Special Requests

These days, every dinner guest has a different dietary restriction. Here, how to prepare a holiday meal that will satisfy them all -- without any extra cooking.

BY KAREN CICERO

At my house, planning a party menu is like negotiating an arms accord. My mother-in-law follows the Atkins low-carb, high-protein diet; my mom is virtually a vegetarian; my sister-in-law and I prefer dishes low in saturated fat; and my husband would rather shovel two feet of snow than try "health food." In a word: Aaargh!

      Although it's not much consolation, experts say that my situation reflects a trend. "Years ago, when you went to a party, you ate what the hostess served," says Jeanette Jordan, R.D., a certified diabetes educator in Charleston, South Carolina, and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "But now, because of high-protein diets, vegetarianism, and such health problems as food allergies, lactose intolerance, diabetes, and high blood pressure, more and more hosts are faced with numerous nutritional requests from their guests."

      The question is, how do you handle a half-dozen special orders without losing your mind? Follow these six pointers:

1. Ask for advance notice. You don't want a guest mentioning that she's allergic to nuts just as you remove your famous salmon with the pecan crust from the oven or informing you that she's on a low-sodium diet just as you're about to glaze the ham. At that point, there's little you can do to accommodate her. To avoid such sticky situations, inquire about special dietary needs when your guests RSVP for your gathering. "It really shouldn't be up to you to solicit the information," says Jordan, "but some people will assume that you know all about their dietary restrictions. Others will just forget to tell you." The bottom line: You'll prevent last-minute requests -- and hard feelings -- if you ask in advance. Plus, the guest may even offer to bring a dish. Our advice: Let her!

2. Take food allergies seriously. If a guest who follows a low-sodium diet eats a little too much salt at your party, it won't kill her. But if she bites into something to which she's allergic, it can be fatal, cautions Jordan. So it's best to play it safe and not use the offending ingredient in any of your dishes. The reason: The tiniest bit of shellfish or nuts -- accidentally transferred from one food to the next by mixing utensils at the buffet table -- can trigger a severe reaction in allergic guests. Request that any partygoers bringing a dish avoid the troublemaking ingredient as well.

3. Remember that your home is not a restaurant. Many hosts end up making three or four main courses to try to please everyone. But, points out Claudia Gonzalez, R.D., a Miami-based nutritionist, "that's expensive, time-consuming, and stressful." It's also unnecessary: Even with the broadest range of dietary needs, you should be able to satisfy all your guests with no more than two main courses. Just look for a common food denominator. If no one's allergic to fish, consider serving it as a main course, since most varieties are high-protein, low-fat (if baked, broiled, or grilled), and acceptable to the majority of vegetarians. Another option: Chicken or turkey breast with sides of roasted potatoes, carrots with herbs, and green beans with diced red peppers. A low-carb fanatic can load up on the poultry and green beans, vegetarians can pile their plates with the three sides, and low-fat and low-salt followers can enjoy the whole meal (as long as they remove the skin from the poultry).

4. Serve dressings, gravies, and sauces on the side. They're usually high in salt (trouble for those watching their blood pressure), sugar (of concern to diabetics and Atkins followers), and fat (problematic for many dieters). And some toppings, such as gravy or Caesar salad dressing, don't qualify as vegetarian either. So let your guests decide how much, if any, they want. Offer two salad dressings -- a vinaigrette (for the Atkins crowd and nondieters) and a low-sodium, low-fat choice. If you're serving a buffet, avoid endless questions by putting a card near the dressings that describes them. Another good move: Keep a bottle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the table in case guests prefer to make their own mix.

5. Don't agonize over appetizers. Every guest doesn't have to be able to eat every food. Rather than racking your brain to come up with several appetizers that will please everyone, make sure that each person has at least one he will be able to eat. Choose a seafood, a meat, a starch, and a vegetable -- and keep them as simple as possible. For instance, opt for shrimp (low-fat and low-carb) over crab-stuffed mushrooms (neither). A nice mix of starters: shrimp served with one or two dipping sauces, Swedish meatballs, tomato bruschetta, and grilled eggplant topped with vegetable salsa.

6. End with an elegant -- and easy -- dessert. Rather than making fancy cakes and a half-dozen kinds of cookies (which diabetics, dieters, and people will food allergies will likely avoid), Jordan recommends a dessert that almost everyone can eat: fruit. And contrary to popular belief, it doesn't have to be boring. Arrange fresh pineapple chunks, strawberries, oranges, and other favorite fruits on an elegant tray. Melt chocolate (or buy it prepackaged and heat it) so guests can drizzle a little on their plate if they wish. Or provide skewers so they can dip their fruit fondue-style. It's a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.