Caterers

[ajasfolks2]

Not naming names of caterers here.  This is not a thread to plug anyone.

This is intended as thread to GENERALLY discuss the successes and perils of dealing with caterers when there is food allergy in the mix.

Personal experience to share:  when calling caterer who will be supplying lunches for an event and the caterer seems totally unaware of the lacking food allergy label laws and the ins and outs of TRULY investigating ingredients . . . well, then that caterer is OUT for our needs.  (Gee, thanks for being rather rude to me too and calling me "apprehensive" as a response to my calm, direct questions -- as a way of saying you really don't know the square root of poop-all about food allergy management in the food industry setting . . . )

Claims of "I know all about food allergies" and "I don't use nuts / peanuts" are truly inadequate for our family's LTFA needs.


*sigh*  I just cannot educate the caterer enough to make his/her food safe for my child. 

And claims of being trained at this or that culinary school don't sit well with me either.  Now, tell me you've been trained directly through National Restaurant Association and go into detail with me as to precautions you take, then we can talk and MAYBE I'll consider your food as a possible option.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Feel free to add your own experiences or observations as well.

[guess]

Wow.  I would think it depends on the allergen(s).  Singular, remote variable vs. multivariate.  With a manufacturer there would be more static large runs of prefab ingredients with hopefully industrial sanitation.  A smaller food service vendor who makes to order probably gets people whose kids are on that sweet spot of distribution that need at least a direct ingestion before reacting.

[nameless]

I've had a multitude of experiences --- going to a lot of conferences and professional workshops and too-many-weddings to mention...some I call and are clueless. Others I'll call and they are so extremely spot on and have a full-on process for dealing with it (prepping NEW foodstuff for a separate cooking/preparing and setting aside MY PLATE full of food, labeled, with foil/wrap, etc.) it's amazing to me.

Sometimes it's a PITA and I don't even bother. I've got it down now for conferences/workshops where I'll bring my own lunch. I have pn/tn/shellfish allergies...so I can do most foods. I'll hit a grocery store for a block cheese, box of crackers, apples, grapes, red pepper, carrots...and bring a cutting board/knife and plastic baggies or containers in my check luggage. Easy peasy lunch that doesn't really need refrigeration. For the cheese...I'll wrap it and put in the ice bucket overnight.

Sometimes they'll say they'll make a special plate for me of something completely different. I usually ask. If it's "plain pasta or rice" or "a salad" I will happily tell them "never mind...I"ll bring my own food." as I've experience many a super crappy lunch at a workshop "because they tried".

Recently at Boston Univ. (who has a peanut/nut free kitchen) all they could muster (and were SO excited about!!!) was a "grocery store pre-bagged" level salad (it tasted FUNNY) with some possibly-day-old chicken on it. At that...maybe 4 bites of chicken.

Next day --- they found me to give me my plate...I handed them a Gladware container and asked them to go heat it up. I bought Chipotle the night before, I had a fridge, and then brought it in. They were kinda offended...but I was like "That salad yesterday was crappy, and I trusted you to give me a lunch, and I went hungry. Today, in my own hands."

Anyhoo - it varies considerably. Most of the time NOT WORTH THE EFFORT.  Bringing my own is ALWAYS easier and less stress.

[CMdeux]

Yup-- DD's experiences (and mine) tend to mirror Nameless' above.

We've figured out over the years that it's simply less bother and time and energy to DIY.  To that end, DD often carries a Bento box, which is both more appealing than disposable items (though not ALWAYS practical away from home-- for some workarounds there, keep reading) and is no more obtrusive than the "special lunch" that most places think they can provide.

For fully disposable bento box--

buy plain or window "treat" or "cupcake" box at a craft or cake decorating supply store (or just a JoAnn or Michael's) and fill with whatever is safe.  A bamboo cocktail fork, salad dressing take-out cups (which can be begged from a local vendor, usually) for wet stuff, and a roll of plastic wrap.  Yup-yup-yup.

We, too, travel with a paring knife and a small plastic cutting mat for in-hotel food-prep.  Just drop the cocktail forks and the flat-packed boxes in with them in a freezer bag, and you're set.