Find out what kind it is
Restrictions come in three kinds, and they call for different levels of care. An allergy, and celiac disease along with it, means that trace amounts matter and a mistake can end in an emergency room. An intolerance, such as trouble with lactose, means the person will feel ill but a crumb is not a crisis. A choice or observance, such as vegetarian, vegan, halal or kosher eating, is a matter of respect rather than of medicine. Ask your guest which one applies and how strict they need you to be. People with restrictions would much rather answer the question than guess at the table.
Hidden ingredients
Most accidents come from the jar, not from the main ingredient. Regular soy sauce contains wheat. Worcestershire sauce and Caesar dressing contain anchovies. Pesto contains nuts and cheese. Many bouillon cubes, stocks and spice blends contain wheat, dairy or soy. Oats are often contaminated with wheat unless the package says gluten-free. Read every label on the day you shop, even for products you have bought before, since recipes change.
Substitutions that work
- Unsweetened soy or oat milk replaces dairy milk one for one in most cooking and baking.
- Olive oil or a plant-based butter replaces butter in most savory dishes.
- One tablespoon of ground flaxseed stirred into three tablespoons of water and rested for five minutes replaces one egg in muffins, pancakes and quick breads.
- Tamari labeled gluten-free replaces soy sauce.
- Mushrooms, miso and tomato paste supply the savory depth that meat or stock would have provided.
Prevent cross-contact
For an allergy, a clean ingredient list is only half the job. Use a freshly washed board, knife and pan. Do not fry the safe food in oil that has cooked the unsafe one, and do not boil gluten-free pasta in water that held regular pasta. Give each dish its own serving spoon. Keep the packaging so your guest can read the labels personally.
Choose dishes that fit naturally
A menu built on imitation is harder and usually worse than one that was never a problem. Rice bowls, tacos on corn tortillas, curries made with coconut milk, roasted vegetables and grilled meats are free of gluten or dairy without any substitution. Serving the components separately, with toppings on the side, lets each person assemble a plate that works.
Note If a guest carries an epinephrine injector, ask where they keep it before dinner begins. If it is ever used, call 911 afterward even if the person seems to have recovered.
