Holiday Etiquette - Is It Ever Ok To Bring Your Own Food To A Party?

Full Article can be found at Huffington Post, Dec 1, 2022

Many of us connect our fond memories of past Thanksgivings, Christmases, Hanukkahs, New Year’s Eves and other end-of-year celebrations with our favorite festive food and drinks. But this time of year can prove highly challenging for those who deal with food allergies, sensitivities and other restrictions.

To help reduce any discomfort around this topic and make it easier for party guests to ensure their dietary needs are accommodated, we asked a group of nutritionists, psychologists, counselors and etiquette experts to address common questions that come up around this topic and provide useful advice to keep all partyers safe, comfortable, healthy and prepared for a wonderful holiday season.

Offering to contribute a dish to a party spread is a gracious move when you’re concerned about having your dietary restrictions accommodated. That said, especially if the party in question is a sit-down dinner with a planned menu, your plan to bring a food item “really should be communicated to the host first,” say Rachana Adyanthaya and Julia Esteve Boyd, the etiquette consultants and podcasters behind “Manners Matter 2.” Tell the host that you want to make the dinner as fun and easy as possible for them and that you’d love to offer a dish that complies with your allergies or preferences in order to reduce their workload.