How to cater a banting-friendly event – it can be done!
Heard of Banting? If you’re interested in food and catering, you probably know all about it! One of the biggest movements in the food industry, Tim Noakes made this low carb, high fat lifestyle diet a massive and controversial hit in SA with his 2015 book Real Meal Revolution. Whichever side of the Banting fence you stand, if you’re catering a corporate event or a family get-together, it can be useful to make it banting-friendly. You don’t have to make your entire event a Banting one – banishing bread and anything with sugar from your table might feel a bit harsh – but you can make food choices and use menu ideas that will leave everyone satisfied. Because that’s the point of great catering – happy, satisfied diners at the end of your meal!
Want to give banting-friendly catering a whirl? Try these 5 tips to get you started:
1. No bun, please: People who follow a Banting diet avoid bread and refined starches and sugars. So bread is a no-no. That doesn’t mean you can’t have your butter and pates – they’re in! – just consider offering bread alternatives such as seed crackers or Banting breads made with almond or coconut flour.
2. Good and green are in: When putting together platters, replace pastries and wraps with a variety of ‘good’ fat items such as eggs, nuts, cheese, cold meats, bacon, and olives. And the more green veggies, the better – offer fresh greens like salads, celery, and avocado or roast butternut, carrots, and broccoli for side dishes. Having more veggies than fruits should help you avoid offering too many sugary options.
3. Top it off: Flavourings and condiments are fine as long as they don’t contain sugars or preservatives. Try full fat mayonnaise as well as olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and mustard as options for dressing salads.
4. The same but different: There are many delicious substitutes for those items on the ‘No’ list. Instead of potatoes, serve sweet potatoes – they taste great and have numerous health benefits. Still want to do pasta? Try zucchini noodles – they look lovely and have a yummy flavour. What about rice? Standard white rice is out but you can try cauliflower rice instead. It’s not for everyone but many Banting followers love it.
5. Sweet treats: Banting doesn’t mean you can’t have dessert – you just need to be a creative. Replace muffins and sweets with fresh fruit skewers. Fruit such as strawberries and blackberries when eaten in moderation are fine. And, don’t forget to add some double cream plain yogurt – it’s on the good fat list. You can also make or source Banting brownies – made with butter but without sugar, they are super-rich and delicious!
Making a meal banting-friendly requires a bit of creative thinking and some planning. While some of the options are simple, others require a bit more skill and you might need the help of a professional caterer. If you do use a professional caterer for your event, ask them if they are able to tailor their menu to suit a Banting lifestyle. Taking this extra care could earn you serious brownie points with your guests.