This is episode 300 of Eating at a Meeting! After five year and 300 episodes, one thing is clear—food and beverage are never just about what’s on the plate. They’re about safety, inclusion, transparency, and creating experiences where everyone feels valued.

For this milestone episode, I’m bringing back some of the most insightful and impactful guests to unpack the biggest lessons we’ve learned about making food and beverages safer, more accessible, and more sustainable.

Join me and Tess Vismale, Erin Malawar, Ewan Phillips, Suzanne Morrel, and Laurel J. Francoeur as we dive into:

✅ The biggest event F&B challenges we still need to fix
✅ Why transparency in ingredients, labeling, and service matters more than ever
✅ What event planners and venues must do to create safer dining experiences
✅ How food allergies, accessibility, and ADA compliance are evolving
✅ What’s next for the future of food and beverage

After 300 conversations, what have we learned? And where do we go from here?

If you’re an event planner, hospitality professional, or food service provider, this episode is packed with expert insights and actionable takeaways to help you serve food and beverage that truly works for everyone.

Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour wasn’t just a cultural phenomenon—it was also a showcase of unforgettable food and beverage experiences. For the last three U.S. stops and her grand finale in Vancouver, Sodexo Live! delivered the perfect menu to celebrate the end of an era, crafting mocktails and drinks as iconic as the music itself.

This week, Tracy is thrilled to welcome Sam Stewart, Senior Director, Beverage Alcohol for Sodexo Live!, to talk about the magic behind those drinks and what event planners can learn from their success. From the themed beverages that struck the right chord with Swifties to the innovative strategies that turned mocktails into must-have menu items, this episode will be packed with insights.

Sam will share:
🍹 How Sodexo Live! brought Taylor’s vision to life with mocktails at the final tour stops
🍹 Creative ways to use themed drinks to enhance the attendee experience
🍹 Tips for balancing inclusivity, innovation, and style in your event menus
🍹 Why mocktails are a key ingredient for modern event success

Whether planning a corporate gala, a concert, or a small gathering, these lessons will help you create beverage menus that captivate and delight you and your attendees.

🎧 Tune in to discover how Sodexo Live! turned Taylor’s finale into a beverage experience worth remembering—and how you can do the same for your events! 

Did you know that beer, wine, and spirits can contain allergens like wheat, nuts, or even milk—and that most bottles don’t disclose this information? Consumers are often left guessing with no mandatory labeling for allergens or ingredients, putting health and safety at risk. 
 
This week, I'm discussing transparency in alcohol labeling with Eva Greenthal, Senior Policy Scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Eva has been leading the charge to ensure that what’s in your glass is as clear as what’s on your plate. 
 
Eva will explain why mandatory allergen and ingredient labels on alcoholic beverages are long overdue. We’ll also examine how the lack of transparency impacts food-allergic individuals, unpack the proposed regulations from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), and explore how these changes could reshape how we drink and shop for alcohol. 
 
If you’ve ever questioned what’s really in your glass—or how we can create safer and more inclusive dining experiences—this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Together, let’s raise awareness and raise the bar for transparency! 

Join me as I celebrate the 200th episode of my Eating at a Meeting podcast with a special gathering of previous guests.

In this milestone event — Holy Moly! 200 episodes — we will engage in a dynamic discussion on the current state of food and beverage in creating safe, sustainable, and inclusive dining experiences for all.

When I asked them to provide three words that embody what they think, here are the words I received:

Over ordering • Education • Impact • Unity •  Inclusivity • Community • Growing • Manageable • Necessary • Be flexible now • Communication • Compassion • Consideration • Hopeful • Powerful • Near Miss Reporting • Awareness • Collaboration • Innovation • Frustrating • Non-compliant • Precedent-setting • Progress • Education • Food Connects People • Wait and see • Lack of consideration • Hopeful • Frustrated • Relevant • Must do more • Resistance • Alcohol-centric • Culture • Change labeling laws • Protracted compliance • Creates Uncertainty • Disappointing • Uninviting • Tenuous • Evolving toward inclusion • Chaoti • Unstable • Exciting • Consistency • Work in progress

Don't miss what I promise to be an inspiring and informative podcast episode as these advocates, eaters, drinkers, CEOs, founders, manufacturers, chefs, event planners, directors of sustainability, consultants, and environmental strategists delve into the future of event dining and celebrate 200 episodes of "Eating at a Meeting."

