Work, Party/bbq, Neighborhood & Family Situations

[LDJofDenver]

My best approach thus far has been to avoid the "can't" word and have asked my husband to try to do the same.

Someone shows up with bagels/cake at work and comes and tells me, and instead of saying "I can't have bagels", I say something like, "You know what I'm REALLY hungry for, __________ (fill in the blank, canteloupe, grapes, ice cream, salad - whatever, depending on situation)" and that seems to end it. One time my husband announced, "She's really on this fruit and vegetable kick - just loving all this fresh stuff."

And I've gotten wise to taking a dish and/or a dessert to share when invited to someone's house or to a picnic or bbq. At least that way, there is always SOMETHING I know I can eat. And if anyone notices that I'm not eating the _______ (fill in the blank) and says something, I just respond that, yes, that looks good but, you know, I was just craving chicken salad (or brownies, or pasta salad -- whatever I made and brought).

[Salem]

My best approach thus far has been to avoid the "can't" word and have asked my husband to try to do the same.

Someone shows up with bagels/cake at work and comes and tells me, and instead of saying "I can't have bagels", I say something like, "You know what I'm REALLY hungry for, __________ (fill in the blank, canteloupe, grapes, ice cream, salad - whatever, depending on situation)" and that seems to end it. One time my husband announced, "She's really on this fruit and vegetable kick - just loving all this fresh stuff."

And I've gotten wise to taking a dish and/or a dessert to share when invited to someone's house or to a picnic or bbq. At least that way, there is always SOMETHING I know I can eat. And if anyone notices that I'm not eating the _______ (fill in the blank) and says something, I just respond that, yes, that looks good but, you know, I was just craving chicken salad (or brownies, or pasta salad -- whatever I made and brought).

I'm honest. Work, and family know that I can't eat gluten. They are both very good about it. I don't feel like I need to pretend. When strangers offer me glutenous food I just say "no, thank you." If they push it, then I tell them I have a lot of food allergies/ that I don't eat flour. I'm not hurting anyone's feelings by being honest.

[celiac-mommy]

Can you suggest anything for a 3yo boy who will eat anything you hand him? Is it too much to put a t-shirt on him that says "DON'T FEED ME" on it? I don't want to have to follow him around at every family function--although everyone knows of the allergy, people sometimes forget. I ALWAYS preface our family beach trips every few months with "Please don't feed the kids!" Most of the time it works...

[LDJofDenver]

I'm honest. Work, and family know that I can't eat gluten. They are both very good about it. I don't feel like I need to pretend. When strangers offer me glutenous food I just say "no, thank you." If they push it, then I tell them I have a lot of food allergies/ that I don't eat flour. I'm not hurting anyone's feelings by being honest.

I'm really doing it more for myself, rather than concealing. Trying to turn it into a positive instead of a negative response. I don't always want to be the "I can't..." gal!

My "people" know my restrictions, as well. But I find that often when I do my "..you know what I really want" approach, it relieves them as well -- they don't feel like they have to feel sorry for me, "Oh, that's right, you can't have that.." or "Gee, I'm sorry, you can't have any!"

[purple]

I'm really doing it more for myself, rather than concealing. Trying to turn it into a positive instead of a negative response. I don't always want to be the "I can't..." gal!

My "people" know my restrictions, as well. But I find that often when I do my "..you know what I really want" approach, it relieves them as well -- they don't feel like they have to feel sorry for me, "Oh, that's right, you can't have that.." or "Gee, I'm sorry, you can't have any!"

Hey, you are looking at what you can have instead of what you can't...thats a great idea...kinda like looking at the glass 1/2 full instead of 1/2 empty.