How to Host Guests With Dietary Restrictions

As a host, it is your job to make sure your guests are satisfied and comfortable in your home. There is nothing worse than slaving over a meal only to realize that your guest cannot eat it. The following are some ways to avoid the discomfort that this situation engenders.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Ask first. Whenever you are inviting a new guest for a meal, ask him about any food restrictions. While it is usually considered the responsibility of the guest to alert you to these, a proactive question will save many problems down the line, especially if your guest doesn't know you that well and feels uncomfortable bringing it up.
2. Consider the size of the gathering. The extent to which you make modifications to your menu should reflect how integral the person with the restriction is to your event. If she is one of two other guests, for example, you should make every effort to plan food entirely around her restriction. If you are having a dinner party for 12 other guests, on the other hand, you need only make sure some food is available that she can eat.
3. Plan a varied menu. In the case of the 12-person dinner party, for example, you might have a vegetarian coming to dinner. You could still make a meat-entree, as long as you served a sufficient range of vegetarian side dishes. For a smaller party, you would want to avoid meat altogether. A tapas-style meal may be the way to go regardless of food restrictions; these are usually more relaxed, and provide more flexibility for people whose palates range.
4. Find out the nature and extent of the restriction. If you are having a small party and need to plan your menu around the person with restrictions, you need to know the nature and extent of these. For example, will your vegetarian guest eat fish? Get the most detailed information you can.
5. Realize your limits. At a certain point, adjusting for severe food restrictions becomes so burdensome as to be problematic. For example, someone who keeps strictly kosher may not be able to eat on the plates in your home, no matter what you serve. You may be able to find a middle ground, such as having a potluck meal or eating food on paper plates, but your willingness to do will probably depend on your relationship with the person.

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