One of the biggest doozies when it comes to figuring out how to plan a wedding reception menu is learning how to accommodate different dietary preferences including food allergies for a number of guests. 

Food allergies are among the most important considerations when it comes to wedding menu planning because you want everyone you invite to have a safe experience and be able to focus on enjoying their time and celebrating you as a couple on your big day rather than having to deal with a life threatening allergic reaction. 

And when it comes to allergies, it’s not uncommon to have guests who are allergic to shellfish. So today, I’m sharing a round-up of foods that guests with shellfish allergy should avoid. Things you may or may not have already considered.

What Food Should A Guest With A Shellfish Allergy Avoid

Seafood Buffet

Buffet tables are a popular wedding reception option for delivering an appetizing bite to guests in attendance. However, a seafood buffet would NOT be the way to go for people with shellfish allergy – just as a good rule of thumb. People who are allergic to shellfish are typically allergic to the type of shellfish called crustaceans and mollusks (or some of one or the other). 

If someone is allergic to crustaceans, they’re wanting to avoid these common wedding reception foods:

• Crab

• Crawfish (crayfish or crawdads)

• Lobster

• Prawns

• Sea urchin

• Shrimp – think shrimp cocktail or shrimp scampi

If avoiding mollusks, people with shellfish allergy are needing to avoid these common food items:

• Clams 

• Mussels

• Octopus

• Oysters

• Scallops

• Snails (escargot; both sea and land snails)

• Squid (calamari)

• Surimi (imitation shellfish, often found in sushi)

Shrimp appetizers

As I mentioned briefly, shrimp falls under the category of crustaceans so pretty much any shrimp appetizer idea you had for your wedding menu is out. 

Crab cakes

Crab cakes won’t work for guests with a shellfish allergy.

Bloody Mary Drink

Clamato is a clam broth and tomato juice mixture commonly found in Bloody Mary Drinks. People with shellfish allergy should avoid this alcoholic beverage.

Fish sauce

While traditionally many fish sauces are not made of shellfish, some brands however may include shellfish extracts as flavor enhancers like Nam prik (Thai fish sauce) and Mam tom (Vietnamese fish sauce). For this reason, it’s important to check the food labels carefully to confirm the ingredients and any allergens used. You may also want to consider ruling out labels that have shellfish under “may contain” or “processed in a facility that also processes shellfish” as well.

A substitute that can be used in place of fish sauce could be a plant based vegan fish sauce substitute, soy sauce, or mushroom sauce.

Dumplings

Be aware that some dumplings will be off limits for people with shellfish allergy and can cause an allergic reaction. For example, Chinese jiaozi dumplings and soup buns are among a variety of dumplings that’s typically filled with some sort of shellfish whether it’s scallions, shrimp, or crab. So be sure to check food labels thoroughly.

Many people with a shellfish allergy can also eat other types of fish such as tuna, salmon, and catfish, for example while others may need to avoid all fish if they are allergic to both shellfish and fish.

In summary, drinking Bloody Mary and eating some fish sauce, crustaceans and mollusks may all trigger an immune system response in people with shellfish allergy. If your guests have a shellfish allergy, a good rule of thumb is to avoid popular Asian cuisines like Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, or Malaysian foods that use fish sauce as a common ingredient. You may also want to stay away from Cajun or Creole dishes like (Jambalaya, Gumbo, or Etouffée), which usually also contain shrimp or other shellfish as staples in their ingredient list. 

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