Caroline Benjamin MSOFHT, Dave Bloom, Elise Buellesbach, Molly Crouch , Doreen Cumberford, Nina Curtis, Cate Faulkner, Valda Ford, MPH, MS, RN, Jen Gilhoi,
Kayla King, Alan Kleinfeld, Heather Landex ⓥ, Courtney Lohmann, CMP, Erin Malawer, Sarah Matheson, Karla Ortiz, Rachael Riggs, Jennifer Squeglia

Having just planned a multi-day event where 80% of her attendees had dietary restrictions, award-winning entrepreneur and sales coach, Shannon DeSouza shares her challenges with planning the menus.
Using her sales experience as well as this recent personal experience, Shannon will share strategies on how she thinks caterers and other food service providers can help their clients provide safe, inclusive and delish dining experiences.

Join the conversation to kick-off Food Allergy Awareness Month AND Celiac Disease Awareness month to learn how challenging it can be to plan event menus while also learning strategies to make it easier.

Connect with Tracy:
facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting
thrivemeetings.com

Managing event food and beverage (F&B) today is influenced by the supply chain, staffing, exponentially rising costs, and increased focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG ) guidelines. The struggle is real.

 
In the next episode of Eating at a Meeting LIVE I'm talking with Natalie Fulton of Tourism New Zealand and sustainability and social impact thought leader Courtney Lohmann, CMP, to dive deep into the struggles, wins, and ideas #EventProfs are experiencing when planning meetings and incentive events around the world.

Join us as we will look at how we can best feed our participants in this new world by finding balance through their food and beverage selection, tackling sustainability when planning F&B, utilizing ingredients multiple times throughout a program, and using disposable coffee cups.

Connect with Tracy:
facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting
thrivemeetings.com

Back in January Delta Airlines announced it was refreshing and enhancing its onboard F&B menu options for the new year to include premium wines, creative cocktails, espresso, plant-based, gluten-free, and locally and seasonally sourced options.

“Your onboard meal or beverage should be no different than your go-to restaurant at home, and that’s why we’re constantly reinventing our onboard service at Delta – we always want to surprise and delight our customers with seasonal and fresh menu options,” said Kristen Manion Taylor, S.V.P. of In-Flight Service at Delta.

In this episode of Eating at a Meeting LIVE, I'm talking with Kristen Manion Taylor about the refresh and what it takes to prep and deliver a premium dining experience at 35,000 feet in the air and how they are addressing safety, sustainability and inclusion in their menus. FYI...they serve 60 Million meals a year around the world. Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

This week on Eating at a Meeting LIVE I'm chatting Simon McMahon, Director of Operations for Wyboston Lakes in the United Kingdom to talk about how the resort is addressing food waste and food and beverage inclusion on site.

The resort's People's Pantry and composting system, are just two of the programs in practice that support its food waste reduction plan — ensuring no food waste goes off-site — and the long-term and comprehensive sustainability policy that recently won the miaList's prestigious 2022 Sustainability Award.

When you think about sustainability and meetings, there are a lot of things to consider — destinations, transportation, venues, properties, accommodations, audio-visual production, exhibition services, and, of course, food and beverage.

The multitude of decisions within each of those categories is broad and can be challenging to address. Yet, for the survival of our businesses, communities, and the planet, it is paramount that sustainability efforts and goals have the same level of priority as choosing what's for dinner at the event.

Join Tracy and Simon as they discuss how partnering with a resort such as Wyboston that is making no apologies decisions that buck the norm in an effort to help the resort reach ambitious sustainability targets is one way to make those decisions easier.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

How do YOU define value when eating at a restaurant or attending an event that includes food and beverage?

Food and beverage companies have tended to over-serve guests, allowing for take-home food not consumed while dining. With the pandemic cooking up pent-up demand for travel and experiences, is that a value?

Alex Susskind, Professor of Food and Beverage Management, the Director of the Cornell Institute of Food and Beverage Management, and serving as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the School, teaches undergraduate and graduate students, as well as industry managers and executives, how to address the operational and strategic elements of the food and beverage business.

Listen as Tracy talks with Alex about how food service businesses can re-imagine their service to reduce their cost while still giving everyone what they need and creating their own value proposition.

Connect with Tracy:
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thrivemeetings.com

What started as the Women's International Beer Summit in 2020 to connect female homebrewers to other homebrewers during the pandemic is now the certified 501©3 The Women's Craft Fermentation Alliance (WCFA). The organization, co-founded by Melissa McCann and Michele Wonder, is "dedicated to enabling, empowering, and encouraging women, non-binary folks, and those that have been othered in all facets of the craft fermentation space."

