Tackling Gluten Free Catering
28th April 2023
Gluten free options are growing in trend across supermarkets and the eating out market. Whether your customers want this dietary option to cater for their dietary requirements or a health condition – or they want to simply try something new – your menu needs to include these options.
There are number of precautions you need to consider when catering for this specific dietary requirement. These include preventing the risk of cross-contamination and including any harmful products in your recipes. However, going gluten-free isn’t all doom and gloom. There are a wide variety of foods and recipes which you can include on your menu that will still deliver a wonderful culinary experience.
At Kara, we’re serious about providing caterers with all the products and information they need, so that you can enjoy cooking in the kitchen whilst producing food their customers want.
Understanding your customer
There are several reasons why someone would choose to adhere to this type of lifestyle. Any gluten included in a dish could trigger ongoing health complications such as Coeliac disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), so it’s important to know the potential consequences this could have. Once you gain this understanding, it will transpire into your recipes as they will minimise any risk. One way you can take these precautions is introducing gluten free staple foods to your menu. Take the Genius gluten free bread range for example. We distribute a range of breaded goods that don’t contain any gluten, meaning customers won’t have to miss out on any items due to their diet.
How to prevent cross-contamination
Precautions shouldn’t just stop at sourcing the correct ingredients. Any utensils that have been used in the production of normal dishes should be separated to prevent any contamination, as traces can still be found if not washed after use. Storing your gluten-free products separately can also make a big difference.
Learn which foods you can include in your recipes
A huge part of making your food interesting is knowing which ingredients you can use in the creation of your meals. Using some creative freedom to try and work them all together to create something special can be difficult – but it is possible. Take our Gluten Free Chicken, Watercress and Orange Sandwich, for example. A collection of unexpected flavours which just work, both in flavour and feeling – all these ingredients are also naturally gluten-free. Prioritising these types of foods will make providing these types of foods easier whilst catering to all dietary requirements.
Offer options for all times of the day
Gluten-free foods don’t have to specifically be made for one meal a day – make sure that you cover breakfast in your gluten-free plan as well. A great place to start is by introducing Turkish Eggs On Toast. A tasty, healthy start to the day which can also be served later on for lunch as well.
Find substitutes for the forbidden foods
There may be some meals which might not be suitable for this dietary requirement. However, that shouldn’t mean they have to miss out on the dish itself. Once you’ve learned which foods you should and shouldn’t be serving your customers, you can set out experimenting and finding solutions to gaps in your new gluten free selection. Unfortunately, many beef burgers contain hidden ingredients which prevent them from being free of this allergen. However, that isn’t the case for the butternut balls inside our Gluten Free Butternut Squash Buns. Made up of chickpeas, onion, red pepper and garlic, they make for a winning combination and prove that substitute foods can be interesting too.
Our wholesale bakery products can help you create a variety of delicious, gluten free meals that will appeal to all. Craving more inspiration for your menu? Explore more of our recipes on the Kara website, or view our gluten free products.
