Eating at friends' houses

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So you're going to a friend's place for dinner, and they utter the dreaded words: "Let me know if there's anything you don't eat."

Gaah. How much time have you got?

I just wondered what people's response is when friends ask this. Do you hit them with the full list? Or an edited version? Or do you just say you'll eat anything and forget about the diet for that particular meal? I personally am off carbs at the moment but don't like to put this on anyone who is cooking for me, so I tend to say "no wheat" (because wheat makes my skin itch) and leave it at that. The result of that is that the host tends to make something with rice or potatoes, which are a bit easier to leave on the side than working your way around a bowl of pasta. I am strict with myself at home, but feel guilty making princessy demands of a host when low carb is just a personal preference and not a medical requirement ...

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  • pittskaa
    pittskaa Posts: 319 Member
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    i usually just say anything is fine, i try not to worry about one night!
  • kadins_momma07
    kadins_momma07 Posts: 328 Member
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    So you're going to a friend's place for dinner, and they utter the dreaded words: "Let me know if there's anything you don't eat."

    Gaah. How much time have you got?

    I just wondered what people's response is when friends ask this. Do you hit them with the full list? Or an edited version? Or do you just say you'll eat anything and forget about the diet for that particular meal? I personally am off carbs at the moment but don't like to put this on anyone who is cooking for me, so I tend to say "no wheat" (because wheat makes my skin itch) and leave it at that. The result of that is that the host tends to make something with rice or potatoes, which are a bit easier to leave on the side than working your way around a bowl of pasta. I am strict with myself at home, but feel guilty making princessy demands of a host when low carb is just a personal preference and not a medical requirement ...

    I rarely get to go to someone's house and eat or have other people cook for me, but when I do I just eat whatever they have there. I think of it as a rare occasion and just work it off later. I rarely get to hang out with friends period, so I just like to enjoy that time with them and not worry about things too much. If we are going to a restaurant for dinner, obviously I can order my own food and make my own choices.
  • Lesa_Sass
    Lesa_Sass Posts: 2,213 Member
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    I try to have a back up plan in place in case there is absolutely nothing I will be able to eat. I do not make a fuss about something, I just do not eat it if I do not eat it. The one thing I will ask about is bacon, I do not eat real pig bacon at all. After several years as a strict vegetarian, I can not even eat the tiniest piece of bacon as it feels like a piece of broken glass moving through me, but other than that, sometimes I just eat salad, as long as there is no bacon in it.

    But in saying that, since I have my own healthy cooking blog and healthy cooking page on facebook, most people already know what I am going to eat and call to let me know and ask if that is okay.

    On the other side of that, I have had the experience of someone being rude in my home about food preferences and allergies. But this typically comes from people that are new to that way of life. They tend to make a bigger deal of it in the beginning than necessary.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,269 Member
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    Unless it is an allergy, then I would never expect friends or family (or anyone) to cater to me. Even then, I would be sure to offer to bring something I can eat so as not to make the meal any more work for my hosts then it already is.
  • KittieLea
    KittieLea Posts: 1,156 Member
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    I rarely eat at other people's houses, unless it's a birthday or holiday celebration. In those cases, I cheat ;)