Remember the days when everyone ate everything? It seems that everyone has specific diet needs these days, and frankly, entertaining guests has never been so complex! Spurred on by healthier eating trends, increased awareness of food allergies, and a stark increases in diagnoses of these food allergies, there’s a gluten-free, vegan, and lactose-free version of just about everything out there. But what does all of this mean for your next dinner party, your child’s next sleep over, or your next neighborhood potluck? Keep reading to learn about three of the increasingly common diets you may run into and how to accommodate them.

What Does It Mean To Be Gluten-Free?

What it means: Gluten is a protein found in grains including wheat, barley and rye. A gluten-free diet is used to treat celiac disease and helps prevent the symptoms of celiac disease including inflammation in the small intestines.

Foods to avoid: Gluten is commonly found in these products and many more: Beer, bread, cakes, pies, salad dressing, pasta, rice, processed luncheon meats, soups, and oats as they commonly intermingle with wheat during the growing process.

What Is A Vegan?

What it means: A lifestyle in which one avoids the use or consumption of all animal products. Unlike vegetarians, vegans also avoid dairy and eggs, and leather, wool, fur, down, and products that have been tested on animals.

Foods to avoid: When entertaining a vegan, it’s best to avoid all animal products and confirm any store bought foods are certified vegan.

What Is A Pescetarian?

What it means: Another offshoot of vegetarianism, pescetarianism is a diet that includes fish and other seafood, but not the flesh of other animals including beef, pork, poultry and game.

Foods to avoid: All meat products other than fish and seafood. A pescatarian diet typically includes veggies, fruits, nuts, grains, beans, eggs, dairy, pasta etc.

While it may be a bit overwhelming to learn about and accommodate a wide variety of diets, it’s important to respect each others specific needs. Everyone has a right to decide what they put in their body, which is why many depend on Passanante’s Home Food Service to provide high-quality and safe foods for their family.  If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that there are plenty of delicious foods available for every diet — you might just have to look a little harder!