Food, Food, Food

The poor chef's on Cruise Ships must go crazy with all of the diet demands people make today. :eek:

Low Calorie (I'm on a diet)

Low/No Carbs

Fat Free

Sugar Free

Low Sodium

Peanut Free (allergy's)

Gluten Free

Lactose intolerant/Dairy Free

Clean Food (non processed)

Vegan

Vegetarian

Organic

The issue really is how many of these requirements are serious, or just fads. Obviously a peanut allergy or crohns disease is more than a fad, but 'clean food' Oh please !!

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On a recent cruise the waiter said they had 40 pages of passengers with dietary restrictions. It was truly amazing to watch how attentive the staff was in meeting those needs and the precautions taken in serving the food.

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Curious how a banquet kitchen deals with the old peanut allergy. With all the packaging of items saying they were process in a facility that uses peanuts, with airlines taking out all peanuts when a parent says even a few particles of peanut "dust" will kill their child, does the ship have a special "clean room" where they prepare foods for those allergy-prone?

Different utensils, cutting boards, vessels, sure, but that doesn't help airborne issues...

Just wondering.

Yes, allergy foods are prepared in a special area. We're fortunate that our peanut/treenut allergic kid is able to have food processed commercially.

We've never had a problem on Carnival. Southwest Airlines has also been very good for her.

She has reacted to airborne at times, especially peanut butter sandwiches.

The worst offender is Chick-Fil--A. Fine that they cook with peanut oil, but the the warning is in light grey '2 point font' on their menu board. At least 5Guys makes it known, peanuts all over the place.

Vegetarian is easy. There's always at least one item in each category that's vegetarian on the regular menu.

Here's a link to a paleo cruise diet https://www.thepaleomom.com/cruising-paleo-possible/

Think the Organics are SOL.

The poor chef's on Cruise Ships must go crazy with all of the diet demands people make today. :eek:

 

Low Calorie (I'm on a diet)

Low/No Carbs

Fat Free

Sugar Free

Low Sodium

Peanut Free (allergy's)

Gluten Free

Lactose intolerant/Dairy Free

Clean Food (non processed)

Vegan

Vegetarian

Organic

Agree! It's amazing how well they deal with all of these special request.

Seems each year there are more and more.

Curious how a banquet kitchen deals with the old peanut allergy. With all the packaging of items saying they were process in a facility that uses peanuts, with airlines taking out all peanuts when a parent says even a few particles of peanut "dust" will kill their child, does the ship have a special "clean room" where they prepare foods for those allergy-prone?

 

Different utensils, cutting boards, vessels, sure, but that doesn't help airborne issues...

 

Just wondering.

Probably more like special ventilation for the allergy-free area (i.e. ventilation leaving that area, rather than going to that area). Bigger issues would be for people who have really unusual food allergies; ships probably expect peanut and nut allergies.

What isn't on the list is Kosher food; religious food restrictions would also require special utensils in addition to particularly-prepared food.

 

What isn't on the list is Kosher food; religious food restrictions would also require special utensils in addition to particularly-prepared food.

Those requesting kosher food on most cruises are provided with pre-packaged frozen airline type meals which are wrapped specifically for reheating in the regular ship's ovens. They are brought to the table still sealed, on a disposable plate, and the diner is given plastic silverware to open the package and eat their meal.

The exception would be a kosher charter, where a part of the kitchen has been set aside and designated (and readied according to religious requirements) for kosher food preparation exclusively.

Of course, another religious food requirement is for those who request halal food. There are cruise lines which provide prepackaged halal meals, but kosher meals are also fine for those requiring halal.

(I believe that at one time ocean liners such as Cunard had a small kosher kitchen on every ship, but I don't know if that is still the case.)

Another exception is Crystal, and perhaps most of the other luxury lines. I was sitting next to a passenger who required Kosher food, and I was pleasantly surprised at her service and food quality.

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Another exception is Crystal, and perhaps most of the other luxury lines. I was sitting next to a passenger who required Kosher food, and I was pleasantly surprised at her service and food quality.

 

 

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Good to know, for when I really want to spoil my husband :D

Yes - luxury lines do handle special requests very well. Hopefully, in the not too distant future, peanut allergies will no longer be an issue (as long as you introduce peanuts or peanut butter at a very young age). For now, anyone with special requests will have limited choices.

Kosher food needs to be preordered a few months ahead of time.

The poor chef's on Cruise Ships must go crazy with all of the diet demands people make today. :eek:

 

Low Calorie (I'm on a diet)

Low/No Carbs

Fat Free

Sugar Free

Low Sodium

Peanut Free (allergy's)

Gluten Free

Lactose intolerant/Dairy Free

Clean Food (non processed)

Vegan

Vegetarian

Organic

Ummm they're Chefs, it's part of their job.

