We're becoming more knowledgeable by the day about the foods that we eat. This means that the food requests at events are becoming more and more complex. The diet that is probably more requested these days than anything else is gluten free. 

So what is gluten anyway? 

Gluten is considered wheat, barley, or rye. The gluten free diet steers clear of all three of these items. Gluten is found in a lot of food like bread, donuts, cake, pasta, beer, or anything that has flour. There are some hidden foods that have gluten in it too, like soy sauce and gravy.

That seems like a lot of food that you can't have. What can you actually eat that is gluten free? 

This diet does exclude a lot of food, but there is still a TON that you can have. Meat, cheese, eggs, fruits and vegetables are all excellent alternatives to eating gluten. You just have to make sure that when the food is prepared that it isn't cooked in a sauce that has gluten. Cream sauces often have flour in it to make it thicker. Soups are also in this same category. However, cooking anything in oil, with herbs, spices, and garlic is an excellent choice for a meal. 

Should I ask my attendee if they have an allergy or preference?

This a great question to ask. Some people are allergic to gluten also known as having celiac disease. This group of people will have adverse effects to gluten as basic as fatigue to vomiting to throat closing. Everyone's symptoms are a little different. This group will want to know how the food is being prepared. Some people can't even have their meal prepared in the same frying pan as something that was previously cooked with gluten. 

Others may simply choose to be gluten free as a personal preference because a lot of the time it makes them feel better. Being gluten free means you can't eat a lot of processed foods, which many argue is healthier for you. But, this group won't die or get violently ill if they eat gluten. Now that doesn't mean you should serve it to them, it just means that they aren't as interested in how the meal is prepared and whether or not there is cross-contamination between the food in the kitchen. 

Talk with your Caterer or chef

Odds are that the chef or the catering staff have lots of options for your participants with allergies. There is probably nothing that they haven't had requested. Gluten free is probably one of the more common ones these days. Often, the chef is really looking for an opportunity to create something outside the typical "conference chicken" as I like to call it. Have a conversation about your attendees' tastes, preferences, and allergies. Being thoughtful about what you serve at your next conference will mean all the difference in the world to your attendees.