Hi everybody,
Today I want to tackle a problem we all face living a paleo and/or gluten free lifestyle or even just being on a diet: Surviving an Invitation to Lunch or Dinner on a Paleo – Gluten Free Lifestyle.
We all have been there. We have started a diet and we are doing quite well. Then a friend calls and invites us over to lunch or dinner. Now what? Do I make up an excuse, do I tell them or do I go and cheat. It is not that bad if I cheat one time, right? Well, it is not good either.
Some foods can wreck havoc with your system. For me it is flour. We had guests over and I made pizza for them. I had already eaten earlier, so I just sat down with a glass of wine. For 15 minutes they insisted on me having a slice, and even I explained that I do not eat flour, they made me feel like I am not welcoming them. So I had a couple of bites.
First it did not taste like I remembered and second my stomach got upset pretty much 30 minutes after. It took me a few days to calm my system down again. It was not just the flour, but also the preservatives and artificial colors and flavors.
So back to the original question: How do I survive an invitation to lunch or dinner on a paleo – gluten free lifestyle?
Well, number one I tell them that I would love to come, but I do not eat certain foods. Period. No negotiation. Second, ask what is on the menu. If it is pasta and cake afterwards, you might have to either decline, or tell them that you will be there after
the dinner or lunch.
All of my friends are very accommodating towards people with different food restrictions. So there is always something to eat. Be it some meat and salad, or vegetable dishes. No problem to find anything.
My sister always takes a couple pieces of her home made bread and a piece of 
her home made cake to our friends when she goes to visit with my parents, or if my parents invite friends over. there is always plenty of meats and cheeses, and if you bring your own bread you are all set.
Here in this country many lunches and early dinners consist of barbecue. So that is pretty easy. There is meat and you can just leave off the buns.
Also, we tend to bring something to a lunch or dinner, as in potluck dinner. So make something you can eat. When I am invited, I always bring some kind of gluten free muffins I can eat too. And people love them without knowing what they are. It always makes me smile when they are gone first, before any other cake. And when you tell them what they are, people cannot believe that they taste so good.
So to summarize, there is no need to avoid friends when your lifestyle changes or you are on a diet. Just let them know and try to work with what you got.
I always bring bread 
and muffins. 
Even if there is not much else I can eat from the menu.
And the most important thing – I still can have a beautiful time with my friends.
