When You Have No Control Over Your Meals
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cr8ivewonder
Posts: 44 Member
Hi folks, I'm new here and new to LCHF...one week in new, to be precise.
99% of the time, I can control what I am eating. I work in fundraising, and manage through our catered meals to find something I can eat to hold me off until I'm back at my desk/in my car to eat what I've packed.
However, I'm running into some problems. This weekend is an all day fundraiser, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided. I will not have a chance to run out to get something else, and no outside food is allowed in at this venue.
Breakfast is going to be muffins and coffee. No biggie-I can eat before I arrive.
Lunch is chili and cornbread. I'm not sure what to do here?
Dinner is broasted chicken, potatoes, baked beans, pasta salad and pie. I'm thinking I can peel off the breaded skin and eat the chicken. No potatoes and no beans, and definitely no pasta salad and no pie.
Snacks provided will be chips, cheesies and bananas. Ugh.
I am going to starve, and if I get too hungry, I know I will cave to satisfy my hunger.
Suggestions? Should I call it a "cheat" day and move on?
99% of the time, I can control what I am eating. I work in fundraising, and manage through our catered meals to find something I can eat to hold me off until I'm back at my desk/in my car to eat what I've packed.
However, I'm running into some problems. This weekend is an all day fundraiser, where breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided. I will not have a chance to run out to get something else, and no outside food is allowed in at this venue.
Breakfast is going to be muffins and coffee. No biggie-I can eat before I arrive.
Lunch is chili and cornbread. I'm not sure what to do here?
Dinner is broasted chicken, potatoes, baked beans, pasta salad and pie. I'm thinking I can peel off the breaded skin and eat the chicken. No potatoes and no beans, and definitely no pasta salad and no pie.
Snacks provided will be chips, cheesies and bananas. Ugh.
I am going to starve, and if I get too hungry, I know I will cave to satisfy my hunger.
Suggestions? Should I call it a "cheat" day and move on?
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Replies
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I'm sure you can talk to the chef that you're following a special diet that you must eat your own prepared meals. There must be an exception. I wouldn't do a cheat day if it's the part of your job you will have to attend events like that in the future.1
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nomorepuke wrote: »I'm sure you can talk to the chef that you're following a special diet that you must eat your own prepared meals. There must be an exception. I wouldn't do a cheat day if it's the part of your job you will have to attend events like that in the future.
We had contacted the chef about a gluten-free option for someone else, and we were told "they can eat what's available".
I live in a very small town. Oh, how life would be easier in a city where differences are accepted
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When I went to Columbia back in October on a mission trip for a week, I was in a situation where I knew i would have no control over lunch. Since going keto, I found it much easier to go much longer without eating. I went from eating almost continually from when I woke up to when I went to bed to kind of falling into an IF schedule of only eating lunch and dinner.
On this trip, I knew that may not work, so I ate a big breakfast of high fat/protein foods like eggs, beef, pork, cheese, etc. and, on days when lunch was not something that fit my WOE, I just didn't eat until dinner which may have been well into the evening. On days when lunch did fit, I ended up not eating dinner.
Given you said you can eat before you go, I would suggest basically the same thing I did. Eat a larger breakfast than you normally would, but make sure it is really satiating foods like what I mentioned. I think you may be surprised at how easy it is to make it until dinner without eating.3 -
Being 1 week new to keto you may not have the adaptation luxury of not getting hungry. I think I would stuff a few keto friendly things in my purse and excuse myself to the restroom to quickly eat them. Surely no one would be so bold as to question a female why she is taking her purse to the restroom. 6
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Being 1 week new to keto you may not have the adaptation luxury of not getting hungry. I think I would stuff a few keto friendly things in my purse and excuse myself to the restroom to quickly eat them. Surely no one would be so bold as to question a female why she is taking her purse to the restroom.
This is exactly what I was going to say!2 -
Will you be driving there? Put a cooler in your car with whatever you want to eat and when you excuse yourself for a bathroom break just eat your food quickly in your car.
I have made more than one quick protein shake, or scarfed down a little container of avocado and meat in this way over time. I assumed that my absence would stand out but no one even noticed I was gone while they milled around the buffet.
Unless you need to stand over the food available to others and serve it, are you able to excuse yourself at lunch for a short time and eat your own?
Failing that, I second all the other comments about putting some nuts, cheese, processed meat, etc. in your bag and eating it on your bathroom break.1 -
cr8ivewonder wrote: »nomorepuke wrote: »I'm sure you can talk to the chef that you're following a special diet that you must eat your own prepared meals. There must be an exception. I wouldn't do a cheat day if it's the part of your job you will have to attend events like that in the future.
We had contacted the chef about a gluten-free option for someone else, and we were told "they can eat what's available".
I live in a very small town. Oh, how life would be easier in a city where differences are accepted
Having celiac disease I find that attitude very offensive. So many people act like gluten free is a fad diet and in many cases it isn't.
