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Re: Leaving a dinner party?

Mike said:
>Lots of us VLF people just eat dinner before we "go out 
>for dinner." We go only for the social experience and enjoy 
>it, but just don't eat at those greasy, heart-attack producing 
>restaurants like our friends. 

Exactly.  And sometimes we go to those restuarants and
order a big salad with no meat, no dressing, lots of lemon
wedges.  We're happy because we're not feeling deprived
(remember, we ate before going out).  Our friends are
happy because we're eating something, laughing, talking,
and having fun instead of picking at our food, griping about
it, making a fuss with the waitress, etc.

Same thing with dinner parties, except our friends have
food parties where they provide the main course and 
everyone brings a dish.  We also eat beforehand and 
bring something LF and vege to share.  Again, everyone
is happy.  (We always bring our own salad dressing -
no one minds).

>My wife is not willing to become ostracized from our friends 
>due to the behavior of "leaving" the table and walking out. It 
>just doesn't work unless you want to deliberately offend 
>them and have them no longer your friends.

I thought the idea of walking out on a friends meal to be
rude.  (now the idea of someone deliberately sneaking
cheese or meat into your food when knowing better is
another subject - like why would anyone consider this
kind of person a friend?)  A little maturity, please!

I've found the best way to get our friends to understand
us is to invite them over for dinner.  We serve a nice low
fat vege meal just like we would eat - well, nicer serving
bowls ;-)  with plenty of good tasting well seasoned foods.
No fuss, no talking about it, just plain serving it, sitting 
down, and having a good time with friends.  No explanation
or apology is necessary for the food served.  And yes, I've
had a good friend who is a hard-core meat eater sit down,
look around, and SHOUT "where's the meat".  His wife
kicked him under the table, rolled her eyes, and claimed
not to know him.  I smiled and told him it was at McD's 
down the street - get some on the way home.  He grumped
a little, but ate everything I cooked with gusto.  His wife 
called the next day for recipes and told me that, no, he
did not want her to stop for a burger on the way home.
I wasn't insulted, he's an old friend with a mind of his
own (like me!).  He's been back for dinner and when we
eat at their house, his wife cooks extra of the food we
can eat.  Teach by example.

Had Easter dinner at a friends house Sunday.  This is the
first time he's had a wide selection of low-fat vege food.
He told me he had made an extra effort because of the
good meals had at my house.  He'd been asking a lot
of questions about how I cook stuff and actually listening
to the answers!  Again, teaching by example.

Sam

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