Since it is just me and DH, it is easy to specify what I want to do in terms of celebrating my birthday. Actually, the more fun part of about my birthday is that I will make sure to do a bike ride that is more miles than my new age. I started that tradition in 2014. Helps that my birthday is the end of June!

For no special reason at all, we went to our favorite Italian restaurant last Saturday and I had the grilled salmon and steamed brocolli. It was perfect! It isn't something that I seem to be able to replicate at home (the grilled salmon that is). DH had his usual pasta with meat sauce and extra meat sauce and made 3 meals out of it. We were both happy.

Enjoyed reading the posts above!

It's interesting to me how 'special meals' can be interpreted as a noteworthy food or experience. In the food category, @misterhub 's post reminded me that my Mom always used to fix our favorite meal for birthdays. Mine was usually hamburgers (what can I say?). I'm pretty sure even as I got older, that was my fave.

For special meals now--foodwise--it's probably steak grilled on our good ol' fashioned charcoal grill. That with a salad and a beer, maybe / maybe not with friends, is just about perfect, especially eating outside in this beautiful Fall weather we've been having. I would take this meal (and experience) over any dinner out. When it's good here in Podunck, NY, it's really good!

As for experience, we have a tradition of eating a very simple but tasty meal of beans and rice on Thanksgiving. We feel so fortunate for what we have but live in a place where so many have so little. If it's just the two of us, this is what we usually do. It's somber but special. On the other hand, I have come to enjoy visiting my siblings over that holiday too. That usually includes a traditional meal and all the hubbub that goes with it. Since being on WW, I eat way less at those times but have come to enjoy the time with family (and extended family) more than I ever used to. When it gets too noisy or confusing, I have to take myself out but in general, it's a special meal that I've come to appreciate more as time marches on.

I'm a foodie who likes 99% of all food - so there are Many.

On birthdays, we almost always eat out, and birthday person picks the restaurant. My go-to is typically a hole-in-the wall Thai restaurant near our place, and it's pretty easy to pick reasonable things there (also easy to get into calorie bombs if not careful!), or sometimes it's Mexican, and when that happens, I just enjoy, and burn it off over the next few days. Occasionally the wife wants to go for chinese buffet... Yikes.

My special meal is a dinner catered by Turnip Rose in Oct once a year. Best succulent juicy hot white fish ever and beef tenderloin plus perfect asparagus etc this year. I don't "dummmb down" favorite dishes much, just eat some as rare treat. I like some lighter fare for its own sake but don't think of it as trying to be a lighter version of something else. OK I do add egg whites to my one whole egg veggie omelet but truly like it as is.
Going out for b-day dinner this week to mediterranean restaurant. We'll see what they have.

A small NY Strip fresh off the grill, a half of a baked potato with butter infused olive oil and lots of steamed broccoli. To make it feel special a glass of diet cranberry juice in a fancy wine glass. Let's celebrate something.

Actually, when we go out for something special, I usually get a filet mignon, baked potato ( no sour cream) and garden salad.

Well for me its Pizza!
I spent the first 60 years of my life living in Northern NJ where there is a good pizza parlor on every block. Pizza is not food it is a religious experience for anyone from there. 6 years ago I finally moved away from there, first to Pittsburgh for 2 yrs and then to the Virginia Tidewater area. Where I have learned the difference between decent food and good pizza. Now I only get a slice about 1 or 2 times a year on trips back for friends & family events. (Next time is in 3 weeks I cannot wait!)