Anyhow what's the coffee situation like at these conferences? I would find some cream or half and half and drink LOTS of coffee. Coffee with heavy cream can hold me for several hours. Then you could supplement with the de-breaded chicken at dinner time. Also you could maybe stash some low carb snacks that don't need refrigerated like beef sticks or nuts somewhere to grab here and there. Also they make these baked cheese snacks called Moon Cheese (here I can only buy them at Starbucks) they are kind of pricey but it's cheese and it doesn't need refrigerated and they are so good!!!5 -
I wanted to add...not sure what you exact carb levels are or how you feel about various sweeteners but another option could be Atkins or Quest bars? I personally don't do splenda so Atkins are a no-go with me but I will sometimes have the Quest bar varieties that don't have splenda. Also Cliff makes a Clean Whey bar which is similar w/o artificial sweeteners. I don't love these types of bars and I think the texture is like playdoh but being celiac I have had many experiences with all day events that require the smuggling in of food and a protein bar makes an ok meal in a pinch.
Also Epic makes these bars made of meat...some are ok. I tried the chicken sriracha one once and almost died because I have a low tolerance for spices but that's another easy to pack/carry consideration.2 -
Thanks everyone! Great suggestions. I'm gonna eat the crap out of that piece of chicken at night
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cr8ivewonder wrote: »
We had contacted the chef about a gluten-free option for someone else, and we were told "they can eat what's available".)
I say if they will not make any efforts to accommodate special dietary concerns that it would then be acceptable for you to bring your own food to eat. Take a small insulated lunch cooler or such with items that you can eat and/or supplement along with the items that are provided that you might be able to eat.
If they comment or ask about it, state that you were told no exceptions to the menu would be made for those with special diets, and you can't eat the food that is provided.
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I'd ask for a note from your doctor. Small town or not, they can't really argue against that. The doctor doesn't have to put that it is an allergy, just that there are no acceptable meal options on the menu for you, period. Of course, you have to have a low carb friendly doc and one whom doesn't mind writing notes, but they're there. My Endocrinologist put me on this dietary plan, so you might not have as hard a time getting an note if that's your situation as well. Nut butters and such also can be bought in individual packets.
And honestly, the next time a chef dismissed someone's eating requirements, I probably would have asked in retort, "So are you providing the epi-pens at $400 each and the on-call ambulance, since you aren't willing to provide a safe food option for this person - or allow them to bring in their own food since they have an existing allergy?" I had to edit that several times to be professional-ish... While I'm not a celiac, I know many folks with life-threatening allergies, and this angers me greatly.2 -
Aiy Carumba!! The chef's attitude, especially given the limited, carb fest menu, is incredibly small minded, to the point of being dangerous. The menu seems to focus on what is cheap and filling. Not a fresh anything to be seen..... SAD really.1
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KnitOrMiss wrote: »I'd ask for a note from your doctor. Small town or not, they can't really argue against that. The doctor doesn't have to put that it is an allergy, just that there are no acceptable meal options on the menu for you, period. Of course, you have to have a low carb friendly doc and one whom doesn't mind writing notes, but they're there. My Endocrinologist put me on this dietary plan, so you might not have as hard a time getting an note if that's your situation as well. Nut butters and such also can be bought in individual packets.
And honestly, the next time a chef dismissed someone's eating requirements, I probably would have asked in retort, "So are you providing the epi-pens at $400 each and the on-call ambulance, since you aren't willing to provide a safe food option for this person - or allow them to bring in their own food since they have an existing allergy?" I had to edit that several times to be professional-ish... While I'm not a celiac, I know many folks with life-threatening allergies, and this angers me greatly.
I also felt like I would've had grounds to sue the damn catering company in the situation like this.
I've also participated annual conferences that were held for 1-2 days in the different cities. They always considered the special diet requests on the menu. The special requests could be anything from food allergy to religious diet..,etc.0 -
nomorepuke wrote: »KnitOrMiss wrote: »
I also felt like I would've had grounds to sue the damn catering company in the situation like this.
I've also participated annual conferences that were held for 1-2 days in the different cities. They always considered the special diet requests on the menu. The special requests could be anything from food allergy to religious diet..,etc.
This isn't a conference. I've been to conferences (albeit, Toronto way, not down here) where they are definitely accommodating. This is a fundraiser, so yes...the idea is cheap food for a bigger profit margin. It is what it is, I can only try my best to keep on track.0 -
kimberwolf71 wrote: »Aiy Carumba!! The chef's attitude, especially given the limited, carb fest menu, is incredibly small minded, to the point of being dangerous. The menu seems to focus on what is cheap and filling. Not a fresh anything to be seen..... SAD really.
Bingo. Biggest profit margin available. And it's catering to predominantly male crowd who will be physically active during the day. Carbs are their friends!0