Join Tracy, Melissa, and Michele for the last installment of the 2023 Women Making HERstory in Food & Beverage as they talk about how and why the WCFA came about, what they are brewing for the international WIBS: Fermentation Summit, and the importance of allowing folks to tell and share their stories, regardless of where they are from or how they identify.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Lindsey Ofcacek, alongside Chef Edward Lee, started The LEE Initiative in Louisville, KY, in 2018 when they saw how the #MeToo movement was bringing to light what women in the restaurant and food and beverage industry were experiencing.

An acronym for Let’s Empower Employment, The LEE Initiative is focused on offering innovative and impactful solutions and programs when they see a need for a more diverse, compassionate, sustainable, and equitable restaurant industry.

Since 2018, the organization has received many accolades for its work, but more importantly, it has made a real difference in the lives of hundreds of next-generation restaurant industry professionals.

Join Tracy and Lindsay for a special edition of #EatingAtAMeeting LIVE for Women's HERstory Month as they discuss how they lead with kindness, help workers in need, promote diversity and equity, and believe that the impossible is possible.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

When I posted on my Instagram account that I was searching for women to highlight for Women's HERstory month, Chef Nina Curtis was the first to reply with the name Chef Karla Ortiz.

Then, OMG! The additional "votes" for Karla kept rolling in, and then someone submitted a nomination form for her. After reading that, the piece about her in Forbes and on PBS's My American story, I was convinced.

Karla Ortiz is the Chef/Owner of Bo.ka.do, a vegan restaurant in Puerto Rico, located inside La Plaza del Mercado (a farmer's market). Twenty-five years after leaving Puerto Rico, where she was born, she returned with $500 in her pocket, the need to feed her kids, a culinary degree, and a dream.

 Her scratch kitchen restaurant uses the freshest of ingredients - those downstairs in the market - so that she can be as creative with food as possible, providing good food as well as educating people about mind, body, and soul.

Join Tracy and Karla for a special edition of Eating at a Meeting LIVE for Women's HERstory month to talk about Karla's dream, how everyone ❤️s her food, and how she is using plant-based food to educate and empower others.

 Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Jen Gilhoi and Cate Faulkner are the Co-Founders of the Zero Proof Collective in Minneapolis, MN. Sharing the lived experience of sobriety, they are purpose-driven and focused on reframing the “mocktail” experience so guests have plenty of elevated non-alcoholic (NA) options to enjoy, and bars, restaurants, hotels, and beverage companies can increase revenue with the new, fast-growing market.

Through bi-monthly events, consulting, crafting, and serving elevated zero-proof cocktails, Jen and Cate are gathering business leaders to learn, collaborate and collectively communicate with clarity.

Join Tracy, Jen, and Cate as they discuss how they are making #HERstory helping evolve culture so NA options are served everywhere with acceptance and inclusivity to valued customers and guests.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Tracy talks with Emily Broad-Lieb, Clinical Professor of Law and Director of the Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic, diving into the game-changing Food Donation Improvement Act (FDIA). 

Many of us as planners hear “we can’t donate the food” or “we’ll be sued” from venues, but this new legislation signed into law in January 2023 breaks down those barriers by providing crucial protections, empowering event planners, hotels, and venues to safely reduce food waste.

Emily will share insights on navigating food donations, understanding liability protections, and implementing sustainable practices in events. From real-life examples of successful donation programs to her expertise on food waste policy, this episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to make their events more responsible and inclusive. 🥗

🍽 At a recent food waste reduction conference, Emily’s team served two days of meals entirely from surplus food, celebrating its origins on menu cards. She’s passionate about sustainable and inclusive practices, aligning her work with UN Sustainable Development Goals 2 (Zero Hunger) and 12 (Responsible Consumption & Production).

Tune in to learn how the FDIA opens doors for hotels, conference centers, and meeting planners to reduce waste and increase food access.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, follow us on social media for updates, tips, and behind-the-scenes fun, and if you love the show, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts! 🌟

Wanting to honor the ancestry within her, Tambra Raye Stevenson, MPH, Founder/CEO of WANDA (Women Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture), is addressing the challenges of our current food system with Sheros and advocating for a Food Bill of Rights.

Tambra lost her grandparents in Oklahoma from diabetes, stroke, and heart disease due to diet and our food culture predicated by the policies set in our cities, states, and country. So she takes the issue of public health and food and nutrition policy personally.

As a mom, she began thinking about what are we telling the next generation about food, nutrition, and the culture of food. Through WANDA and Sisterhood Suppers, she is bringing awareness to how food is connected to our health, economy, and environment.

