I'm not the inventor of the term 'food inclusivity' but I'm certainly an early adopter. A Google search of the term yields only 2090 results, which is a tiny number by the search behemoth's standards.
And if I'm not the inventor, I at least want to make it mainstream.
Some of the references online are to brands that are making labeling more inclusive to folks who are blind. Other references focus on ensuring a menu is inclusive of all guests, respecting dietary restrictions and other sensitivities. This article features an ice cream maker and restaurant owner from Japan with a goal of using inclusive ingredients.
For elemeno, food inclusivity is about more than menu options for common dietary restrictions.
It's about maintaining the integrity of the meal while doing so.
A menu is not inclusive if it only offers one or two choices for a particular dietary restriction.
A menu is not inclusive if the modified versions of meals produce a watered-down, less nutritious or less balanced version of the original.
A friend of mine with a daughter with food sensitivities said it best, when describing taking her to less inclusive cafes versus more inclusive ones. He said, "It's not 'here's what you can have' it's 'what would you like?'"
At elemeno, our goal is to provide meals that are made with these sensitivities in mind. Ideally, the item doesn't contain common allergens, such as nuts, dairy, wheat and soy. But in some instances, we use sensible substitutions so that the options are balanced, hearty and tasty for all.
We are a new business, so this is a work in progress. We will continue to learn and evolve and your feedback and ideas will help us get better.
Ultimately, we will know we've been successful when food inclusivity isn't a seldom-used term but an actively incorporated philosophy across various food establishments.
Good for each, good for all.