I decided to delete my last question. I never want anyone to feel bad about their food choices or make someone think that I think less of them because of what they eat! I think sometimes people in general assume that because someone doesn't eat something, that they think everyone who does eat that thing is bad. Do you know what I mean? Was that a big jumble of thought that didn't make sense?
Basically, I have a hard time in social settings refusing something that is offered to me, not so much because I give into temptation, but because I don't want someone to feel bad! Does anyone understand this? How do you refuse politely or do you refuse at all?
hmmmmm.....that is so touchy. I usually eat what I'm offered, because I don't want anyone to get offended. I just try to think, "they went out of there way and made this food, and there is extra for me to taste/have, and they are willing to share what they have with me, so I'll eat it." Now if they were to give me a choice of two things, I would try to choose the most healthy. When we were doing the "raw food" thing for a couple of weeks, some friends of ours were kind of weird around us, because this was what we were choosing to do at the time. I didn't want them to be uncomfortable or think they couldn't invite us over because we might turn up our noses at their food. We would NEVER do that! Maybe just don't eat so much of the foods that you typically wouldn't eat in your diet. Eat some to be polite, but don't gorge on it like you are "cheating" and it's your only chance! Do whatever you are comfortable doing. What I really don't like is when I have company over, and I stress about "will they like it, will they eat it because there's no meat or way little meat? will their kids eat it because it's healthy?" We need to embrace our lifestyle and accept that not everyone else will embrace it with us. And sometimes that's hard, too.
ReplyDeleteI think it is okay to eat what is offered. A piece of meat once in awhile is okay. It isn't' going to destroy your health. I don't want people to stress out if I am coming to dinner so I just keep mum. And if someone comes to dinner I usually make a pasta dish. Something not "strange" but vegetarian.
ReplyDeleteI hear you both on having people over and stressing a little. I have decided that I am just going to stick to my guns. For a while I would only cook meat if people were coming over (because I wasn't so confident yet) and then as time went by I thought of how confusing this could be to my family. Didn't we want our guests to be healthy too? Didn't we want them to see how we eat? Why were we embarrassed?
ReplyDeleteSo, I have determined that I will always cook according to my testimony in my own home, but at others homes I will be open to eating other things. Caitlin, I think you are right on when you say that we can't think that we are "cheating" and gorge ourselves. A thought like that could be good on one of your health tip days.
One aspect of this that I guess I didn't make clear doesn't really have to do with being rude by refusing things at people's homes that they have made but making choices in social settings that make others seem to feel uncomfortable for some reason. I have had a couple circumstances where this has happened. I think I may address it on one of my days. i.e -- ordering non-meat food at restaurants for us and others saying they feel self conscious eating meat around us... know what I mean? I will address this another day.