We’ve been invited to a birthday lunch with friends on Sunday, which is lovely, just the four of us. I know she’s doing a big roast dinner, so I, being veggie, have offered to bring a cauliflour cheese dish. Hopefully I can make one, that is low carb, and others won’t even realise. She’ll do loads of lovely veg to go with it, I just will have to avoid the roasties.

For desert she’s making homemade trifle, and possibly apple pie. I don’t feel I can offer to bring an alternative, as she’s a very good cook and.maybe would offend her.

What would you all do, just have a little trifle, homemade custard/fruit/cream? I would just have this meal plus low carb soup in evening, no booze. This is the first real challenge I’ve had like this. None of them know I’m doing this regime. I want to wait until I have some noticeable weight loss before telling anyone.

Barby the roast dinner minus the potatoes will be ok. About dessert, could you tell her that you have high blood sugar readings at the moment so would she mind if you had cheese instead.

Hi Barby, personally I would explain to my friend that I was doing this diet and say I hope you won’t be offended if I don’t eat carb rich foods but I will still really enjoy the dinner you cook and your company even if I don’t eat the carbs.

There is less chance of causing offence that way. 🙂

Bill, the cheese is a good idea. We must have been writing at the same time!! 🙂

mmmm will have a think. For some reason I’m reluctant to “come out” but maybe I need to as this is going to be a long term new way of life. I may say that I’m just trying to cut sugar out. I could always bring a small cheeseboard/celery with me, as a contribution, and also have a quiet word with her. Good idea on the cheese, thanks both.

Personally I would skip breakfast and have the lunch (sensible portions, filling the plate with veg rather than the carbs) and a little bit of trifle (just say you are full and ask for a small portion) and a small tea as you have said. If you are serving yourself from serving dishes you can put whatever you want on your plate and no one will probably be watching what you are eating unless you are drawing attention to it. However, if she is dishing up then have a quiet word with her. If she is a good friend she will support you and won’t announce it to the world. Perhaps ask if she can set aside a little bit of the fruit and cream from the trifle for you. Maybe think of it as having one day following the med diet option rather than the 800 kcal option?

Thanks duckstrained (what a name :)) That was my first thought. She is understanding (and has been cutting down herself) so if I ask her beforehand , she’d avoid the fruit/sponge when dishing up, and keep it small. I’ve never wanted to be an awkward person to have round for a meal as a guest, it’s hard enough being veggie.

I don’t honestly know if I’m in ketosis, I don’t measure anything, but no doubt that would take me out.

I also have a family holiday coming up in about 6 weeks, when we’re sharing a rented house in New Forest with sister and brother and partners. So there will a lot of cooking and eating out going on.That will be an even greater challenge, but I’m going to plan ahead with own food, and just do my best when we eat out. Being a veggie eating out is hard, but I can’t bring ,myself to eat meat again.

Hi Barby,
Being vegetarian is a good enough excuse in itself for eating differently. It’s like a ‘get out of jail free’ card lol 🙂
You can do your own thing when on holiday and no one need know you are low carbing. You just explain that as a veggie you need to make sure you get all the nutrients you need and so you eat lots of veg, salads, dairy or whatever.
Eating out is always a challenge as a vegetarian as it usually comes down to a risotto or pasta dish. I ask for just the veg in a carvery/ buffet style restaurant. Sometimes if they offer a warm chicken salad, I’ll ask for the salad, minus the chicken, but with fried halloumi or another ingredient from a different dish on the menu. Most places, except the very snooty are usually happy to oblige.
Hope you enjoy lunch at your friend’s house, I’m sure if you took a really special cheese and some strawberries she would be delighted and you could happily tuck into that. As a vegetarian you wouldn’t eat trifle as the jelly is made with gelatine?

Love the strawberries idea, could even have some cream with it.

Cherrianne that gelatine made me remember the time when I told a strictly vegetarian friend I was surprised at the wine she was drinking as it contained animal products. She asked her son ( a wine buyer for a company) if that was true. Guess what happened? The wine went down the sink and she had a G and T instead! 🙂