Eating out at restaurants & over at friends' is the biggest social
adjustment any vegetarian will ever make, and it's twice as big for a
fatfree-er! Here are some useful coping strategies (& let me say that I'm
not perfect at following them):
1. Eating out. Spend time researching your local restaurants. Call them
during off hours and explain your situation, then test them without friends
along so you can be embarrassingly inquiring with your server. Pick out 1
or 2 and become regulars, developing a specialty dish that they prepare
often enough that they are used to it. Restaurants, especially
independents, will go a long way for regulars, maybe even altering their
menu.
2. Eating over. Try to convert gatherings to potlucks. You can always
bring a dish that you can eat this way. You might find that eliminating
that hideous formal dinner competition is heart healthy in itself! If a
potluck isn't possible, be honest, and tell your host your problem, and
suggest that you solve it by bringing something that could be your main
dish and a side dish for others - and coordinate with their meal. If they
will be offended, live with the dry salad or decline the invitation.
I have lots of SAD and hf vegetarian friends & family, and I have a happy
relationship with almost all of them. The almost? Well, I try to be
polite and diplomatic, but at one point I realized that even Miss Manners
expects some politeness in return. I actually have some relatives who
exercise their resentment of all things vegetarian by noticing when I am
happily able to find acceptable menu items (Olive Garden) or when I could
find NOTHING to eat (Red Lobster), and arranging to have all family
get-togethers at the bad restaurant. No kidding, it happens. The couple
in question, ironically, are so dependent on their cocktails that they
utterly refuse to eat at a restaurant without a full liqueur license,
shortening choice of restaurants more than I ever have! Sometimes people
can be bad for your heart, but you laugh and do your best.
Anne
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