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The Feast



Food, glorious food…

It’s a big part of our seasonal celebrations, isn’t it? While we may not be sitting down to a feast featuring a boar’s head processional nor concluding with a flaming figgy pudding, we love to gather with those we love and share celebratory meals.

I’m not referring solely to Christmas, because every religion and culture have ways of celebrating that include food. And often families and groups of friends create their own “holidays” with special food that have nothing to do with a red letter day on the calendar. At my house, for instance, June 1st is Tiger Birthday. We celebrate with chocolate pie. 

Now, here’s the thing. It seems as though many people have dietary restrictions these days. I think that’s fine. In the past people just got sick and felt miserable and nobody knew why. Knowing what foods you need to avoid is an improvement. In the case of severe allergies it’s a life or death situation. 

Others have made ideological decisions to avoid meat and animal products and still others follow religious guidelines. Lastly, some of us can not or choose not to ingest anything containing alcohol.

So, let’s say you want to gather together over food and drink this year. What will that look like for you? In my family we have one person who can’t have dairy, one who can’t have gluten, one who can’t have anything in the allium family, one who has sensory issues around some foods, and almost no one drinks alcohol. Just for fun, my diverticulitis has flared up again just in time for Christmas. The list of what I can eat is smaller than what I should avoid.

Ah yes. It’s the most wonderful time of the year - - unless you are meal planning. 

If you are in this situation in one way or another, what are the places in Howard County that make it easier for you? Which groceries/specialty food stores are well stocked when it comes to people with dietary restrictions? And what about restaurants? If you needed to accommodate a group like mine, for instance, where would you go? What establishments really “get it” when it comes to allergies/food intolerance and are set up to accommodate customers with differing needs?

Basically I want to know where you’ve had a good experience. What are your “go to” local food businesses when it comes to special diets? Let’s pool our resources here. 


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