How should we handle food allergies for an office potluck? - HR Insights
How should we handle food allergies for an office potluck?
Question:
One of my employees loves to bring in their famous peanut brittle every year during our Halloween potluck. Most people look forward to the potluck and are excited about it for weeks in advance. A new staff member is concerned that it's unsafe for them to be here due to their peanut allergy. We don't want to lose fun traditions, but we also want to make sure everyone is safe. How should we handle food allergies for an office potluck?
Answer:
The health and safety of our co-workers is always top priority. If it comes to it, we might have to cancel the fun to make sure no one is put at risk. Productive dialogue and understanding of people’s safety concerns can lead you to an effective compromise such as safety precautions or an alternate recipe.
Long Answer
Allergies can be a complicated topic, especially with potlucks at work. The first step is always to have a conversation with the employee about the nature of their allergies. Do they have to consume the food to trigger a reaction, or can it happen from indirect contact? What kind of support might they need if they have an allergic reaction? Are their emergency contacts up to date? Is the employee comfortable sharing their allergy triggers with other team members? These are things we may need to know to create a plan. While it’s not appropriate to share someone’s allergies with the whole office if they want to keep them private, with no plan in place people could accidentally expose them to allergens. Let’s explore some solutions that will keep the treats and skip the tricks for this Halloween event!
Before getting into the HR world, I was a chef who did a lot of catering at self-serve events for guests with allergy and dietary restrictions. Here are some best practices you can consider using at your potlucks to reduce the risks.
Label all foods and list the ingredients!
Not only is this helpful for people with allergies, but it’s an opportunity to come up with creative on theme names for dishes. Names and descriptions are how you can transform a mysterious tray of monochromatic blah into something with an enticing flavor profile, while also making everyone aware of what they are eating.
Substitute allergens for other ingredients!
There is always a way to replace any one ingredient in a recipe without ruining it. Peanut brittle can become cashew brittle, lemon bars can become lime bars, and if you ever go out for coffee you know there are 10 different options for milk. If people are comfortable disclosing allergies you can send out a list of ingredients for people to avoid when cooking.
Avoid cross contamination at the serving table!
Make sure that every dish has its own serving utensils then make sure they don’t get mixed up, have the people setting up wash their hands or change gloves before they touch a different food, and do your best to set dishes up in a single row so no one has to reach over any dish to get to the back row. Crumbs, drops of sauce, or residue left on a spoon can often be enough to trigger allergies. If an allergy is severe, it may be wise to put those foods on a completely separate table.
Encourage everyone to wash their hands before AND after eating!
Most people know to wash their hands before a meal, but often people don’t think to wash their hands afterwards. Any crumbs or oils left behind on your hands can easily spread around the office and turn the whole building into an allergy risk.
Keep food limited to one area!
I’ve seen many work potlucks where people go back to their desks to eat, this is another way that allergens can spread. Even if it’s just finger foods people start looking for a seat once you put a plate in their hands. Plan for seating somewhere away from work spaces so that food and crumbs are limited to that space. This is also a good way to prevent pests like mice or bugs from showing up.
Clean up and take all leftovers home!
Plan for a few volunteers to clean and wipe down the area, then make sure everyone brings their dish back home at the end of the day. This limits the window of time in which some of these allergens will be present while also avoiding the chaos of a breakroom fridge filled with half eaten trays of who knows what for the rest of the week. You can even provide some to-go containers and sharpies at the end of lunch so anyone who wants to enjoy more later can take it home with them.
When an employee comes forward to disclose an allergy or any other medical concern the first step is always to listen and ask questions. The above strategies can be very effective at keeping people safe but it’s always important to speak with the affected employee first. Having a better understanding of the allergy’s severity and triggers will empower you to create a great safety plan or determine if peanut brittle is off the menu this year.
How should we handle food allergies for an office potluck?
Please note: This information is not legal advice and may not reflect specific state or local requirements.
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