{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"339: Creating Space to Opt Out: Why True Belonging Goes Beyond What\u2019s on the Plate","description":"What we put on the table does more than feed guests \u2014 it fuels their energy, focus, and capacity to belong. That\u2019s the perspective Yush Sztalkoper, CMP, founder of NeuroSpark+, brings to this special episode of Eating at a Meeting Podcast LIVE from IMEX America in Las Vegas.  With two decades in corporate events and her lived experience with ADHD and parenting a twice-exceptional child, Yush knows that inclusion isn\u2019t just about access to the room \u2014 it\u2019s about access to regulation, energy, and choice once you\u2019re there. For neurodivergent attendees, food is a nervous system intervention. When menus lack labels, variety, or whole-food options, you\u2019re not just excluding diets, you\u2019re excluding capacity. Designing meals for nourishment is designing for belonging. In our conversation, we\u2019ll explore: \u25b6\ufe0e Why whole foods, clear labeling, and variety unlock authentic participation \u25b6\ufe0e How circadian rhythms and meal timing support energy throughout long event days \u25b6\ufe0e The role of protein-forward, minimally processed choices in regulating the nervous system \u25b6\ufe0e Why training staff in neutral language \u2014 \u201cWe\u2019ve got options for everyone\u201d \u2014 builds inclusion \u25b6\ufe0e How normalizing opt-outs reminds us: food is optional, belonging isn\u2019t For event planners and hospitality pros, this episode is a call to action: inclusion doesn\u2019t just live in your registration system \u2014 it lives on your menus and in the way your team serves them. ","author_name":"Eating at a Meeting","author_url":"https:\/\/www.eatingatameeting.com\/","html":"