How Did You Handle The Superbowl Parties?

[AnnJay]

It seems all the usual appetizers are on my AVOID list. (No gluten, corn, soy, dairy, tomatoes, peppers, ...)

So while I smelled all these delicious breads, chips, etc., I ate roast cauliflower with some bacon. Yay me. Sure it was good and I am glad that 1) I had SOMETHING to eat, and 2) that it was healthy. But I sure do miss eating what everyone else is eating. Maybe I need to meet some other gluten-free etc. people in real life.

How do you handle party situations?

[mushroom]

The best revenge is always to live well. So I try to take something along that will make everyone else envious, and not even look at what others are eating. For me, however, that generally does turn out to be something cheesy since that is the one intolerance of yours I no longer have I sometimes make myself some mousetraps on gluten free bread with egg, cheese and bacon, on toast and grilled, for example. You could do yourself some shrimp with a bacon and guacamole side of some sort. I once made a shrimp salad plate with shrimp, lettuce, bacon, avocado with a nice dressing (or dip could be done too for the shrimp) that I took to a picnic and everyone loved it. If you are a fishy person, oysters wrapped in bacon and grilled are yum,yum. You can make lots of little parcels out of good old bacon. Or wrap melon in prosciutto. Make it something that looks luxurious, smells divine

[tarnalberry]

You know, I think some of this is a mental practice. After years (11?) of this, I don't miss eating the things other people are eating (if I'm not hungry). Because I'm used to not eating those things, choosing to not pick up food, choosing to not eat, and eventually, you know, it's habit. It's not as conscious of a choice.

Hang in there!

[AnnJay]

Mushroom, good advice. I need to work on having a few go to appetizers.

Tamalberry, I am still in my first year of eating gluten-free etc. So it was my first Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, etc. dealing with a new menu. I'm still working on expanding my repertoire of recipes. The paleo recipes are usually good but i dont like to eat too many nuts as that bothers my intestines. There is a mourning of sort that comes with change, too.

[GottaSki]

Oh AnnJay...that first year is so tough and you have additional foods in question.

Peace will come - it just takes time...I know, a year seems like forever...but the grieving involved with multiple food removal is TOUGH. Let it happen. Acknowledge that it SUCKS. Find great - safe - replacements and then all will fall into place.

Until then....hang in there and come here to throw a pity party - we deserve them regularly!!!!

PS - edit

I served delicious snacks all day that I could not eat -- not a one.....these past few months are the first time I can honestly say - it does not bother me at all. Granted it took a long road to get here. I have served similar treats and meals for the past years with a smile pasted on -- so for now that is my suggestion - fake it until you make it.

[Juliebove]

I have only ever been to one Superbowl party in my life and had I known that's what it was, I wouldn't have gone. I really hate football and really all sports. My now husand invited me to a party and I didn't know what it was. He just assumed that I knew what it was. To me a party is either a dinner party or a birthday party or maybe a place with dancing. But no. I couldn't figure out why all these people were just sitting there watching TV! I do think I brought food. I don't remember what it was. I do remember someone making nachos in the oven. I don't remember eating anything. I did have an ear infection at the time, didn't feel well and had told now husband that I only intended to stay for a little while. Which I did. Much to his dismay because he loves football. The party was not super close to where we lived. I think he brought me back home and then went back to the party.

I haven't been to too many parties since we moved back here. Last one was a housewarming one. As it turned out, there would have been food I could have eaten there. She had raw veggies and I could have had a plain burger patty. She also had salad, deviled eggs, chips and salsa, I can't remember what all. And yes, deviled eggs could be cc because of the mayo and mustard but moot point for me anyway not being able to eat eggs. However this person would have gone out of her way to assure safe food not only for me but another friend who has diabetes like I do. And it was safe in that respect but... I also told her that I had to take my parents out to dinner so would not be able to stay for that. Would just drop by for an hour or two which is what I did. Yes, I could have eaten some of the snacks but I did not.

I should add that I am not much of a snacker and most of my snacks are either planned snacks, come out of necessity (such as a delayed meal) or because I am having a hypo (low blood sugar). I always keep fruit snacks in my purse. I always keep Corn Nuts, Craisins and another food that is not gluten-free but is safe for me and not my daughter) in my van. Might not keep these things there in the heat of summer but they're fine for now. I guess the Corn Nuts might be safe in the summer but not the others.

