How to Create an Allergen Menu for Catering Events

Why events need a different approach to allergens

Restaurant allergen tracking is relatively straightforward: your menu is fixed, your recipes are standardised, and your allergen matrix stays the same until you change a dish.

Catering events are different. Every event has a different menu, different guest count, and different dietary requirements. A wedding for 80 guests with 4 nut allergies, 2 vegans, and 1 coeliac guest requires allergen tracking at the event level, not just the recipe level.

Here is how to build an allergen menu for any catering event.

Step 1: Collect dietary requirements from the client

Before you plan the menu, ask the client for the full dietary picture:

• Specific allergen declarations — "Two guests are allergic to nuts, one to shellfish"
• Dietary preferences — vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, halal, kosher
• Severity — a nut allergy that requires separate preparation is different from a nut preference
• Children's meals — different menu items may mean different allergens

Get this in writing. A verbal "someone is allergic to something" at the event is too late.

Set a deadline for dietary information — typically 7-14 days before the event, aligned with your final guest count deadline.

Step 2: Build the event menu with allergens in mind

Once you know the dietary requirements, plan the menu to minimise allergen risk:

Design inclusive base dishes. A starter that is naturally free from the most common allergens (nuts, gluten, dairy) serves the widest range of guests. Adjustments and alternatives are then smaller.

Plan alternatives at recipe stage. If your main course contains gluten, plan the gluten-free alternative before the event — not at the last minute. Cost it, source ingredients, and test it.

Check cross-contamination risks. Preparing a nut-free dish in a kitchen where you are also making a pecan tart requires careful separation of equipment, surfaces, and utensils.

Step 3: Build the allergen matrix

For each dish on the event menu (including alternatives), map the 14 UK allergens:

Use the allergen matrix generator to build this. Enter each dish, tick the allergens present, and generate a printable chart.

Your allergen matrix should cover:

• Every course and dish, including canapés and side dishes
• Alternative dishes for guests with specific dietary requirements
• Shared items (bread baskets, butter, condiments, dressings)

Shared items are the most commonly missed. A bread basket contains gluten. Butter contains milk. A vinaigrette may contain mustard. These are allergens in plain sight.

Step 4: Communicate allergens at the event

How you communicate allergens depends on how you serve:

Plated service (non-prepacked)

You must be able to tell guests which allergens are in their food. Options:

• Printed allergen matrix at each table or available on request
• Menu cards with allergens marked next to each dish
• Briefing your service staff so they can answer allergen questions verbally

Buffet service

Label each dish with its name and the allergens it contains. A simple card next to each dish reading "Contains: gluten, milk, eggs" is clear and effective.

Packaged items (PPDS)

If any items are pre-packed (boxed lunches, wrapped sandwiches, sealed desserts), they need full PPDS labelling under Natasha's Law. See our PPDS labelling guide for the requirements.

Step 5: Brief anyone handling food

Whether you are a sole trader or working with assistants, everyone handling food at the event needs to know:

• Which guests have allergen requirements
• Where the allergen matrix is located
• Which dishes are the allergen-free alternatives
• How to avoid cross-contamination during service

A 5-minute briefing before service starts is sufficient. The key is that no one serving food should be unable to answer "does this contain nuts?" confidently.

Common event allergen mistakes

Assuming the client knows their guests' allergies. Some do, some do not. Ask the question explicitly — "Please confirm any food allergies or dietary requirements for all guests by [date]."

Forgetting compound ingredients. A pre-made sauce, a commercial stock, a bought-in pastry case — each has its own allergens. Check the label on every bought-in ingredient.

Shared serving equipment. Using the same tongs for a gluten-free dish and a wheat-based one introduces cross-contamination. Separate utensils for allergen-free dishes.

Not updating the matrix when you change the menu. If the client requests a menu change 3 days before the event, rebuild the allergen matrix. The new dish may introduce allergens that were not in the original plan.

Tools for event allergen tracking

• Allergen matrix generator — build a 14-allergen chart for your event menu, print it for the kitchen and service team
• 14 allergens guide — detailed breakdown of all 14 allergens with hidden sources for caterers

Sources

• FSA — Allergen guidance for food businesses

This guide covers allergen management for catering events in the UK. It does not constitute legal advice. For definitive guidance, consult the FSA or your local authority environmental health team.