Is the food and drink you offer suitable and appropriate for everyone?

* Points of attention that do not require much time/energy/money

  • Offer a range of foods, including: vegan/vegetarian, gluten-free, healthy, lactose-free, kosher, and halal. If you want to make it easy on yourself, you can choose one option that takes into account all (or at least several) diets: for example, a vegan meal is often halal and kosher as well. Make sure the options and ingredients are clearly labeled in large print and individually packaged or offered in a way that prevents cross-contamination.
    • Ideally, avoid common food allergens (e.g., peanuts).
    • Those who receive modified meals should receive their meals at the same time as others.
  • Make sure food, drinks, cutlery, plates, glasses, ... are easily accessible to someone in a wheelchair.
  • Try to provide non-alcoholic beverages in an equivalent amount as alcoholic beverages. For example, offer not only beer and water, but also fruit juice or syrups to put in water.
    • Offering alcohol may cause some people not to come - for example, people who want to stay sober. Also consider whether serving alcohol is culturally and religiously appropriate, depending on your audience.
  • Serve non-caffeinated drinks in an equivalent amount as caffeinated drinks. For example, preferably offer not only coffee and water, but also fruit juice or syrups to put in water.
  • Provide free water, and - depending on the format of your event - encourage people to bring a drinking bottle.
  • Try to avoid as much waste as possible. Use plastic/paper plates/cups as little as possible, or go for food that does not require cutlery/packaging. Provide a PMD and GFT bin in addition to a residual waste bin.

** Points of attention that are a bit more difficult

  • Have (ideally durable) bendable straws available for those who need them.
  • If you serve food in buffet style, there should be at least 1 person who can help serve/explain ingredients and allergens.
  • During potlucks, it is best to work with your participants to ensure that there are varied options, and allergens are clearly indicated with each option.
  • If you don't offer the food and drinks for free, try to look for low-cost options. Just make sure it's fairly produced. One way to do this is to watch for the Fairtrade label, or choose "fair trade" as a filter through https://catering.ugent.be/.