AIBU at this dietary request in RSVP?

[craxmum]

Hello everyone,

I sent a standard birthday invitation to my son's class (reception). RSVP by [today], state dietary needs etc. I am planning a great party (magician, animators etc), but for the first time am doing it so formally. DS is a popular child, after struggling with extreme shyness, and a lot of kids want to come.
I received today a reply from one mum stating "[Childs name] can have only organic products. Please no refined sugar either. Please check with me if in doubt".
I was already surprised by other requests - namely, halal, gluten free (x2), soy free and vegetarian (x2, one helpfully points out that eggs are not vegetarian). Happy to accommodate (but definitely will outsource to a professional caterer now).

AIBU to think that's a bit too much? Or is it normal? Of course, I can afford organic ingredients, it's not a money issue, but isn't it a little bit cheeky to ask for it?

I would definitely lay on cheapest chicken nuggets and sausages rolls I could find. Then all the little darlings would devour it, having been raised on a diet of woodchip and cardboard.

Why on earth did you ask? The ones who have an actual dietary requirement will discreetly take you aside and let you know (and very probably offer to send a lunchbox along).
Opening it up to everyone to state their preferences like everything organic or zero sugar is a very silly move.

Well that will teach you to ask

No idea why you asked. As for this request, I'd just ignore it.

To be honest, I'd say it was organic and lie through my teeth.

I also would respond and say there will be sugar products present (it's a friggen kids party) but she's welcome to stay and supervise if she wishes or decline invite, but yiu cant control this or deprive other kids.

Personally I never asked for dietary requirements, they either ate it or went without. Simples. Weirdly enough,,they always ate it just fine.

If the child has a genuine medical or religious requirement for certain food e.g. halal or gluten free then fair enough. But if it's just being picky then I wouldn't accommodate it, I'd just say sorry but bring your own food if you want.

What a twat. The allergies and vegetarian I understand, you did ask, after all. By the way to everyone saying soy free is faddy etc. Nope. It can be life threatening. My toddler has epipens for severe milk, soy and egg allergies. However, i just bring him along with his own lunch box and a little bit of cake from home too so I know it's all safe. I would suggest she does the same, or tell her the only 'safe' thing for her kid is a banana...

Imagine how highly strung you must be as a parent to make such a request! Does the child never eat at a restaurant?! Even a 3* restaurant wouldn’t guarantee organic ingredients throughout the menu. What about visiting family and friends??

Please tell me the kids are 4 or 5yo???

It's a children's bloody party! She can knob off with entitled bolleaux. Dietary requirements you said, not preferences. Fuck me.

When I read the title, I thought this was going to be for a wedding.
How on earth are you going to supervise a load of 5/ year olds?
I would do individual picnic bags / boxes for each child and have the fussy ones named and labelled like airplane meals

I'd say, "OK hun" and then ignore the organic/no refined sugar nonsense. That's a preference, not a requirement. If this is their first child they'll soon realise they'll not get away with this shite for very long.

@icedgem85 but only some bananas are organic. Personally I would chop up organic cucumber and carrot into sticks for the child. They can eat that and every other the gets proper food.

😂😂 have fun with that one. As if you’re going to give little Tarquinius organic food and no sugar. It’s a party, not a boot camp. 🙄

Is this now a thing on invites? With my eldest (20) I never asked on invites

My eldest is 19 and I always asked. I only ever got vegetarian, dairy/nut allergy and gluten free though and I happily catered for all of those. Organic though? Madness!

Why is it such a surprise that the OP asked though? Isn’t it good manners to not want to make your guests ill?

Whatever happened to jelly and ice cream with a packet of iced gems 🙄

Why not just serve veggie food as that's halal? I agree that eggs aren't vegetarian. But that's an unpopular opinion. You could say it's all organic.

I do think people go too far with dietary choices. I always offer to bring my own food with me as it's a choice for me to be veggie.

Tell organic mum you've already ordered a job lot of nuggets and chicken drummers from Iceland and tell veggie mum it's not a Scotch Egg.

Job done.

I no longer use the phrase ‘dietary requirements’. I say “if you require a vegetarian/vegan menu or have any food allergies, please let me know”. It saves a lot of bother.

Wow you've opened yourself up for hassle there! Only dietary choices going on our invites for DDs party are jam, ham or cheese sandwiches (doing lunch boxes rather than a spread). Some people sound like they're taking the piss a little!

Full on GF isn't as easy as it fits seems. Take your humble sandwich for instance

The bread will need to be gluten free.
So will the filling.
You can't butter the bread using butter you have buttered ordinary bread with. Cross contamination
You can't make it on a surface that you've made regular sandwiches on. Wooden bread boards are definitely out. X contamination
The sandwich will need to be on its own plate, wrapped in cling film.

The above goes for any other gluten free party food you are planning. Bowls of food for people to help themselves to are a particular nightmare. While the food in the bowls might be GF, there is no guarantee that someone hasn't picked up something with wheat in it e.g. a sandwich and then without washing their hands picks up something in a bowl.

Vegetarian pizzas with one or two having gluten free bases cover most requirements. They are generally soy free as well IME (but check the label). Then all the kids have the same main savoury.

Add some cucumber /carrot/cherry tomatos type things and crisps (should be soy/gluten free unless whacky flavours).

Cake biscuits etc come in gluten/soy free versions - they just need labeling (I used to put the relevant kids' names on allergen food).

I would probably forget to buy organic.

Organic

No sugar is fine and quite normal, all organic is a bit poncey as she is unlikely to be able to tell.

#thingsthatneverhappened

Why would anyone be surprised by halal and glutenfree?

I've never asked about dietary requirements and never seen dietary questions on invitations either, and I have seen quite a lot!

I was feeling sl awkward about asking for no peanuts/cashews or kiwis at parties (I ask by speaking in person to the parent) my DC has had allergic reactions to all of these, but now I feel a whole lot less demanding!

Presumably this is already all over the DM and the Mirror?