It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas and with that comes events and parties, which always provides a few interesting challenges for those managing food intolerances. How do you manage these challenges so that everyone has a good time and that the only sore heads are from too much Christmas cheer ?

Part of being a good host is making sure you look after your guests so its a good idea to check on any food intolerances before the event. It’s also much easier to prepare appropriate options with a little planning.

90% of food intolerances are due to five main foods , milk, eggs, nuts, soy and wheat. Whilst I am not suggesting that you make your catering completely allergen free, avoiding some of the major allergens so that the intolerant have a few options is a useful strategy. Here are five easy swaps to have options for those with intolerances.

• Swap the bread base for sliced cucumber (lebanese cucumbers work well)
• Use cocktail potatoes cut in half to hold a filling – this can be a very upmarket canape with a little melted butter and roe.
• Rice paper rolls are fresher and healthier than spring rolls.
• Platters which are clearly marked with lots of crunchy vegetables and dips which are allergen free , like salsa, guacamole and humuus.
• Replace crumbed foods with protein options such as a fresh bowl of peeled prawns with lemon and guacamole dip or chicken drumettes in a gluten free honey soy marinade.

For those of you who are busy organising and planning parties and events here is a collection of six easy one pan meals designed to ensure you have healthy and quick options (and they are all gluten free as a bonus).