Join Tambra and Tracy on Eating at a Meeting LIVE for a Women’s HERstory Month episode to discuss how she is revolutionizing our health and culture of food through the power of women and girls, amplifying the importance of a Food Bill of Rights, and why a Black Food Census is needed now as we prep for the Farm Bill.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Randi Weinstein has been in the hospitality industry all her life, from being a host, bartender, and server to director of events for the Charleston Wine + Food Festival. In that last role, she noticed how many fewer female chefs there were than males, locally and nationally. It didn’t make sense to her. Women — grandmothers, mothers, aunts, and others — have always been relied on worldwide to cook and make meals for others. But, they weren’t represented in the hospitality industry.

That is where and why Fab — Females and Business — came to be. This two-day workshop designed by women for women allows the attendees to connect, share and learn about the business of food and beverage. It’s also about helping them move forward, stand up for themselves, and be "brave, baller, and badass.”

Since Randi is helping other women make HERstory in food and beverage, I wanted to talk to her during Women’s History Month about how she herself is making HERstory and why Fab and being FAB are important. 

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

To kick off the 4th annual Women's HERstory Month (March) series and for Food Allergy Awareness/Celiac Disease Awareness Month (May), Tracy introduces you to Kayla King, founder and CEO of MyMeal, an app she created to help people with food restrictions find safe restaurant meals.

Being diagnosed with celiac disease when she was 8, Kayla has grown up constantly thinking about food, but not in the way you might think.

Instead of being able to walk down the street and pick any random restaurant to enjoy a meal, travel places without having a plan (or a safe snack in her pocket), or be in and out of a grocery store in 5 minutes, she has to read every ingredient label, call restaurants in advance, and plan trips around places that she could acquire food.

This sparked her passion for building MyMeal, working directly with restaurants to help them become safe & accessible options for this underserved community.

Join us at 12 PM Eastern to learn what else sparked her passion, and how she is and intends to Make HERstory helping others eat out safely. Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

I first met Chef Stephanie Tyson and Vivián Joiner via a Zoom call for Les Dames d’Escoffier North Carolina Chapter during the middle of the pandemic. What I did not know about them, but have come to realize, is they are one of Winston-Salem’s power couples. As the owners of Sweet Potatoes, (Well Shut My Mouth!) restaurant for 20 years, they have been using their 3+ decades of customer relations experience in food and retail, to build bridges in the community one dish at a time.

Join our conversation on Tuesday — a special episode of Eating at a Meeting for Women’s History Month — to learn how they have been making HERstory with food and beverage.

 Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Recorded on Ash Wednesday, the first day of the Christian season of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, Tracy discusses what it and other religious practices mean for serving food and beverage in the office and at events being held over the next six weeks. 

Lent is a 40-day religious observance (not including Sundays), which ends three days before Easter Sunday on Thursday, April 6, 2023.

According to the CDC, “Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States killing 314,186 women in 2020—or about 1 in every 5 female deaths.” That equates to one woman every 80 seconds.

In this episode of Eating At A Meeting I talk with Wendy Freiwald-Kirkland, Global Director of Business Development, ExpoCAD about what it means to be heart healthy because if it can happen to her, it can happen to anyone. Wendy is a two-time survivor of heart attacks.

While a #MeetingsProfs who works out and takes good care of herself, she also has a lot of stress in her life (event planners are known to have one of the top 5 most stressful jobs). Listen to how she tries to eat healthy on the road and works hard to do the right things for her health.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Food waste is estimated at 30-40 percent of the food supply in the US. In 2010, the USDA estimated that to be approximately 133 billion pounds and $161 billion worth of food. That equates to 218.9 pounds of food waste per person being sent for disposal, according to the EPA. In 2021, more than 42 MILLION AMERICANS — 12.6% — were estimated to be food insecure. That means you lack reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food, which can result in poor productivity in both children and adults, and increase the risk of physical and mental illnesses.

 Victoria Zapata, National Site Manager for Food Rescue US talks with Tracy about how we — YOU — can be the rescue to fight hunger and help the planet. It is easier than you might think. We will also discuss why there is not more diverse representation in food recovery.

 Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

When Tracy saw CBRE’s September 2022 Hotel Horizons® forecast in early December stating that food and beverage (F&B) recovery was lagging from pre-COVID levels while rooms revenue per available room (RevPAR) was exceeding 2019 annual levels in 2022, I wanted to find out more. Especially when the cost of food is increasing and meeting planners are spending even more on their already largest expenditure.

