I would think anyone allergic to solid olives were allergic to pieces. Could she have wafer thin ham? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/convention-menu-dilemma/980384.md?page=5)