How to Plan Dietary Requirements Properly for Office Catering?

Is it difficult to cater for a group with different dietary requirements? Not necessarily. But having a suitable option on the menu doesn’t always mean everyone gets the meal they need.

You might order vegan food, only for it to disappear before the vegan guests arrive. Or collect everyone’s requirements, then realise one person needs a meal that is both vegan and gluten-free. And as the organiser, you are the one trying to sort it out while everyone else is eating.

That is why I’ve written this guide. You can leave the cooking to your caterer (or us), of course. But understanding what to confirm beforehand helps you decide whether food can be shared, whether some meals need to be kept separate, and how to avoid confusion once the order arrives.

First, make sure the dietary breakdown tells the whole story

You already know you need to ask people about dietary requirements. The useful bit is making sure the answers give your caterer enough information to work with.

For example, “two vegan guests and two gluten-free guests” could mean four people. Or it could mean the same two people need meals that meet both requirements. Those are different orders.

Keep each person’s requirements together, then give your caterer the total guest count and the breakdown. You don’t need to share everyone’s personal details, but it should be clear which requirements belong to the same meal.

It also helps to say what you are still waiting to confirm. “We have 30 guests, and I’m waiting for dietary information from three of them” gives a clearer picture than assuming those three have no requirements. You do not need to arrive with a perfect brief. Just make it clear what you know and what is still being worked out.

Halal is a dietary requirement

In food, it refers to Islamic dietary rules. For guests who observe them, eating halal is part of their faith, so it deserves proper consideration when planning the menu. Before ordering, ask the caterer about ingredients, meat sourcing and preparation. If your guests or organisation require formal halal certification, ask to see it and confirm what it covers.

At Eat Up, all meat used in our dishes is halal and is sourced from a trusted local butcher I’ve known for more than 20 years. Please mention any specific halal requirements when you enquire so we can advise clearly before you order.

Vegan and vegetarian guests should still get a proper lunch

This is where I would look at the meal itself, rather than simply checking that a vegetarian or vegan option exists. If everyone else is having a full lunch, what will the vegetarian or vegan guest actually have on their plate? Is it a complete meal, or a selection of the sides everyone else is having?

A salad can absolutely be a proper lunch. It depends on what is in it and what it is served with. The point is to choose it as a meal in its own right, rather than remove something from the main dish and hope what is left will be enough.

I like salads and plant-based dishes to feel just as appealing as the rest of the spread. There should be flavour, variety and enough food for someone to enjoy their lunch properly. Explore our vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. 

Confirm with your caterer: What would a complete vegan or vegetarian meal look like within this order?

Should you order individual meals or keep the food shared?

You do not need to put everyone into a lunch box just because a few guests have different requirements. But you do need to decide how those guests will find and receive their food.

In my catering approach, separate platters or clearly identified portions can work alongside the main order. Where requirements are more involved, individual meals may be easier to organise.

Here is how you should think about it:

These are starting points. A lunch box helps identify and distribute a meal; it does not, by itself, make that meal suitable for an allergy. For the wider comparison, read: Lunch Boxes vs Sharing Platters vs Hot Food: Which One Fits Your Corporate Event?

Make sure the right people actually get their food

Imagine you have ordered two vegan meals for two vegan guests. They arrive a little later, and other colleagues have already helped themselves to those meals. There was enough food when it arrived but now no longer enough suitable food for the people who need it. This is worth thinking about before you put everything out.

If particular meals are intended for particular guests, agree who will identify them and hand them over. If vegan dishes are meant for the whole table, plan them as shared dishes rather than counting only the vegan guests.

The same applies to vegetarian and gluten-free options. Decide which dishes everyone can help themselves to and which portions need to remain reserved. You don’t need to stand guard over lunch. You just need a clear arrangement before people start serving themselves.

Labels should answer questions, not create more

For a shared spread, ask what information will come with each dish. A label saying “special meal” does not tell the guest much. Neither does a general note that the buffet “includes gluten-free options” without showing which dishes those are.

The Food Standards Agency’s allergen guidance says allergen information should be available for individual buffet dishes, rather than for the buffet as a whole. It also recommends written allergen information supported by a conversation.

My practical advice is to keep the information with the food. When platters are moved or packaging is removed, make sure the corresponding labels and ingredient information are not lost.

For styled tables and grazing setups, discuss the layout as well. Ask which dishes need their own utensils or separately managed portions. The display should make serving easier without making food information harder to find.

Allergies and gluten-free requirements need a proper conversation

Please flag food allergies before placing the order. Do not assume that choosing a vegetarian, vegan or individually packaged meal answers the allergy question.

For example, a vegan label does not guarantee food is free from animal-based allergens such as milk or eggs, because cross-contact can occur during preparation.

The same care applies to gluten-free requests. Pass on the guest’s actual requirement rather than deciding for them that it is a preference. Gluten-free suitability involves ingredients and preparation controls, not simply leaving bread off the plate. Separate packaging can help with organisation. It cannot undo a problem that happened during preparation.

At Eat Up, we prepare food in a kitchen where allergens are present and cannot guarantee an allergen-free environment. Please discuss the requirement with me before ordering so I can explain what we can and cannot accommodate. 

Breakfast needs the same thought

For an early meeting, it is worth deciding who will receive the order and make sure the individual options reach the right guests. People arriving at different times makes that handover especially important. Do not assume the standard breakfast selection covers everyone. Confirm suitable choices before ordering, including anything served alongside the food.

I’ve covered the morning timings and menu choices separately here: How to Plan Halal Breakfast Catering for an Office Event in London?

What should you send when enquiring?

You do not need another long checklist. Start with these details:

• The event: date, venue, guest count and serving time.

• The requirements: each dietary need, any overlapping requirements and any food allergies.

• The serving plan: whether everyone eats together, in stages or in different rooms.

• What is undecided: missing replies, preferred food format or anything you need help choosing.

A message could be as simple as:

We’re arranging lunch for 30 people next Thursday at 1pm. Everyone will eat together, apart from two colleagues joining later. We have three vegan guests, one of whom also needs gluten-free food, and a separate guest with a nut allergy that I’d like to discuss. We’re considering sharing platters but would appreciate your recommendation.

Send me the details you have, and I’ll help you work out the menu and how the different meals should be organised. Make an enquiry. 

Check out our dietary options.

Final thought

Before ordering, picture the moment the food arrives. Will everyone know which meal is theirs? Will the guests arriving later still have their food? Have any allergy questions been properly discussed?

This is the part worth sorting out beforehand. You can leave the menu recommendations to me or whichever caterer you pick. What helps is knowing who I am catering for and how the food will reach them, so you can spend the event hosting rather than trying to work out who can eat what.