I'm excited that Andrew Hartley of CBRE Hotels Advisory who studied and analyzed F&B department revenues, expenses, and profits of 1,228 properties for the report will join me on #EatingAtAMeeting LIVE to talk about what he's seeing in the trends for U.S. hotel food and beverage departments.

Listen as we discuss these F&B programs — where they were prior to the pandemic and what they look like in the post-pandemic environment, including what is attributing to the lag and industry standards that have been eliminated as a result of the pandemic.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Tracy takes a look at various reports that share the food and beverage trends for 2023. From specific food and beverage ingredients and products (CBD, dates, salts) to processes such as upcycling and cultivating meat as well as philosophies to be more intentional and purpose-driven, Tracy shares the leading food and beverage trends for individuals, organizations, and food service providers.

 Tune in to learn how and why to incorporate these trends into event, home, and space menus.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

We learned earlier this month how the non-alcoholic beverage market is growing rapidly not just for hashtag#DryJanuary but overall and throughout the year. One wine store owner I talked to last month said that 38% of people of drinking age are choosing not to consume alcohol or are consuming LESS of it.

That is why Lauren Chitwood and her co-founders created the non-alcoholic brand Spiritless. They were three young mothers with eight kids between them who were/are driven entrepreneurs and passionate social drinkers who enjoyed an evening cocktail to wind down from their day.

 Like most consumers buying their alcohol-free spirits and ready-to-drink (RTD) non-alcoholic canned cocktails, they were "feeling the strain of weekday drinks at work dinners, added calories, and sluggish mornings after a few glasses."

 Join Lauren and Tracy for #EatingAtAMeeting as they chat about how they started the business, their experience as female founders in the spirits industry, and how low and non-alcoholic beverages are an incredible tool for drinkers and non-drinkers alike.

 Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

What does it take to feel safe eating at a meeting? In this episode, individuals with food allergies, celiac disease, and other dietary needs share their personal stories and actionable suggestions for creating safer, more inclusive dining experiences.

From clear ingredient labeling and cross-contact prevention to having knowledgeable staff or chefs available to answer questions, these insights highlight the critical steps that can make a difference. Whether it’s the reassurance of detailed communication or the comfort of knowing every precaution has been taken, these perspectives offer practical guidance for fostering inclusivity and reducing anxiety at the table.

Explore how thoughtful planning and communication can transform meals into safe and welcoming experiences for everyone. Every guest matters. Every meal matters.

Do you have any 2023 events for which the contract was negotiated before or during the COVID pandemic? When was the last time reviewed the contract terms related to food and beverage service, menu items, staffing, and pricing? A lot has changed with food and beverage service due to the pandemic.

On Wednesday's episode of hashtag#EatingAtAMeeting LIVE, Joshua Grimes, Esq. of Grimes Law Offices, LLC is going to join me to talk about how, in this strong seller’s market, hashtag#MeetingProfs can ensure they are protected and prepared for changes. We're going to cover a lot — inflation, food costs, staff shortages in both the kitchen and front-of-house, how high demand for space may impact what was previously thought secure, gratuity and service charges, and F&B performance policy provisions.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Tracy talks with Food Economist and Associate Professor at Michigan State University David Ortega who studies what people eat, how it got to their plates, and various factors that affect foods' journey from farm to people's plates. His explaination of why and how food prices are rising is important for us to all understand. It's not just one thing that's affecting the increase. It's a variety of factors that are really coming together kind of a perfect storm of various things that are contributing and are sort of compounding each other.

David also discusses consumer demand — what we're eating as well as where and how we're spending our money on food. Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

In this year-end conversation about food, Tracy chats with Dani Nierenberg, an American activist, author, journalist, and Co-Founder and President of Food Tank, a non-profit that offers solutions and environmentally sustainable ways of alleviating hunger, obesity, and poverty around the world. 

Listen as Tracy and Dani chat about how the state of the US (and global) food system, our most pressing environmental and agricultural, and food issues, the newly approved Food Donation Improvement Act of 2021, and how we can link the cultural, medical, religious, and beliefs around food for a more productive, healthy, and sustainable global food system

I stopped drinking alcohol in 2019. It was a CHOICE I made because I no longer wanted to experience the after-effects of drinking too much, spending the money, or consuming the calories associated with it.

Since then my drink of choice has been a club soda with lime or water with lemon. I've tried "mocktails" before with hit-or-miss success. And, I have been "mocked" by servers and bartenders asking me, "You know that it has no alcohol in it?" Uh, Yes, that is why I ordered it.

