How to survive holidays

[Chillicat]

I don't want to thread-jack the 'How to survive travel' topic, but I was thinking about a related thing last night - how to survive holidays when you're staying with in-laws etc, and don't want to eat their food but also don't want to appear rude.

My hubby is from England and misses his English Christmases, so next year we're going to go over there for Christmas. I know it's a whole 18 months away, but I couldn't help thinking about the kind of food his parents like to eat (they are very overweight, and eat the kind of food that I might eat once every now and then to be polite if I have to, but certainly not for a whole week).

It seems to be very difficult for overweight people to comprehend that non-overweight people watch what they eat - they're more likely to try to fatten you up. They don't seem to understand that you're not trying to lose weight, but have a life eating plan that doesn't fit in with the way they eat.

I'm thinking that most of the time it would be ok, as they have tuna in England and I can have shakes, yogurt, and whatever else prior to dinner, and that it's really just dinners that might be a problem. I'll just have to pick at what I think I can eat and leave what is too evil and bad.

How do you all get around this kind of problem?

[teamfatboy]

I've found England to be tricky... even America's OK (despite being the land-o'lard) because the restaurants and everywhere are used to people stipulating exactly what they want (like "steak, salad, no potato, dressing on the side" etc).

I found that England is an issue...although there are good healthfood shops (GNC and others) in the major centres, as well as the more "whole earth grains-n-seeds" healthfood shops which have protein powder, you have to hunt around to get the things you need.

Plus, culturally (purely my 2c worth) it seems that the English still aim for loadsa carbs in their beer, bar snacks, and main meals. So, sticking to my diet in England was always a real test.

However, when you're staying with folks, and they're cooking for you it becomes an issue of trying to convince them you're serious about your lifestyle (not diet, as you've already said). So, the exercise becomes one of having the self-confidence to find a way to explain WHY you're not eating the food they prepared for you, talking them through what you've learned, and why you want their help.

If that don't work - then Plan B is to stick to your guns, eat what you can as best you can, and resist the pressures that will surely come to finish the plate....

[teamfatboy]

Of course, if you can offer to help with the cooking, and shopping ('cos naturally you wouldnt want to be a burden on your hosts :nod: ) that would give you a measure of control.

And of course to say thanks for their hospitality, you'd want to cook them a Kiwi-style meal just once, right?

[Pseudonym]

You're a cunning bugger, TFB! Good plan! :pfft:

[Chillicat]

They came and stayed with us for a week or so when we got married a couple of years ago, and I did most of the cooking then, and to be honest I don't think they like the kind of food I cook! I'm really into a lot of spicy Asian type dishes, made as healthy as possible, but all they seem to like is bland bland bland, fat fat fat!

They used to take themselves to lunch every day to Denny's for something nice and bland

As for protein powder, I reckon I'll do what I did when I went to Oz last year and didn't know their brands, so just brought over an unopened container with me, which was no problem with customs. England doesn't even check food, so that's all good.

[Specter]

The GNC stores in england stock alot of the same brands you can find here in NZ, but yeah take your own supply.