Nut free caterers???

DubPrincess

Hello everyone,

I am trying to find a caterer for my wedding and it is proving really difficult.
I have a serious nut allergy and would be much happier having a caterer that will provide me with a nut free menu.
However, many caterers say that they have nuts in the kitchen so there will always be a chance of cross contamination which I can't risk.

Does anyone know of a caterer that I could use that would caterer to my requirements?
I know it's a big ask but hoping someone out there knows of a good company.

Thanks
x

daisiegg

I think you'll struggle to find anyone who would make that guarantee. But if you impress on them to be really careful, would it not be all right?

I also have a severe allergy to nuts, eggs and dairy (and I mean severe, very almost dying anaphylaxis) but even I wouldn't go so far as to never eat anything due to the risk of cross contamination. My allergy consultant has told me that yes, while you must be careful of course, the risk of cross contamination of nuts has been greatly exaggerated and people panic for no reason. As long as there were no nuts on your menu (and surely you can specify what goes on your menu) and you asked them to make sure they were careful, would you not be ok?

Don't you ever eat out? Or eat anything that says 'may contain traces of nuts'? I do - I'd barely eat anything at all if I didn't! And yes my allergy is incredibly severe - we can't have eggs or nuts in the house and OH can't eat them as it's too risky that he'll kiss me or touch me - but I eat out regularly and I haven't died yet!

Of course we need to be careful with our life threatening allergies but we also need to live our lives

On another note, you haven't said where in the country you are. I think that would help if you want people to recommend a caterer to you.

Good luck and enjoy your wedding planning!

DubPrincess

oops I'm in milton keynes in England

I don't ever eat out I have tried but I have reacted to a pizza, a salad bar and most ice cream.
I've also reacted to things that say they may contain traces so now I just rule it out completely.

There isn't a lot that I do eat :P

Thanks for your reply
xx

MrsDrink

What sort of catering are you after? And for how many? Do you know anyone who would be willing to do you a buffet, say, in your own kitchen so you know it's nut free, using only nut free ingredients?

daisiegg

DubPrincess wrote: »

oops I'm in milton keynes in England

I don't ever eat out I have tried but I have reacted to a pizza, a salad bar and most ice cream.
I've also reacted to things that say they may contain traces so now I just rule it out completely.

There isn't a lot that I do eat :P

Thanks for your reply
xx

I can't eat dark chocolate that says it may contain traces of nuts/milk - I think in this case it's probably the milk rather than the nuts - but that makes sense because it's probably made very close to the milk chocolate. Generally though I try things that say 'may contain traces' and if I react...I'll try them again in case it's a one off, and if I react again, then it's off the table!

I carry around a bottle of antihistamine and I just glug it if I've eaten something and my mouth starts to prickle. I do have non-life-threatening reactions fairly regularly (and almost-dying ones much less regularly, but still a few a year!) but I would hate not to eat out...I love it!

The pizza - I wonder if they used some kind of nut oil without you realising? The salad bar doesn't surprise me - I would never eat at a salad bar/buffet type thing because food gets mixed up and people use the same spoons etc! Ice cream again - they might use the same scoop for different types of ice cream.

Aww it makes me sad that you never eat out! It can be a pain, but on the other hand people are so aware of nut allergies these days (not so much with my other allergies - the amount of times I get offered a gluten free menu...no, eggs and dairy are NOT the same thing as gluten!)....I think it's such a shame to not eat out at all

Anyway, going off topic a bit here!

I hope you manage to find something you feel comfortable with for your wedding!

DubPrincess

MrsDrink wrote: »

What sort of catering are you after? And for how many? Do you know anyone who would be willing to do you a buffet, say, in your own kitchen so you know it's nut free, using only nut free ingredients?

Ooh the prep in my kitchen is a good idea! Never thought of that!
I just want a simple buffet for the day guests (approx 60) at the wedding and then an afternoon tea style buffet for the evening (approx 140).

Daisiegg I probably could eat out to be honest but my problem is that I spent a year having so many reactions so almost everything that I started having really bad panic attacks every time I thought about eating at all so eating in is just a lot easier in all respects! I am getting better though, we had take away from pizza hut the other day! Haha biggest achievement of the month so far!

nuatha

DubPrincess wrote: »

Ooh the prep in my kitchen is a good idea! Never thought of that!
I just want a simple buffet for the day guests (approx 60) at the wedding and then an afternoon tea style buffet for the evening (approx 140).

Daisiegg I probably could eat out to be honest but my problem is that I spent a year having so many reactions so almost everything that I started having really bad panic attacks every time I thought about eating at all so eating in is just a lot easier in all respects! I am getting better though, we had take away from pizza hut the other day! Haha biggest achievement of the month so far!