From now on though, and because of chatting with and then reading Derek Brown’s book, "Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails", I WANT and really EXPECT to be able to buy a sophisticated adult drink that is non-alcoholic.

Tracy is excited to introduce YOU to Derek, founder of Positive Damage, Inc., who wants "to normalize drinking sophisticated adult drinks without alcohol ... to me, they’re cocktails.” Listen as we chat about what a sophisticated adult beverage actually is, how #MeetingAndEvents and #Hospitality venues can make room for guests who are reducing or eliminating drinking alcohol, the current state of the no- and low-alcohol movement, and the ingredients needed to make a cocktail. 

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

The number of confirmed cases of meat allergy — Alpha Gal Syndrome — has risen from only 12 in 2009 to 34,000 in 2019. Unlike other food allergies, alpha-gal symptoms can occur HOURS after eating meat, making the diagnosis a very tedious and long process. Candice Matthis and Debbie Nichols know this all too well. It took Candice 15 years, including mutliple trips to the ER and flatlining to be diagnosed.

Debbie's symptoms continued for 10 years. While she had made the connection between her GI pain and red meat, she had not heard of Alpha GAl Syndrom until Candice was diagnosed. She had to insist that her immunologist test her for it.

Together Candice and Debbie are known as Two Alpha Gals and are on a mission to help others live fully with Alpha Gal Syndrome. Listen as Tracy, Candice, and Debbie cha about what foods and products meat is hidden and how to best feed guests with a meat allergy.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

’Tis the season to be jolly. It's also the time that many of us celebrate and observe religions and cultures.

While there will be many Christmas parties to attend (and Hallmark movies to watch), we must remember that Hanukkah, Yule, and Kwanzaa are also celebrated this month. Celebratory meals for each holiday vary by person, family, region, and country.

Hallie Loeb, an event planner who happens to be petite, vegetarian, and Jewish, joined me on December 7 to share her insights on Hanukkah, the eight-day winter festival of lights, observed through nightly menorah candle lighting, blessings, songs, prayer, and food.

Be festive and listen as we talk about religious freedom, the best latke toppings, and the tastebuds of our ancestry. Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Do you ever feel deprived about food?

With a chronic disease such as diabetes, you have to avoid specific foods to avoid reactions. While that may seem simple, there is nothing simple about it.

It takes a lot of diligence to watch everything you eat (quality and quantity), constantly read ingredient labels, and ask questions of servers and chefs about what's in the menu item. What about relying on someone else to choose what you'll be eating when attending a meeting or event?

Deprivation can be felt not just with the food itself, but also with the loss of control over what to eat.

That's where Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator Julie Cunningham, MPH, RDN, LDN, CDCES, IBCLC comes in. She works with her clients to EXPAND their food choices, not contract them. She wants them to enjoy as many different foods as they possibly can, without experiencing complications of diabetes.

Listen as Tracy and Julie discuss why she decided to specialize in diabetes, the main message she hopes people understand through her book "30 Days to Tame Type 2 Diabetes," and how to help event attendees with diabetes — how about everyone — enjoy a meal without feeling deprived or worried. Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

As the Senior Program Officer for World Wildlife Fund’s Global Food Waste Team, Samantha Kenny works with hospitality and food service businesses to change the standard ways of doing business when planning events (like forecasting) to right-size food production and better serve guests. Listen as Tracy and Samantha talk about who is responsible for curbing food waste at events and the ways food waste be addressed at meetings and events.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Elise Buellesbach was on stage at the 2022 FARE Food Allergy Summit when Tracy first heard her speak. She was getting the first-ever Young Leader Award for her work as a college student with food allergies and celiac disease to lobby and fight for systematic change on campus.

As a student studying political science at American University, she's passionate about understanding the legislative process so she can help create systemic change for those who suffer from invisible disabilities (e.g. food allergies and celiac disease), in turn creating a more inclusive world.

Listen as Tracy and Elise chat about what she's working on related to on-campus dining, when food is an inclusive issue, how she wants to encourage conversations about food allergies, and what it takes her to be safe.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Event Professionals from across the country have told me on many occasions — and I've personally experienced it — that event venues refuse to donate leftover, untouched food due to concerns about food safety.

One planner even shared that a hotel told his organization, "Don't make us do this," in spite of the fact that the catering contract stated all remaining, untouched food would be donated.

Aubrey Alvarez, Executive Director of @eatgreaterdesmoines has experienced this herself, but that does not stop her. She continues to connect nonprofit organizations, businesses, and community leaders to work to strengthen the food system in Des Moines and make sure no food goes to waste.

