How to Ensure Everyone Can Safely Dine at Our Next Event

by Harpreet Matharu, of Intu-Soul Wellness

I am sure you or someone you know have uttered the words, “Why me?” I know I certainly have. When it comes to food allergies, I cannot count the number of times this phrase has crossed my mind. Unbeknownst to my young consciousness, the gloomy undertone of these words lingered for years, and ultimately, these words found themselves at home.

Home. We all know home is where the heart is – and the heart is happiest when the body-mind-spirit connection is unconditionally loved.

These words floating around at the forefront of my conscience existed not only to take up space but to battle with my happiness and subsequently, my heart health. In turn, this posed challenges to the unconditional love that was meant to conquer.

Fortunately, for me, meal times at home superbly proved that unconditional love truly outweighed all other unwelcome guests dancing around in my mind. I was ever-so-thankful for the creative ways in which my parents (music-loving chefs themselves) would whip up allergen-free meals, all the while singing and dancing the days away.

Outside the home was a completely different experience – the dancing pitiful words that I thought were finally put to rest, bounced back once I entered young adulthood. Occasionally dining out at restaurants and attending glamorous Indian weddings became a part of my social life. I came face-to-face with foods I could not eat and the associated words, “Why me?” were unwavering in their rhythm. I’m not someone who believes in coincidences, so as I write this, I consider this period of time in my life to have been a significant realization for me.

The seemingly simple action of sitting at a table that was not in my own house, for a meal, triggered a cascade of negative emotions inside me. However, I allowed the beauty of the song and dance at the many social functions I attended, to ignite a love for all things music and weddings.

Fast forward two decades.

Thankfully, with much inner healing and the slow but sure improvement within the food service industry, the negativity surrounding the dining experience does not ring true for me today.

A strong foundation of holistic nutrition and reiki in my personal life has healed the part of me that was haunted by the age-old question, “Why me?” It has finally met its match…

“Because I was chosen for a reason.”

Today, I have made it my life’s mission to continue to discover that very reason; and to thrive, with allergies in tow. As an empath, my heart aches to see anyone else being consumed by the emotional turmoil of exclusion surrounding the eating experience. Having grown up with multiple severe allergies as well as asthma, support, and inclusion from the outside world was always missing from my life. For this reason, I am deeply passionate about offering professional services to those in need of allergen-free and gluten-free foods.

As my life journey continues, whilst consuming the occasional meal at a restaurant, banquet hall, or other establishment, I am beginning to understand why I was chosen to have allergies. I note the trials and tribulations that stem from accommodation, empathizing with myself as the consumer, but also, recognizing the lack of education and knowledge on the part of personnel and establishments.

Let’s highlight some examples of said trials and tribulations to further your understanding of a big industry gap at its finest.

Have you travelled on a business trip and were extremely limited with food choices? Attended a function such as a wedding as a guest, and wasn’t sure whether you could eat the food? Better yet…actually, let’s rephrase that. Not better yet – imagine being the bride or groom and you couldn’t enjoy the food at your own wedding?

Doesn’t sound fun, right?

As an individual with multiple severe food allergies, attending any social function, more often than not, requires some planning on my end as the guest. I have learned to satiate my hunger before attending any social function. This means sometimes getting ready ahead of time so I can eat calmly and in a stress-free environment. There’s also always the option of staying hungry if allergy-friendly foods are not readily available.

What if things didn’t need to be this way though? What if I could just walk into an establishment, and not have to worry about whether I could safely eat there and have options available? It’s not that simple. Even when food doesn’t need to be the focus of an event, it ends up this way, especially because food is a basic necessity of life.

The tenacious go-getter in me could not settle with the mediocrity of these circumstances.

Don’t get me wrong – I love food. However, having been dealt these allergic cards revealed an unconventional way of relating to food. Re-training my mind on an intuitive level allowed me to appreciate the experience around eating rather than just on the food itself.

Trust me. Where there’s a will, there’s a way.

That’s when I embarked on another realization – even though the world is considered fast-paced today, it needs to catch up when it comes to serving the allergic and other diet-restrictive communities.

Fortunately, for these communities, sitting at a table other than your own dining table at home, does not have to trigger racy heartbeats, sweaty palms, other anxious symptoms, and most importantly, an allergic or anaphylactic reaction.

I took it upon myself to look into organizations dedicated to improving the lives of those living with diet restrictions. They offer hope, support and concrete plans of action. These organizations are equipped with allergy-friendly menus, well-versed staff, zero cross-contamination risk, and an overall pleasant experience.

One such organization, MenuTrinfo, offers training services for allergen-free and gluten-free food preparation and handling. Food service professionals learn from a variety of comprehensive courses. As a result, certified establishments are able to confidently accommodate consumers with food allergies and/or celiac disease, and in turn, diners can rest assured they are in safe hands. Appropriately, as a Certified AllerTrainer, I provide staff training at various establishments regarding gluten-free and allergen-free food preparation.

Topics covered:

• Defining allergy, symptoms of allergic reactions, priority allergens
• Best practices of allergen control including safe food preparation techniques, policy development, legislation and crisis management
• Cross-contamination
• Menu options

With this training readily available for the wedding industry in particular, wedding guests, brides, grooms, vendors, planners, coordinators, and event professionals of all kinds, can be certain that the food served at their events will be allergen-free and/or gluten-free.

Let’s work together to create stress-free food experiences for all.

For more information, visit https://menutrinfo.com/

The entire contents of this article are based upon the opinions of Harpreet Matharu. Please note that Harpreet Matharu is not a dietitian, physician, pharmacist, or other licensed healthcare professional. The information in this article is NOT intended as medical advice, nor is it intended to replace the care of a qualified healthcare professional. This content is not intended to diagnose or treat any diseases. Always consult with your primary care physician or licensed healthcare provider for all diagnosis and treatment of any diseases or conditions, for medications or medical advice as well as before changing your healthcare regimen.