I don't know how long your typical Superbowl party would last. If only for say 3 hours, I would just plan to eat before or after even if that meant packing food in my vehicle. And I always travel with cold drinks. I drink diet soda and not everyone has that. But I can make do when I run out and refill my can or bottle with water if I have to. Nobody has ever questioned my walking in with my own drink which I almost always do because I keep one (or more) in my van.

If asked to bring food and I'm not planning on eating, then I will just bring whatever I think the others will want. Might even purchase it if it's something I can't eat. If there is a planned meal there, then I will for sure bring something I can eat and hope that the others will too. Often that thing will be a fancy platter of veggies and olives. I have gotten nice compliments on what I've made. Unless of course it is short notice and then I might just plop some cut up veggies in a divided tray but... What I have done in the past is to take a big tray and then arrange the veggies in an artisitc fashion. I've used Radicchio to form cups to hold the olives. And I'll usually get an assortment of 4 or 5 olives. Not just the typical black pitted and green pimento stuffed. From there I will makes sort of a wave of baby carrots across the top and go from there, filling in with what I have. I will usually do 2 trays like that if there are a lot of people. I will then use one of my divided trays for dips. Perhaps a bean dip, cheese dip, hummus and of course Ranch which most people seem to like. I will probably also include some salsa and bring a bowl of tortilla chips. Everything should then be safe for me, except perhaps for cc. My main worry there would be the Ranch since I can't have eggs. So unless I knew in advance that the others would keep the food safe from cc. I would portion out some of the food ahead of time just for me. I would take my plate aside somewhere and put my food on it, including the dip. People would likely not notice this since I would be eating the same food as they are. Failing that I would try like heck to take up my food first. Sadly, daughter has pointed out to me that even a vegetable platter is not safe if others are eating sandwiches or pizza and touching the baby carrots with their hands. I do have tiny tongs that I put on the platter but even then... They'll touch the tongs with their hands. And unless you are eating your veggies with a fork, you'll gluten yourself.

[tarnalberry]

Mushroom, good advice. I need to work on having a few go to appetizers.

Tamalberry, I am still in my first year of eating gluten-free etc. So it was my first Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, etc. dealing with a new menu. I'm still working on expanding my repertoire of recipes. The paleo recipes are usually good but i dont like to eat too many nuts as that bothers my intestines. There is a mourning of sort that comes with change, too.

Oh yes, I agree - mourning is normal, and necessary. And like most mourning, it goes in cycles and I know I'll experience it again. but each cycle gets a bit easier. It does take time, but you'll get there!

[Takala]

Did something else Sunday afternoon, not involving food, and thanks to the lack of crowds, had a great time ! Over a decade ago, this would not have been possible as I was too screwed up physically. Last year I was still struggling because I could not get along with my ski boot, but I modified it, and added an orthotic, lost some puffiness around my lower leg from further tweaking my diet, and we're back in business. Came in right before halftime, got a soft drink and my spouse had some juice, and we watched one of the Raven's touchdowns on the ski area's teevee in their lounge. Okay, this is not going well for the 49er's, so we then went out to eat at a restaurant that has a wonderful gluten free menu - but no teevee- same thing, not very crowded, great service and food. Then we drove home.

This was sort of a no - brainer. Do I want to go skiing at a place that finally opened up some lifts on their back side of the mountain that they've had closed for years, that are only going to be open when it snows naturally, and get to do these new (to me) runs that are not only in my ability range but with near perfect conditions, groomed, with the snow really textured just right, hardly any wind, or do I want to eat junk food and watch commercials interspersed with football plays for FOUR HOURS?

Because I have to do this food prep routine to get food ready to pack and eat in the car to travel, (and I have to carb-load my husband the hour before we arrive, so he does not get super- hungry and metabolically crash before we are done ) the last thing I want to do sometimes is then go somewhere and just eat it with others, it seems rather anti- climatic. I'm thinking in terms of how much do I have to ingest so I can complete my tasks, but not too much of the wrong thing. Earlier this year we miscalculated and both got the "starving hungries" in the middle of night skiing, and a mere Lara bar out of pocket wasn't going to cut it, and this was going to take a LONG time to ski down the mountain, thru the village, and then out to the parking lot (where the aprés snack sandwiches waited in the car, and I was hoping they were not freezing....) so he bravely went foraging in a snack shop at the top of a ski lift and found potato chips marked 'gluten free' on the package for me, some water, and a snickers bar. It was like the Meal From Heaven.

Christmas and Thanksgiving and News Years is over.... Halleluyah!- please don't make me be food-social until spring !!!