Extra Easy Eating Out... at a relatives.

whoopidoo

Full Member
Hi everyone - wasn't sure whether to post this in 'eating out' or here. Sorry if it's in the wrong place.

Yesterday we had dinner at my OH's parents house and his Mum made a big thing about giving me boiled potatoes (she lives on roasties) and a huge pile of carrots and peas because she knew I had just joined SW. Then she proceeded to dish up pizza! Eeek! I didn't want to hurt her feelings and it was only a fifth of one of the frozen Iceland ones so thought I'd be ok but when I got home and worked it out it was 11 or 12 syns if I've worked it out right :eek:

I just wondered how everyone gets round days like that - we go visit them once a month. Would it be rude to ask her if I could take my own Quorn product along do you think?
 
I think only you can tell if she would be offended or not. Without knowing her personality it would be hard to tell.

If you talk to her a lot maybe let her know what you're cooking for dinner, etc. That way she might get an idea of what it is that you eat. If you only go once a month you have 4 weeks to educate her.

One evening at OH's mum's they wanted a take away burger and we went out to get them and on the way I stopped off at the co-op and got some pasta, passata and mushrooms and made my own dinner in her kitchen. This would be a complete no-no in some people's houses but because I know her I knew that she wouldn't mind.

Maybe suggest going earlier next time and help her prepare dinner? She might then give you some input into what she is cooking.

Good luck!
 
In the nicest possible way explain that SW is all about, primarily, healthy home-cooked food - your MIL was nearly there with serving you potatos, carrots and peas, if you'd had a roast, steak or gammon etc. instead of pizza you'd be right on plan! Maybe suggest this to her for next time, or offer to help with the cooking by taking a SW dessert and really showing how easy it is, and how it fits in with your lifestyle xxx
 
It's difficult when it is the out laws and not your own mum. Could your boyfriend tell her the type of foods you are allowed. She might take it better form him. if not accept gracefully, eat your veg first and then say "phew since being on this diet my appetite has got so much smaller" and leave it on the plate. you may need to eat before you go so you can say this with conviction Good luck xx
 
that sucks, its hard i know but if you have a good relationship with her you could make a meal suggestion for next time? usually a good roast dinner is great because as long as your in laws dont coat everything in butter and oil you will be able to vary what you have on your plate. im always very open with people about my diet and ive never had a problem
 
Thanks everyone. She is diabetic herself so apart from her roasties addiction she is pretty good. She is lovely - I've just never asked someone to cook me something else so don't know the ettiquette :)

She did ask what was involved in Slimming World last visit (DR told her she needs to lose a bit) so might take all the books with me next time.
 
I know this is difficult from experience, but personally feel that if I have made a choice to eat a certain way I shouldn't then expect everyone around me to fall in line with that. If you are lucky enough to be invited around to someones house and they want to cook for you I think it is unfair to then dictate what you wish to eat.

When I eat at friend/relatives houses, I just ensure I have more of free food and less of the non free food. For example, I would have eaten all the veggies, ate perhaps half the pizza andand said I was too full for desset (if offered) OR I would have eaten it and synned it (12 syns is less than my daily allowance and this is precisely whay syns are for- leading a 'normal' life), but I wouldn't expect everyone cooking and eating to have to have different food just because I was following a particular food plan- that it MY choice

xxx
 
I agree with Cocktail Princess!! She's a woman of wisdom!! I'm inclined to agree that if you're being invited to someones house it's difficult to dictate what's eaten! BUT I also think that if you know her really well and are very close, you could have a chat with her before she's started buying/preparing and just tell her how important this is to you and would she be offended if.....! It really depends on your relationship with her really! I know I could have a quiet word if it was my M-I-L- she knows how much I want this and I know she'd understand!X
 
Use flexi syns next time? If you are hesitating about asking her to cook something else then maybe it's because you know she'll be upset by it? I would use flexi syns because you have a whole month to prepare for it by cutting down a few days before and the few days after, it's not unexpected and then if that doesn't work for you then you should talk to her about cooking an alternative.

Hope this helps.
 
If it's only one meal a month, surely you could plan your daily syns around it and spend them on that one meal? If she's making roast dinners, eat most of the veg first, and I'm sure she'll have a fruit bowl on hand too.

Just eat free foods the rest of that day. Or use flexible syns and say no to dessert. That her meal was so good you just couldn't fit anything else in.

She knows you're on the healthy eating plan but it's a bit much to expect her to now what's free and what isn't.

My in-laws try to feed us once a week but that's what the syns are for. Enjoy the meal :)
 
Thanks everyone :) I know what you all mean. I thought it was really lovely of her to forego her roasties for me (seriously addicted she is) and I did refuse the yummy smelling toasted hot cross buns which she was totally lovely about and told me to raid the fruit bowl.

It's only once a month because they are in the next county ;) Otherwise it would probably be once a week.
 
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