Winner of "Iowan of the Week" in 2021 for her team's efforts in distributing almost 90,000 food boxes via one of the organization’s most significant projects, "Operation Fresh Produce Drop," Aubrey is committed to ensuring the people of Des Moines don’t go hungry and that they have access to fresh and healthy foods

Listen as Tracy chats with Aubrey about how people (e.g. #MeetingProfs) can get involved locally to help feed their community, what food can and cannot be donated, as well as innovative ways she is seeing food access improved in her community.

While there are many individual properties that donate regularly, there are still thousands that do not. It’s time for the Meetings And Events industry changes its policies to ensure we are rescuing and donating food that would otherwise be thrown away. Aubrey told me, "we have enough food for everyone. The amount of food thrown away could feed all food insecure folks multiple times."

Link in bio to watch it live.Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Registered Dietitian Jessie Gibson from UT Health East Texas joins Tracy to discuss whether event breakfasts are helping or hindering attendee success. Are the meals served setting attendees up for a productive day—or leaving them sluggish and distracted? Jessie shares how better breakfast options could boost energy, focus, and overall wellness.

We discuss how event planners could provide safe, sustainable, and inclusive food choices, ensuring everyone could eat safely—without having to "sit out" due to dietary restrictions. Jessie also explains how her facility had shifted from using traditional, processed fats in patient nutrition to more natural, whole-food-based options—offering valuable insights for anyone looking to improve their food offerings.

For those curious about how whole foods and thoughtful menus could boost attendee wellness and energy, that episode was a must-listen. Jessie also shared her perspective on whether breakfast truly was the most important meal of the day and how making the right food choices could elevate an event’s impact. Together, we explored how the meals served might have been doing more harm than good—and what could be done to fix it.

In late October Tracy visited the Javits Center in New York City to tour their rooftop farm and learn how they are using their harvest to feed employees and event goers. In two different interviews, Tracy chats with the Executive Chef Niko Marinos for Culivated, the culinary arm of the Javits Center as well as Orion Ashmore, the farm manager at the Javits Center for Brooklyn Grange Farms.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

What do climate change, sustainability, and events have to do with each other?

A LOT! Two weeks ago in one of my education sessions at IMEX — an events industry convention that has won awards for its sustainability efforts — I was surprised that only 10% of the attendees were currently incorporating sustainability questions in their venue requests for proposal or their events. To boot, a few other sustainability-focused sessions had the same response.

When I shared this stat with Shawna McKinley, an event sustainability consultant and instructor based in Vancouver, Canada, we decided to chat about how that aligns with the latest research from SKIFT and SITE, how its planners biggest concerns — rising food costs, event disruption and reduced attendance — are actually affected by climate change.

Join Shawna and I for the next #EatingAtAMeeting LIVE (October 26) to learn ways to incorporate sustainability practices into the overall event planning process, how your food and beverage choices must part of the sustainability equation, and how not to feel feel powerless to act.

Recorded on Day 3 of IMEX America 2022. Tracy is joined by Katie Kulp, a meeting planner whose niche is planning events for groups who have disabilities.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Recorded on Day 2 of IMEX America 2022. Tracy is joined by David Stevens who is a director of field marketing and global events who talks about how to create more healthful events by focusing on three M words — movement, mindfulness, and meals. Listen as they chat about how to provide for your attendees by creating dining experiences that are not exclusive, but inclusive. Let people make their own choices and create their own experiences.

This episode of Eating at a Meeting was recorded live on day 1 of IMEX America 2022. Tracy sat down with Ruud Janssen of the Event Design Collective who designs award-winning corporate events and gatherings.

Listen as they chat about how, when, and why food and beverage should be part of the design process.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

In this episode, Tracy sits down with Stephanie Beatie of Scottish Event Campus and Rory Archibald of Visit Scotland to talk about food and beverage and how to create safe, sustainable, and inclusive events in Scotland and in general.

Listen to get great ideas on how they manage and promote their practices. Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

October was National Disability Employment Awareness Month To bring more awareness to how food allergies (and other medically-necessary dietary needs) are disabilities that impact productivity, engagement, and inclusion in the workplace, I'm chatting with Lauren Soltwisch and Noreen Okarter, two young professionals with food allergies about the ins and outs of managing food allergy in theirs careers, social life, and everything in between.

Monday, October 10, 2022 is Indigenous Peoples Day.

To celebrate Native peoples throughout the US., Tracy chats with Chef Sean Sherman, co-owner of the restaurant Owamni (Minneapolis, MN) and founder of "The Sioux Chef", a company dedicated to revitalizing and reclaiming Native American cuisine.

