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Allergies and intolerances

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Allergy party food ideas HELP

8 replies

CantMakerHerThink · 24/05/2026 10:08

So I’m catering for a party and have a fair few dietary requirements to factor in but I’m really struggling with ideas food that is going to be suitable for 2 children. I’m really hoping to get some ideas from people that actually have experience with these as I want the food to be as “normal” as possible so they don’t feel excluded. Happy to buy specifically pre packaged food as needed and to reduce risk. Will also be packing all meals into lunch boxes and sealing them ( allergens first) to reduce cross contamination etc. 1 is allergic to soy, and dairy, another is allergic to wheat, soy and dairy

I do also have commercial kitchen experience and food allergen training so I’m not worried about that side, I’m just out of my depth on actually thinking up food that is compliant/feasible AND appeals to kids. any suggestions/ recommendations for tasty food that is also compliant , I’m all ears!

OP posts:
Hassell · 24/05/2026 10:14

Drop parent a message…. Any suggestions for what would work for party food given allergies?

Hassell · 24/05/2026 10:14

They will appreciate the thought

AppeTable · 25/05/2026 07:10

Corn tortilla chips with guacamole are a good starting point as they cover all three restrictions and feel like proper party food. Goes without saying, double check the ingredients for the brand of tortilla chips you choose.

For the cooked bits, Heck chicken cocktail sausages are GF and usually dairy-free, worth double checking soy on the packet though.

Bear Yoyos make a good sweet option, most kids love them and they're free from the main allergens.

I made a free website that generates snacks and main meals based on multiple allergens (and health conditions (hoping that doesn't apply here!)). Give it a whirl if you want more ideas: appetable.io !

AppeTable — Safe Recipes for Families with Food Allergies & Dietary Restrictions

Generate safe, personalized recipes for your family in 30 seconds. Handles allergies, medical diets, mixed households, and batch cooking.

https://appetable.io/generate?utm_source=mumsnet&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=organic

CantMakerHerThink · 25/05/2026 13:45

Thank you so much @AppeTable

OP posts:
HighHeelsOnCobblestones · 27/05/2026 23:08

Tesco BBQ roast chicken chunks (could add salad and put into Warburton's GF wraps)

Sandwiches made from Warburton's GF bread, Flora Buttery and appropriate filling (check labels but most sliced meats would be ok)

Tesco finest pork cocktail sausages

Gosh mediterranean falafel, Gosh sweet potato pakora, Gosh beetroot falafel (all found with the chilled veggie/vegan foods)

Eat Real veggie straw crisps, Hippeas chickpea crisps (usually in the Free From aisle)

For something sweet...
Tesco Free From vanilla traybake, Tesco Free From dark choc brownie slices, Tesco Free From angel cake slices (all in the Free From aisle)

All the above are from Tesco and don't contain wheat, soy or dairy.

muggart · 27/05/2026 23:24

vegetable platter with hummus dip.

hard boiled eggs peeled in a bowl.

fruit kebabs (fruit on a stick basically)

CantMakerHerThink · 28/05/2026 12:02

HighHeelsOnCobblestones · 27/05/2026 23:08

Tesco BBQ roast chicken chunks (could add salad and put into Warburton's GF wraps)

Sandwiches made from Warburton's GF bread, Flora Buttery and appropriate filling (check labels but most sliced meats would be ok)

Tesco finest pork cocktail sausages

Gosh mediterranean falafel, Gosh sweet potato pakora, Gosh beetroot falafel (all found with the chilled veggie/vegan foods)

Eat Real veggie straw crisps, Hippeas chickpea crisps (usually in the Free From aisle)

For something sweet...
Tesco Free From vanilla traybake, Tesco Free From dark choc brownie slices, Tesco Free From angel cake slices (all in the Free From aisle)

All the above are from Tesco and don't contain wheat, soy or dairy.

You are my hero. Thank you! I’ve been worried I’ll go blind looking at allergy labels in supermarkets doing research. Thank you for the pointers. Very much appreciated

OP posts:
Superscientist · 29/05/2026 15:29

Child 1: dairy and soya free - a lot for commercial bread contains soya flour. Make your life easier by buying all the bread products as soya free.
Morrisons and Sainsbury's are poor for sliced bread as well except their bakery breads contain soya flour. Tesco, Coop, Aldi and Waitrose own bread is usually soya free if wholemeal mixed results for white bread.
Bread products like wraps, bagels, pittas, baguettes and so on are usually soya free.

I would be inclined to pick something like wraps or pittas where it's less noticeable which are regular and which are wheat free.

Buy a marg that is dairy free and use that for everyone - there are quite a few on the market now including pure, vitalite, all of the flora range, stork baking block is good for baking with if you fancy having a go of baking a cake

You should be ok with free from cakes that are dairy, soya and gluten free. I can't recommend any as my daughter is egg and tapioca free but ok with wheat /gluten so we have give this miss as egg and tapioca are used to replace wheat /gluten

We do homemade sausages rolls quite often as regular packet puff pastry is dairy and soya free. We pick our own sausages to ensure they are also safe (other allergens) and are usually tastier than packed sausage rolls. There are gluten free puff pastry rolls available too.

I would check with the parents to see if they have any preferred products. I pass on 3 or 4 different dairy, soya and egg free cakes commercially available cakes when my daughter goes to parties as I know these are readily available in our local supermarkets and that she will and can eat them! My daughter isn't a fan of chocolate products for example so I tend to steer them towards vanilla or lemon sponge cakes rather than chocolate for example.

Doing their lunches first is a good idea, this is what I recommend whenever anyone is cooking on mass for my daughter as it's the easiest way to control for cross contamination - I'd do child 2 before child 1s also.

I would pop a note on or in the lunchbox too so some one can check through what should be in there before giving it to the child and have a copy of all the ingredients at hand too. No matter how much a trust a person to make food for my daughter I check every time - ingredients can change from the last time I bought something and it's easy to miss something. My daughter was given something in a packed lunch on a school trip by the chef that had cooked for her every day for nearly a year. Now her packed lunch is checked before it leaves school and before it is given to her

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