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Catering Well for Vegans and Vegetarians

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Foodservice outlets that cater well for customers with special dietary requirements are increasing in popularity – and not just with the folk they’re catering for.

With more interest in natural, locally sourced and organic ingredients, and an upsurge in the number of people opting to follow a plant-based diet at least on some days, caterers who offer a menus with a good selection of suitable dishes will attract more customers.

Unfortunately, some establishments get a little stuck for ideas when it comes to offering menu choices for those with dietary restrictions. I bet we’ve all got a vegetarian friend who bemoans the fact that the only real choice is the seemingly ubiquitous spinach and ricotta pasta dish. And of course, that’s not suitable for any vegan chums either!

There’s another issue too – descriptions of dishes. So what might seem a great option – say homemade vegetable soup – might be a real no-no for a vegetarian if it’s made with a meat stock base. Salads too can be problematic for a vegan if they include sliced boiled egg or chunks of cheese – or a mayonnaise dressing made with egg.

So how can you avoid these pitfalls, ensure your dishes are really suitable for the customers you want to attract and let them know about them?

It’s a good idea to take a leaf (no pun intended) from the best vegetarian and vegan restaurants.  For one thing they have some great menu ideas, which you could perhaps include on your menu (we all need a bit of inspiration sometimes), but they often also display the ingredients included in the dish, so that their customers can be certain of what they’re ordering. The savviest ones also reference where their ingredients come from, especially if they are sourcing locally. It’s a very good way of marketing your business.

Of course many people choose where to eat based on what they read online, so your menu information should appear on your website. Not only is it a good showcase for your establishment, but you can use social media to highlight particular dishes, by linking your posts to specific menu items.

We’ve talked about vegan and vegetarian dishes, but of course the same rules apply to offering gluten-free or nut-free dishes. Include choices on your menu, show all the ingredients, and make sure you shout about it on social media!

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