I'm catering my wedding due to a range of dietary requirements, apart from vegan, lacto-vegetarian, ovo-lacto vegetarians and omnivores, I have to cater for gluten free, nut free, allium free and coffee free.
We were fortunate to find that our preferred venue allows us to self cater, most don't or insist on a limited approved list.
Buffet style should make it a lot easier, I'm currently working my way through recipes, adapting those that can be adapted and checking how well they freeze. The plan is to freeze ahead as much as possible, leaving the two days before the wedding for everything that can't be prepared further in advance.
I'm a control freak with some catering experience, so will probably plan everything so that I'm working solo, however a small group working together would make life easier. The real key is planning and preparation (know what you are preparing, have everything ready, from ingredients to storage/serving trays to storage space (freezer, fridge and ambient)
Its the best way to ensure you get exactly what you want and, although its a lot of work, it can be fun.
Good luck

DubPrincess

Hi Nuatha thank you for your post!
I would love to cater the wedding myself! I'm already making my wedding cake and have expressed the desire to do all the catering to my family but they have all warned against it which puts a bit of a dampener on the idea.
I do think that even with a companies best efforts to reduce the risk of contamination I would worry and just end up not eating anything so I think I may be looking into doing it myself especially now I know someone who is doing the same thing!
Thank you
xx

Debbiecatal

My daughter is getting married in September and one of her closest friends has serious life threatening food allergies. We want her to feel she can come to the wedding and be safe, so we have hired a village hall with a good kitchen and a caterer who will prepare food we have bought in the kitchen and serve it on the day. Hopefully, none of the other guests will even notice the missing foods, and she will be able to choose from the buffet with confidence.

Could you do something similar?

Debbie

daisiegg

DubPrincess wrote: »

Daisiegg I probably could eat out to be honest but my problem is that I spent a year having so many reactions so almost everything that I started having really bad panic attacks every time I thought about eating at all so eating in is just a lot easier in all respects! I am getting better though, we had take away from pizza hut the other day! Haha biggest achievement of the month so far!

Awww I do know how you feel. After my latest serious reaction (a few weeks ago) where I very, very nearly died, for the next couple of days I was in such a state I was vowing to never leave the house again, never eat anything I hadn't cooked, etc! The worst thing though was that that reaction came out of the blue and we don't know what it was to (we think ibuprofen). That's the scariest thing - because it could just happen any time I think if you can identify what has made you react (i.e. "oh cr*p, there is actually ground almonds in this" or something) it's less scary. Whereas if it's just a contamination thing and you don't know exactly what has caused your reaction I think it's much more scary so I totally see where you are coming from.

Well done on the pizza hut though! yummy!

nuatha

DubPrincess wrote: »

Hi Nuatha thank you for your post!
I would love to cater the wedding myself! I'm already making my wedding cake and have expressed the desire to do all the catering to my family but they have all warned against it which puts a bit of a dampener on the idea.
I do think that even with a companies best efforts to reduce the risk of contamination I would worry and just end up not eating anything so I think I may be looking into doing it myself especially now I know someone who is doing the same thing!
Thank you
xx

Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of work involved.
I have an advantage in being the groom;), there's less I need to be directly involved in the final week.
However it is definitely doable - I catered a friend's wedding a couple of years ago, MrsDrink has just catered her wedding (July 2012 thread).
For me there are two advantages, one, you get exactly the menu you want, two, your budget goes further.
Do you have friends who know their way round a kitchen, who bake regularly? Might they be able to help? Do you have sufficient fridge and freezer space (or space to put extra fridges and freezers in if need be)
Do you have someone who can transport everything to your venue?

As I mentioned, my plan is to cater solo, currently I will transport everything to the venue in the morning (wedding at 2:00pm) and dress at the venue (we have a guest room booked) drop my car at the hotel we're staying at and get a lift to the registrar's. (Said lift will be available to assist with transporting food)
I'm arranging with the venue that I will fund two or three waitresses who will serve canap!s during the afternoon and will lay out the buffet for the evening (to a measured plan I will draw up)

Frightening figures, if these don't put you off then go for it.
In my case, 100 guests for the day, that means the canap! reception will be 650 individual pieces of food produced. Approx 100 each of each item.
The evening buffet will be approx 1100 portions of food (140 attending)
Chilled items need to be kept at 2-5 degrees C until they are served and then should not be out from more than two hours.

As I said, its very doable, but there's a lot of work and the key is planning.
I'm happy to answer questions, there's a lot of info about party catering around the OS board (and some very helpful Old Stylers)