On a recent cruise the waiter said they had 40 pages of passengers with dietary restrictions. It was truly amazing to watch how attentive the staff was in meeting those needs and the precautions taken in serving the food.

 

 

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40 pages, but how many passengers per page?

Ummm they're Chefs, it's part of their job.

This. For real. The only people I've ever heard complaining about my special diet are passengers.

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This. For real. The only people I've ever heard complaining about my special diet are passengers.

 

 

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The only people I have ever heard bemoan dietary restrictions are those that don't have them. Many of those people think of it as a fad because so many more people are on these restricted diet. What they don't know is that what has happened over the past several years are two things: Better diagnosis and worse food practices from the food manufacturing business. I miss ALL products that have gluten in them; pizza, bread, doughnuts ect........ What I don't miss is stomach distress, inflamed and painful joints and exhaustion (not to mention weight gain).

It's easy to judge others when you have no empathy for a situation

This. For real. The only people I've ever heard complaining about my special diet are passengers.

And CC'ers. Any thread on Cruise Critic which involves veganism invariably and quickly is filled with posts from people who seem to have a compelling need to rant against and mock vegans and the vegan diet. You have to especially shake your head at those whose sole contribution to a thread inquiring about vegan options is to proudly declare themselves 'meatarians' (along with, of course, telling everyone that they think people who follow a plant based diet are crazy).

My DW ran into the buffet that was ranting about people requiring Gluten Free products.

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And CC'ers. Any thread on Cruise Critic which involves veganism invariably and quickly is filled with posts from people who seem to have a compelling need to rant against and mock vegans and the vegan diet. You have to especially shake your head at those whose sole contribution to a thread inquiring about vegan options is to proudly declare themselves 'meatarians' (along with, of course, telling everyone that they think people who follow a plant based diet are crazy).

Yep. I want to help fellow vegans but fear it gets lost in the crowd of complaining about a choice we made

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On the flip side imagine making the exact same thing over and over with little to no variation. I have no restrictions and almost never make special requests - imagine cooking for me for 6 to 9 months at a go, it'd be a challenge not to fall asleep on the job! :p

Hopefully there's a good enough mix of boring food folks like me to counter those with special needs or requests that it isn't too cumbersome or too dull but either way I'd say they deserve our respect and admiration for a job well done.

My DW ran into the buffet that was ranting about people requiring Gluten Free products.

 

 

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Our last cruise (5 years ago, Explorer of the Seas, RCI), we had my daughter with Celiac Disease, following a Gfree diet. Only issue was first day @ Windjammer for lunch, & they made her something in the back, & 1 day when she didn't get up in time for breakfast, & had to eat an apple with peanut butter (we brought the PB with us, took some fruit from the buffet to keep in the room) -- to make it easier, she ate all her meals in MDR, except when we were off ship & could find a restaurant w/ a gfree menu). She had NO reactions, they were very good at preventing cross contamination, and as a bonus, since she had to choose her dinner the night before, the whole table got to see the next days menu !

Our upcoming cruise will be more interesting. Still have the DD with gluten free diet, however, my other daughter was diagnosed with Crohn's disease 2 years ago, and we have to be hypervigilant about her diet -- low fat, low fiber (< 2g fiber/ serving), many fruits & veggies are contraindicated, must be peeled, & preferably cooked soft. To make it more complicated, although she will be 28 yo, she is disabled (mental age about a 4-5 yo), and we have to explain very carefully why she can't have certain items, ie, french fries, pizza, etc,-- at least not on a regular basis. Believe me, NO ONE wants the consequences of her having a flare-up!!

Probably have to get in touch with Special Needs about this one too.... sigh....:(

Our last cruise (5 years ago, Explorer of the Seas, RCI), we had my daughter with Celiac Disease, following a Gfree diet. Only issue was first day @ Windjammer for lunch, & they made her something in the back, & 1 day when she didn't get up in time for breakfast, & had to eat an apple with peanut butter (we brought the PB with us, took some fruit from the buffet to keep in the room) -- to make it easier, she ate all her meals in MDR, except when we were off ship & could find a restaurant w/ a gfree menu). She had NO reactions, they were very good at preventing cross contamination, and as a bonus, since she had to choose her dinner the night before, the whole table got to see the next days menu !

 

Our upcoming cruise will be more interesting. Still have the DD with gluten free diet, however, my other daughter was diagnosed with Crohn's disease 2 years ago, and we have to be hypervigilant about her diet -- low fat, low fiber (< 2g fiber/ serving), many fruits & veggies are contraindicated, must be peeled, & preferably cooked soft. To make it more complicated, although she will be 28 yo, she is disabled (mental age about a 4-5 yo), and we have to explain very carefully why she can't have certain items, ie, french fries, pizza, etc,-- at least not on a regular basis. Believe me, NO ONE wants the consequences of her having a flare-up!!

 

Probably have to get in touch with Special Needs about this one too.... sigh....:(

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