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The holiday season brings people together, often around a festive table full of delicious food. Some of your guests may have food allergies, sensitivities, and specific diets that you’ll need to accommodate.
By using SignUpGenius, you can ensure that everyone at your event can enjoy the meal, no matter their restrictions. In this blog post, we’ll walk you through some practical tips to accommodate special diets, making your holiday events more inclusive and stress-free.
SignUpGenius makes getting this information easier than ever. Take advantage of the custom questions feature to ask your guests about their dietary restrictions at the same time they sign up to attend the event.
Consider including a question like, “Do you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies we should be aware of?” This gives your guests a chance to let you know upfront if they are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, lactose intolerant, or have food allergies like nuts or shellfish. It also signals that you're thoughtful and prepared to meet their needs!
SignUpGenius makes it easy to pull a sign up report to get this information all in one place. With this information at your fingertips, you can go to the grocery store and prepare your meal with everyone’s needs in mind.
Withsign ups, you can build an online RSVP and allow guests to sign up for specific menu items. For example, if you know a few guests are gluten-free or vegetarian, you can add slots for gluten-free or vegetarian dishes to your RSVP. You can also restrict the slot quantity of each dish guests can sign up to bring so that you’re sure to get a variety of options.
By adding slots for certain types of food in you RSVP, you can ensure that your menu includes options that cater to everyone. Having these options labeled in your sign-up will make it clear to your guests what’s needed and allow them to bring food that everyone can enjoy.
Why is this so important? Even something as simple as a shared serving spoon can accidentally transfer gluten,dairy, or allergens from one dish to another. Providing clearly marked utensils for allergy-friendly or restricted-diet dishes can make a world of difference for guests who need to be cautious about what they eat.
There are several ways that you communicate this need to guests in your sign up:
Not only does this help your guests know what they can safely eat, but it also eliminates the awkwardness of asking, “What’s in this?” when they arrive at the buffet table. Clear, visible labels on each dish — whether it’s a small sign or a marker on the container — show that you’ve taken extra steps to accommodate everyone.
Use color-coded labels to indicate different types of restrictions. For example, green labels for vegetarian dishes, blue for gluten-free, and red for allergy-friendly options. This quick visual cue can save guests time and ensure they feel comfortable with their choices.
