A wedding tasting usually begins with flavour. Add one more thing to the table: the actual plate, bowl or box proposed for the function. A dry sweet, a spoonful of hot dal and chaat with chutney ask different things of their container. Choosing the serving material alongside the menu gives the caterer a concrete brief.
For an Ayodhya wedding, start with the items guests will use, from the snack counter to any food packed for an agreed journey. Ask the venue to show you the proposed products rather than a photograph of a similar table setting.
Ask what will touch the food
FSSAI’s October 26, 2026 packaging compendium says materials in direct or likely contact with food during preparation, storage, transport, sale or service must be food grade. It also says packaging must suit the product and its storage and transport conditions.
Ask the supplier or catering team to identify the material and its intended use. Does the proposed bowl suit the dish and serving conditions? If food will be packed, does the whole arrangement include a suitable lid, liner and closure? Keep any supporting product information with the catering proposal. A colour, texture or word such as “natural” does not answer those questions.
Check the plastic rules as well
Ask the caterer to confirm that the proposed item is permitted under the applicable plastic-waste rules. India’s list of prohibited single-use plastic items includes plates, cups, glasses, cutlery and trays. The Environment Ministry reaffirmed enforcement of the ban in March 2026.
Do not treat a national certificate or a label such as “compostable” as a complete answer. Uttar Pradesh has its own restrictions: its July 2018 notification includes a prohibition on specified disposable plastic and thermocol tableware in the urban areas it covers. A July 2025 parliamentary answer still lists that notification among state measures.
For a proposed product, ask the responsible catering team to confirm the current national, Uttar Pradesh and applicable local requirements for the actual venue. Compostable and biodegradable are not interchangeable descriptions. Ask what evidence supports the exact product and intended use, and what collection and processing arrangement the venue has confirmed. This checklist does not establish a current exemption or certify a supplier.
Give leaf plates the same attention
If you are considering a stitched leaf plate, a pressed plant-based bowl or another natural material, ask where it comes from and how it is prepared, stored and handled. FSSAI’s Food Safety and Standards Digest guidance addresses natural and processed plant-based food-contact materials. It calls for products free from dirt, dust, off odour, discolouration and pest contamination, and recommends single use for these materials.
The guidance also addresses food-grade stitching or binding materials. Ask the catering team about suitable cleaning, protected storage and records of origin and handling. These are useful questions for the catering team. They do not establish that a particular batch is safe simply because it looks clean, or that any leaf collected nearby is suitable for serving food.
Keep newspaper away from the food
Make this explicit in the brief, including at snack counters and behind the serving area. The packaging compendium prohibits newspaper or similar material for storing and wrapping food, and says printed packaging surfaces must not directly contact food.
In a June 5, 2026 release, FSSAI’s West Region reiterated the newspaper warning, including use for absorbing excess oil and covering food. That release followed an incident in Maharashtra; it is not a report about an Ayodhya caterer. For your function, ask the team what suitable food-contact material it will use for each job.
Try the serving arrangement before ordering
Ask the caterer to demonstrate the proposed plate or bowl with the planned dish and portion. Discuss whether guests will sit at a table or carry their food, where bowls will be placed, and who replaces a damaged item. If a box is needed for an agreed handover, discuss the journey and handling conditions with the responsible team.
This is a practical service check. A sample that holds its shape does not establish food-contact compliance or replace the caterer’s responsibility for safe food handling.
Copy this note into your catering brief
Complete one note for each different serving or packing arrangement. Ask the responsible catering team to fill the evidence gaps before the order is final.
- Dish and function
- [Dish, function and serving location]
- Food-contact items
- [Exact plate/bowl/box, liner, lid and closure; supplier and product reference]
- How it will be used
- [Food condition, portion, intended holding or journey conditions; caterer to confirm suitability]
- Supporting information
- [Product-use information and any required compliance evidence; location of documents and who checked them]
- On-the-day check
- [Person responsible for confirming that the delivered product matches the agreed item, and for storage and handling]
- If the item is unavailable
- [Who reviews a proposed replacement before use; confirm suitability and required evidence again]
- After use
- [Who collects it, where it goes, and which arrangement the venue has actually confirmed]
- Open questions
- [Question / responsible person / agreed reply date]
Before the tasting: ask for a sample of the exact proposed item, not simply a similar-looking product. Keep the completed note with the menu and service plan.
This note records a planning conversation. It is not a safety test, a product certification or a legal compliance certificate. A sample holding its shape does not establish food-contact compliance. The responsible food business must confirm the applicable requirements.
Keep this note with the menu and meal-service plan. If suitable surplus food may be shared, arrange that separately with the responsible caterer and recipient using the surplus-food handover guide. The plate deserves a place in the planning conversation before it reaches a guest’s hand.
Source review updated on November 13, 2026 (India). This is a family planning checklist, not a product certification, supplier endorsement or complete regulatory guide. The compendium is a reference aid, with original notifications taking precedence. Digest material is guidance. Confirm applicable requirements with the responsible food business.