A member of the Ogalala Lakota Sioux tribe, Sherman is fervent about bringing indigenous food systems like wild food usage, land stewardship, and pre-colonial foods to the modern kitchen and dining table.

He is doing something right. In June, Owamni was named Best New Restaurant of 2022 by the James Beard Foundation, the "Oscars of food."

On the menu at Owamni are dishes that prioritize Indigenous-sourced foods native to the region. What is NOT on the menu are beef, pork, or chicken, nor wheat flour, dairy, cane sugar, or black pepper — ingredients introduced to the continent after Europeans arrived. He wants to create a "decolonized dining experience" and help us to re-identifying the foods native to our land. Listen as Tracy and Sean chat about Native American food traditions that can and should have a place on our table today.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

On this episode, Tracy and Erin Malawar of Allergy Strong recap The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. This is the first conference of its kind in more than 50 years. The first and only other one was held in 1969.

The Administration's goal is "to end hunger in America and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030 so fewer Americans experience diet-related diseases."

The Domestic Policy Council has been working "within the federal government, including with over 20 agencies, and listening to members of Congress, academics, advocates, community leaders, philanthropic groups, health insurance and food companies and people with lived experience" to build the National Strategy and design the conference.

The recap will cover what we learned, as well as where and how the #MeetingsAndEvents industry can help support the goals through the five pillars that comprise the strategy. Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Megan Walker, Owner and Executive of Made by Meg had me at “health inspection score.” She was teaching an educational session at The Special Event back in 2017 on what food safety means and what planners need to know/ask of their caterers. Yes! When I surveyed hashtag#EventProfs on how often they asked their caterers about food safety practices before COVID, 70% of them said NEVER.

While we should trust caterers to know how to manage food safety, we still must inquire about their practices. Tune in to #EatingAtAMeeting LIVE on September 21 to get Meg's tips on what to ask food service providers, how she makes food safe, and how she gets the most out of food?

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

On this week’s Eating at a Meeting Live, I’m sit down with Ali Cox, the Founder & CEO of Noble West, an award-winning marketing consultancy specializing in the entire agricultural ecosystem to explore how event professionals on both sides of the table — planners and food service teams — can bridge the gap between farm and table.  

As a fifth-generation farmer, Ali combines her deep-rooted understanding of farming with cutting-edge marketing strategies to help brands tell the story behind their ingredients. 

Ali will share her insights on the importance of regenerative agriculture, how to reduce food loss and waste, and why telling the story of where our food comes from matters now more than ever. With a focus on transparency and sustainability, Ali will discuss how event professionals can bring a new level of intentionality to food and beverage, offering guests more meaningful and impactful dining experiences.

Whether you're working behind the scenes in food service or planning the menus, this conversation will reshape how we think about F&B at events. Let’s connect farms to tables, one meaningful meal at a time. 🌍

You’ll walk away with fresh ideas and a new perspective on creating intentional, impactful F&B experiences.

Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, follow us on social media for updates, tips, and behind-the-scenes fun, and if you love the show, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts! 🌟

Tracy has known Chef Todd Annis of Cru Catering for ~20 years when we were both in Atlanta - as a caterer and a corporate event planner. When I randomly found his podcast "Catering...WTF", I laughed, was amazed, and immediately reached out because the stories he shares about the behind-the-scenes of catering is important for hashtag#EventProfs to understand.

Listen in as Tracy & Todd talk about THE question chefs hate to answer, how business is booming but staffing is scarce, tastings, dietary needs and more. This will be a LIVELY conversation on the role caterers have in an event.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

On this episode of Eating at a Meeting, Tracy chats with Jennifer Squeglia CMP, principle at RLC Events, Inc. about what silver linings she sees that came from the pandemic throwing the industry in a tailspin. One of those is the value of sharing a meal with others.

Tune in to learn how we can use the pandemic to adapt, execute, and use food and beverage as opportunity to foster connections and create inclusivity.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com

Have you ever witnessed someone having an anaphylactic reaction? It is pretty scary.

Tune into the next episode of Eating at a Meeting LIVE to learn what my good friend and event planner Heather Herrig, CMP recently experienced to put her on the personal side of the dietary needs question on an event registration form.

Heather has been a part of the meetings & events industry since 2005 - and loves every aspect of what goes into creating amazing, inclusive, and engaging experiences. But more importantly, she's a mom, and one whose personal experience is changing how she will handle attendee's dietary needs at events.

Connect with Tracy: facebook.com/groups/EatingataMeeting thrivemeetings.com