In theory, hosting a dinner party sounds like a wonderful idea. In practice, it can turn out to be a little stress-inducing. While you might love the thought of gathering your nearest and dearest for a lovely meal, trying to come up with a menu that satisfies the dietary requirements of all guests can be more challenging than you’d like it to be.
A surprisingly high number of people in the United States have at least one dietary restriction. Around 18 million Americans are gluten intolerant; around 10 million are vegetarians. Others follow a diabetic diet, while some 33 million people have at least one allergy.
In other words: selecting what to serve can be a minefield. But does that mean that you have to cancel your dinner plans? Absolutely not — it just means that you might have to do some extra work, but hey, it’s a small price to pay to have a great night with friends!
Ask Questions in Advance
There’s only one thing more difficult about having to host a dinner party for people with dietary restrictions, and that’s having to do so when you only find out when they arrive. Your event will run a lot more smoothly if you ask those all-important dietary questions before your friends turn up.
If they say yes, they have a restriction, then dig a little deeper. Having as much information about what they can/cannot/don’t want to eat will make your job easier.
Suggest Guests Bring Something
We don’t mean this in a rude way. We mean in a it makes sense kinda way. If everyone you’re inviting has a different dietary requirement, then it probably doesn’t make all that much sense to put together a set menu. You’ll only end up working five times as hard for the same outcome.
Hosting a potluck makes it easier, especially if there are multiple people with the same restriction. Plus, many people who have a restriction are allowed to sample small bites of food, so they’ll probably enjoy trying other people’s dishes too.
Get Something For All
Even if you have guests bring dishes, it’s still recommended to offer something to everyone. Taking the potluck approach solves a puzzle, but removes some of the fun of hosting. Buying a few delicious snacks from a top-rated gluten-free bakery for your gluten-free guests or some sugar-free treats for your diabetic friends can go a long way towards making them special. Plus, you’ll also get to try these delicious snacks, and might just discover that you’d also like to follow a dietary restriction from time to time because of how delicious they taste.
Keep Things Simple
When in doubt, keep things simple. Most people have grand plans for their dinner parties, but if it feels as if you’ll be contending with too many dietary restrictions, then scale things back a little. The main reason why your guests will come is that they want to share some happy moments with friends, so don’t stress too much about what you serve them.
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