Whether you’re Paleo, or following the Whole30 program, or just trying to stick to healthy eating habits, it can be daunting when someone invites you over and you immediately go into a tizzy about what you’re going to eat and if you’ll be tempted by all the deliciousness that is sure to be available at the party/dinner/bbq/etc. WILL THERE BE CARROT STICKS AVAILABLE?! Ah!
Fear not, friends. You can do this AND enjoy your time with your friends and/or family.
This just calls for a little preparation.
1) Ask the host about the menu.
My lovely friend Lauren, from The Thinking Closet, had our church’s children’s theater team over her house for a fun Fall Party & BBQ. I LOVE seeing the words “BBQ”. You can pretty much guarantee that there will be a plain hot dog, hamburger, or chicken breast available. She included some food details in the invite, so I didn’t need to ask further questions, but don’t feel embarrassed about asking the host if needed. It’s also a great opportunity to sneak in a question about what to bring: “I wanted to know what was being provided so I make something different to bring for our dinner!” See? Not frightening, nor hard.
2) If you feel comfortable, tell the host about your dietary restrictions.
This is just if you feel close enough to the host (maybe it’s your mother or your best friend) and you want to just double-check about having something available to munch on. You don’t need to do this, especially because of my next step, but if you feel okay doing so… go for it.
3) Bring a dish to share that you can eat too!
This is a win-win. Not only are you being all courteous and whatnot by bringing a dish to said dinner/bbq/party/whatever, but you also now have provided a healthy addition to the meal that you know, without a doubt, is perfectly suited for your diet. Generous and nutritious, look at you go!
4) BYOC
Seriously. Bring your own chocolate. There is a 99% chance there will be some type of sweet available to you at the party. Most likely cake, brownies, cookies, or cupcakes. There is also a 99% chance that these items are not Paleo-friendly, unless you brought them. Trust me, those stats are all legit. With all that being said, get yourself some Paleo-approved chocolate and use it to satisfy the sweet tooth that is sure to come your way while everyone else is enjoying cake and eating it too. This particular evening Eating Evolved’s Mint Creme Dark Chocolate Coconut Butter Cups were my sidekicks while cupcakes were being consumed by other guests.
5) Be present.
Don’t get consumed with what you can and cannot eat. Enjoy the time with your family and friends! Meet someone new! Get in on the games! Laugh! Talk! Have fun and don’t fix your mind on food. 🙂
Thank you Lauren for having us all over to celebrate the Fall season and enjoy some laughs, great food, and wonderfully entertaining games + conversations!
What are some things you do to stick to your healthy eating habits when enjoying outings & events?
The Thrive Life 
I love this list. While I personally don’t have a lot of restrictions, I live with, and spend a lot of time with people who do. I always find the best guests, and dinner companions, are the ones who take the time to figure out how they’re going to eat within their diet but don’t make a huge deal out of it.
I love hearing about people’s lifestyles if it comes up, but it’s sometimes painful to sit next to the person bemoaning the food options because they can’t eat wheat/GMOs/whatever.
Happy Monday!
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Oh yes its so true! I should have put that down as a tip! Don’t annoy the other party people! Haha Thanks for commenting Kay! 🙂
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Victoria, what an AWESOME post! a) I’m just so honored that you featured our party and home in it…. b) I love that rather than just doing a Fall Fest recap, you turned it into a teachable moment. A sign of a true teacher! And this is also a best blogging practice in my humble opinion. I really do think that whenever we can offer our readers action-able tips or tutorials, recipes, we are being generous with our blog content. Of course, not everything has to be that way…but I love that you saw the opportunity to share what you learned and what worked for you so that you can help others. c) Your photos are AWESOME! Seriously, so many of mine were blurry…but I’ll still be sending ’em your way as soon as I get ’em off my camera and onto my computer. You might need to add in the pic of you doing a head-stand on the paddle board. Most epic moment of the night EVER! You most definitely were present…and entertaining…and brave! And a most courteous party-guest indeed. Thanks so much for bringing your healthy treats to share with us. Hugs!
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Lauren! You are the sweetest! I am happy to have spent time with you and the rest of the gang in your lovely home. Thank you for also providing hamburgers for your Paleo friend 🙂 Thank you so much again and I’ll see you soon!
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