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I am going to be traveling and staying at someone's home for about 4 days, in order to celebrate a graduation. I'm almost at the 3-month point of being on the wellness program in order to heal my LGS. I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to stay on the diet while being restricted to the meals put in front of me?
There will be several other people staying there, as well as some other people joining us for the meals. It's going to be a lot of work for the host, and I certainly don't want to be an inconvenience by requesting special foods. On the PWFD, there's really not a lot of foods that I could bring in my suitcase without spoiling. I'm finding that my system is not tolerating nuts or wheat at the present, and bananas are the only thing I think of to stow in my bag. Plus, even if I could take several foods, I don't want to be insulting by not eating what the host has slaved over. I have no idea what she'll fix, but in the past, it's usually a big item like a lasagna, casserole or even pork bbq on the grill. What should I do in these situations?
In Reply to: How to eat healthy when you're visiting someone's home? posted by DJ on June 04, 2002 at 09:23:41:
I have a friend who is vegan. When she comes to my get togethers, I always try to make one or two things that she can eat and she also brings something. We had a cookout one time and she brought a veggie burger (while everyone else had steaks, shrimps and ribs LOL) and I made sure I had a fruit salad and a green salad. Of course there was also potato salads, pasta salads and desserts which she couldn't eat.
I think you should tell your hostess and I'm sure she wouldn't mind including one of two things you CAN eat along with the stuff that she makes for everyone else. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you supplying your own things either. Perhaps you can't take them with you, but maybe you could hit up a supermarket once you are there? Also, she may even ask you what type of things you like to eat before you arrive. My friends and family do that before Pieter and I go to visit them.
Good luck!
In Reply to: How to eat healthy when you're visiting someone's home? posted by DJ on June 04, 2002 at 09:23:41:
That's a tough situation, but I always take at least some of my own food. It's easier if you are driving, because you can take what you need with you in a good-sized cooler, and then you have your car there to go grocery shopping for yourself once you arrive. With that many guests, though, someone is bound to be running to the store every day, so you can tag along and buy what you need to take care of yourself. If the refrigerator at the house is really full and you can't borrow part of a shelf, bring along a small cooler or ask to borrow one and keep it filled with ice. You can also buy a small styrofoam one for your food, and leave it behind when you leave.
If you are flying, you can at least carry a small lunch-box size cooler on board with you that contains some emergency rations--cheese, cooked meat or hard-boiled eggs, raw veggies, etc. Use blue ice packs or freeze a bottle of water to keep the food cold for a couple of hours. You can stash allowed bread, crackers, and uncooked pasta and rice in your suitcase. I use those foods to fill in when I can't eat what's served, and buy more food when I get there, as needed. If you have your own brown rice or rice pasta, you can eat that plain with their sauce (if it's OK for your diet). You can cook it ahead of time, or just cook it yourself the day of that meal and reheat before dinner.
You will need to decide ahead of time how you want to approach this, depending on how well you know the hostess, of course. Most people are very accomodating, but you have to be vigilant that they don't inadvertently poison you :) I try to ask what's on the menu, then when meals are being prepared, I jump in to help. That way it's easier to monitor the ingredients, and I can set aside a portion for myself before the dressings and sauces are put on.
The first time you do this is always the hardest. You might not be getting a perfectly balanced diet, but you can still have a good time even without indulging in all the food that everyone else does, and when there is a big crowd, many people won't even notice what you are putting on your plate. If they do ask, you can always say you have food allergies and find it's easier to bring your own. I have even heard of some people jumping right in to make a dish their way to serve the crowd, but I've only done that for potlucks. If you don't get enough to eat, you always have that stash in your room or out on the deck! Definitely don't jeopardize your health by going off the diet for those 4 days. That would be a big mistake.
Good luck. Report back, please, on how & what you did.
In Reply to: Re: How to eat healthy when you're visiting someone's home? posted by BarbaraN on June 04, 2002 at 10:11:58:
I have the neatest friend and she has us over and makes the most delicious salads in a big bowl with bowls of almonds, organic granola and a wide assortment of neat organic things and they are always better tasting.
I would find an organic store and do just that.
Just add your special touch and she would surely welcome all you bring.
Here with my grown children everyone brings something all the time and it works out perfectly.
My son loves Italian olives and breads and lunch meats and my daughter loves pasta salad. So that is what they bring along and it is fun.
We got the most delicious granola at the health food store and I found a recipe for it too and that is almost a meal.
Just be yourself
In Reply to: Re: How to eat healthy when you're visiting someone's home? posted by lovebird on June 04, 2002 at 13:10:11:
can I get your recipe for granola?
In Reply to: Re: How to eat healthy when you're visiting someone's home? posted by BarbaraN on June 04, 2002 at 10:11:58:
Hi, DJ -
Many people have allergies, etc. to certain foods. I always appreciate knowing ahead if someone can't or shouldn't hates certain foods. Usually, the person has enough recipes or dishes to choose from. Of course, if you told me you would rather bring your own food, I wouldn't be insulted at all -- after all, it's not my cooking that you can't eat it's the ingredients!! Since you are good friends you must be somewhat alike, so I'm sure she'll understand perfectly. Have fun! Raisa
In Reply to: How to eat healthy when you're visiting someone's home? posted by DJ on June 04, 2002 at 09:23:41:
Well, you could always say that you have food allergies and need to maintain a diet without them. That you don't mean to be rude but you get severe reactions. I mean, that may also make you look like the freak but it's the only thing I can think of unless you simply tell them the truth that you are on this whole-foods escapade and THAT may have you looking like the weirdo as well. My advice is to bring whatever you can with you and explain your situation as best as possible
-HY
In Reply to: Lovebird - posted by shiloh on June 04, 2002 at 15:45:56:
sure
I will look it up in the morning
In Reply to: How to eat healthy when you're visiting someone's home? posted by DJ on June 04, 2002 at 09:23:41:
Congratulations, DJ.
Everyone had such good suggestions that anything I could say would be superflous. IF these are your friends, they will be happy to accomodate you to the point of learning what you know while you are fixing your own.
Let us know what you experience.
Walt
In Reply to: Lovebird - posted by shiloh on June 04, 2002 at 15:45:56:
Granola
In a large bowl combine:
4 or 5 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup of wheatgerm
1/2cup bran or bran flakes
1/2cup sesame seeds
3/4 cup fresh or dried coconut
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup almonds, slivered
1/2cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup flax seeds
In a separate bowl mix the following:
1/3cup raw, unfiltered honey
2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup fresh apple juice
Pour over dry ingredients a little at a time, stirring to distribute evenly. Pour onto plastic sheets, dehydrate. To dry more quickly, spread thin. Drying time is about 2 days.
When dried, add dried fruit cut into small pieces. (Can use dates, organic raisins, apples, pears, cherries, etc.) Cool to room temperature and store in airtight container. Makes about 10 cups.Use within 4 weeks.
To dry in the oven, preheat to 300 degrees. Pour mixture nto a lecithin lined 9 x 13 inch pan.Bake one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. After removing from the oven, add dried fruit, cool to room temp. and store in airtight container.
hacres.com is the source for this recipe. Rhonda Malkmus has recipes for all kinds of neat things.
This is not the exact kind of granola I got here where I live but I know this will be good too.
It is so good.
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