Food Prep for the Ultimate Party

The menu for the modern party can be as full of pitfalls as a badger’s forest home. With diets ranging from vegan to gluten-free, things can get complicated...

We’ve designed a friendly menu that won’t exclude anyone in the room. Feeding a crowd can be tricky, we’re here to help!

Party Food Prep Tips:

Wooden bowl of gluten-free oats topped with mango, strawberries and chai seeds

Gluten-Free and Fancy

Coeliac disease is no joke and can wreak havoc on the digestive system of those affected. Those with a wheat intolerance, gluten intolerance or coeliac disease must avoid all gluten products including pasta, pizza and regular bread.

If you have friends or loved ones in need of gluten-free food, try serving some fresh strawberries and cream, bean-based dips with vegetable sticks for dipping and fresh seafood platters. Regular supermarkets also stock a wide variety of gluten-free products including pizza and pasta, as well as cake and cookies for dessert.

Steamed salmon with salad and tomatoes on a black plate

Pescatarians

A pescatarian is someone who doesn’t eat meat but will still eat fish. This, again, means they aren’t too difficult a crowd to please but you should still be careful not confuse a slice of salmon with a chicken breast (very possible after a bevvy or two).

You can serve anything from vegetarian quiche to crab sticks. If you’re having a sit-down meal, try our Steamed Salmon with Garlic, Spring Onion and Soy Sauce, cooked best in our Halogen Oven.

Photograph of spinach and sweetcorn fritters in a blue bowl

Vegetarian

There are currently over 3 million vegetarians in the UK so, the likelihood is, you might end up partying with one. These guys aren’t actually all that difficult to please. Cheese! Cheese everywhere is a crowd pleaser whether it’s a Margherita pizza, cheese dip and breadsticks or cheesy nachos with a lentil chilli.

Vegetarian just means no meat, no fish. For something party friendly and sure to please, try Fearne’s Corn Fritters with honey yoghurt. For desert avoid jellies and any product with gelatine on the label, this is actually a by-product of animal fat and is used in sweets including Haribo and Jelly-babies.

Vegan orange sorbet in a freezer container

Vegan

There are now three and a half times more vegans than there were ten years ago, accounting for 542,000 people in Britain alone. Vegans won’t eat anything with any animal products involved and this includes eggs, dairy, animal fats and fish oils.

With vegan blogs popping up with advice on what to cook, vegan alternatives to meat products, how to shop and avoid animal products, it’s much easier than you think to cater for the vegan guest. For dessert try Fearne’s easy to convert Frozen Yoghurt with Orange and Rosemary and, with soya instead of cow’s milk, it’s totally vegan!

Whatever style of party you want to throw, you can rest assured that no guest will go hungry if you follow our advice!

Do you have friends with dietary needs? Share you’re party food preparations with us on social media at @SwanBrandUK and ensure no party animal need go hungry in 2018!