Most of our social life activities revolve around food. We usually end up meeting with friends of family for a drink, lunch or dinner: specially during holiday season. When you are invited to a dinner party or for lunch, what can you do to stay healthy and have a good time? Here are my top tips:
1. Let your host know if you have any dietary constrains. Maybe you are allergic to avocados, nuts or mangoes or are a vegetarian or vegan (hello hello!). I think it is better to let your friends and family know because there are many things that can be easily re-placed and the host will feel much better instead of worried that you couldn't try her peanut butter cheesecake because you are allergic to peanuts.
2. Bring a dish to share (or dessert). Hey, hey potluck! This is your chance to make sure there is something you feel comfortable eating plus sharing a dish you like. It creates an opportunity to share a recipe and it is a great conversation starter. I really love to bring dessert, this way I make sure there is chocolate on the table!
3. Try to avoid finger food (unless it is hummus or guacamole). Actually you can make it work to your advantage too and you can be the one to bring a snack: I often take different colored hummus with raw veggies. You'll be surprise by how fast it disappears and everyone devours it!
4. Make sure you are hydrated. Believe it or not, we tend to overeat when we are dehydrated. So, make sure you are drinking enough water. It is easy to fall into mindless eating when talking and get carried away.
5. Enjoy. It's ok if one day you don't eat as healthy as you'd like. I try to go by the 90/10 rule. I eat healthy as much as I can, but always leaving a bit of space if I go out or want to indulge in something extra.
I hope you liked these ideas, and above all: have fun. Sometimes we can get a bit "orthorexic" and do not enjoy time with loved ones. The key is love yourself, respect your needs and feel free in all aspects of your life, specially with food!