Jump to content

Food Preferences and Allergies - Who's Responsible?


Recommended Posts

Saw this conversation on Reddit. A member had a good experience with her World Class corps in '16. In '17, she went back to the same corps. Between '16 and '17 she went vegetarian. In both years, she had a wheat allergy, so PB&J was killed. She says in '17 she basically never got fed because the staff either thought she was making up her food allergies, or because the vegetarian food was eaten before she got there. She's marching at a different corps in '18.

 

My question: who is responsible for making sure a member in this special circumstance gets food? Should the member provide their own food/backup plans so the staff isn't preparing a completely separate meal (that idea was suggested, but a lot of people thought that was ridiculous)? Should the staff be held responsible for preparing a separate meal? Should the whole corps eat within that member's food guidelines so the staff only has to prepare one meal?

 

I'm really curious how DCP thinks something like this should be handled.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

administration should be made aware early, and if possible, have paperwork from a doctor, and then the staff and food team should be at all times be aware of any special needs

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a big challenge. As a long time food truck volunteer, this is a constant priority and yet a struggle nonetheless.

Over the years we usually had a dozen or two individuals every tour who were vegetarians or had specific dietary needs. We accounted for them each and every meal, but it was never perfect. Our failures were seldom for lack of consideration. There were times when our execution came up short. There were other times when certain individual's expectations just weren't realistic. Just like at home, sometimes the fridge isn't well stocked, limiting the options. Other times we nailed it (my vegan tofu masala was a big hit!).  One of the biggest challenges we faced was protecting the "special" meals from those simply shopping for other options.

I'm not blaming those on special diets. Nor am I letting the cooks off the hook. I'm just saying cooking for 200 four times a day isn't easy. Everyone - those with special needs and those without - has room to complain. Just be sure to thank the cook too.

HH

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Over the course of a year, would it be easier on corps logistics to not offer a contract to a mm with special dietary needs?  You obviously don't tell the mm that.  Or, if there are enough mm with this need and they will allow a corps to be better, you plan accordingly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, glory said:

One of the biggest challenges we faced was protecting the "special" meals from those simply shopping for other options.

 

That used to be the problem on airplanes as well:  non-vegetarians grabbing the vegetarian meal because it looked more fresh, and the airplane running out before they got to me in the last row.  They solved that problem, I guess ... no meals anymore for anyone!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During the summers The Wife worked on the food truck, she always made sure she knew about all member food allergies and special dietary needs as did the other volunteers.  But it starts with the member informing the staff and that info making it to the food crew.

I believe she said her biggest problem was keeping vegan items strictly for the vegans -- some members just liked to "graze".  And there were logistical concerns when in the middle of Tour, she suddenly had more vegans than at the start. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a difference between medical reasons for dietary restrictions and dietary preferences. If a student in a public school or private school that receives federal funding and the child has food allergies the school has to make accommodations. So if someone is gluten free because of celiac disease, the school has to accommodate. If they are gluten free by choice, the school does not need to accommodate. Dietary restrictions due to religion are to be accommodated if more than 10% of the student body is of that faith. This is usually done by offering choices. 

For drum corps, if there is a medical reason for a specific diet, denying the opportunity for a qualified person to march could be discrimination,  it my guess is this probably is not an issue. Corps have dealt diabetics and marching members with hypoglycemia and I'm sure other conditions. Regarding dietary preferences, it's up to the marching member to decide where he/she marches and it's up to the corps about making accommodations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The OP premises the thread on his reading of a reddit post. Further reading of the same reddit post and subsequent statements there by the "victimized" reddit marcher throw into doubt the veracity and sincerity of that reddit poster. She both blames the corps for victimizing her and blames her parents for not loving the corps. She says the staff faculty abused her intimately and also pledges her allegiance to them. If anything the post is a cry for help or a cry for attention. As many of the DCP posters have noted, DCI corps today do try to address genuine medical and cultural needs. Both corps and individual mm are responsible. The DCP OP raises a great theoretical question and subsequent DCP posters have sampled the authentic attempts of today's DCI corps to meet the need.

Edited by xandandl
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been plant-based with my diet for a couple years now, and I really never thought about this before. 

Has anybody ever heard of members who make (or have their parents make) a bunch of big batches of freezable curry-type bases, and give them to the corps cooks before going on tour?

I think if I were marching with my current diet,  that's exactly what I'd do.  I don't mean to knock any volunteers for any corps, but it's rare to even find restaurants that serve hearty plant-based stuff that actually tastes good and is nutritious.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...