How Do I Handle This Social Invite?

[gluten-no-more]

I'm involved in a couple of political organizations and I was recently invited to go to a leadership conference by a state representative friend of mine. They are catering a pasta bar. Normally I could go a couple of hours without eating but this is an all day event and there is no excape. I suffer from low blood sugar so I cannot skip meals. I think I should politely decline the invitation but yet fear that I would lose another networking opportunity because of my diet. Then I think I should politely ask her if there was a way she could provide a salad for me but I don't want to be an inconvenience and I certainly don't want people around the room looking at me like I'm just too good to eat what everyone else is eating. I don't have a problem telling close friends about my diet but complete strangers... that's another thing.

So... should I decline? Or do I accept?

[darlindeb25]

You accept, and take your lunch along with you. If you don't want to eat there, then sneak out during the lunch break and eat on a park bench or something.

[YoloGx]

I agree--bring your lunch and drink. Say you are on a diet. No need to explain. Or bring a big dish, make sure you serve enough for yourself first and then have it available for others...

[Ahorsesoul]

I agree. Go and bring your own food and snack. Once you do this a few times it gets easier. Just try to be relaxed about it. You could also call the people catering the affair and ask if they have something gluten free. But still bring your own food. Sometimes their idea of gluten free is not putting a slice of bread on the plate of wheat pasta. lol

I have taken noodles to a pasta bars and just used their sauce on it. No one really noticed.

[mushroom]

Take a really yummy pasta salad and make everyone envious

[Mango04]

If anybody asks, I find that phrases such as "restricted diet" and "medical reasons" shut people up pretty quickly. But yeah...just bring your own food. It's easier than you think.