And I mean literally nothing. This is kind of a long post.

Background on me -- I am calorie counter and today is my 266th day on plan.

So I attending a family party in a small midwestern town. I'm packing my own luna bars, apples and yogurts for breakfasts and lunches on the road trip and at the hotel. I'm not concerned with the actual party dinner because it's banquet/buffet for hundreds of people and I will just take a little of something low-calorie.

However, it appears we are being taken out to dinner with a group of about 10 in-laws at least one other night. Extended relatives of my husband's, whom we see only every 3-5 years or so, are treating for a different, related celebration.

We are getting the plans second hand through my mother-in-law, who doesn't know or care which restaurant/s. I will probably find out that day which restaurant reservation it is. I could call his aunt and uncle to ask which restaurant, but that would be weird, as I've never really communicated with them before (they were unable to attend our wedding) and I do not want attention for being on a diet, especially as I am self-conscious and still fat.

ANYWAY. Now that the whiny background is out of the way -- this is a small midwestern town. I googled it and easily found that there are only like 5 restaurants there, with menus online.

It's outside of a city with more options, including many healthy ones, but if we're going to one of these in-town local restaurants -- which I suspect we are -- then I have a problem.

Because I have never, and I mean never, seen menus like this before. And I've looked up a lot of restaurants and made a lot of decent choices. These menus are the kind that don't even have a vegetarian option -- the only non-steak option at one is a "12 oz breaded chicken [insert description of cream sauce here] with a side of a loaf of bread and spagetti marinara-- no substitutions please"!! What?? Are you kidding me.

Another restaurant, save for a blue cheese salad with mystery dressing, exclusively offers pasta in cream sauce dishes. Every dish is basically a box of pasta in a different, unknown cream sauce. All come with 3 incredibly carb-y/caloric sides, again no substitutions please. Crazy.

Another place's best entree is a 14" pizza. No kidding, the pizza is listed with the same cheap price alongside the pasta entrees. That at least was a relief because even if nobody would split it with me, I could get it and just have one piece.

There's an Outback Steakhouse, which as a chain has options for me, but on all the other, local menus? On all the other menus, literally any single option would be a week's worth of calories. Normally I would get one and eat just a couple oz of it -- which would look like I ate nothing, whatever -- but this time it is a smaller group where we are being treated (we have kind of been 'tacked on' because we're in town). Very obvious, probably pretty rude.

I don't see how I can order one of these dishes, because I know I will not eat it. One of the restaurants has an iffy appetizer and salad option, respectively, so ordering and eating a fraction of one of those might be acceptable.

But the others -- I just can't see a way. I am thinking I might just have to sheepishly claim a huge lunch and then not eat at all. I hate to be a weirdo, but ... ?

Have you been in this situation, or a situation like this? What did you do? And what do you think of me going out to dinner with this group and ... just not eating?

I'm vegan so...

I do a lot of substitutions and honestly that can mean

1) Plain baked potato or sweet potato if it is an option
2) Salad, no salad dressing (or salsa if that is available)
3) Side of fruit
4) Pizza, no cheese, veggies only

Really, I've learned to adapt. Although I detested going to Outback but an out of country visitor insisted so we did not too long ago. It was the cheapest meal ever, order of plain sweet potato and 2 orders of plain (no butter) veggies. I think it was $5 if that.

Wanted to add that basically my strategy is to look at the entire menu and see what is on it and then make a 'meal of sides' if need be.

Maybe you could ask for the sauce, dressing, cheese, etc., on the side? Or is there a kid's portion?

I feel for you. I'm vegetarian, and while I'm really quite flexible about eating less than perfect foods while out, I have the feeling sooner or later I'm going to be stuck somewhere where the only vegetarian option is french fries.

Perhaps you can invoke doctor's orders. And fill up on something before you go.

This past Saturday night I went to a surprise party at an Italian restaurant--very limited on healthy choices. I ended up ordering a house salad dry. Best of all, I left before they brought out the cake!

The 'eat before you go' is a good trick too. That way you aren't hungry and the normally non tempting food won't be tempting.

You could just realize that it's *one* meal and one meal only. Make a choice and eat maybe 2/3 of it and then move on. And ENJOY your visit too!

I just realized that I gave the impression I'm a vegetarian. I'm not, actually (though I don't like red meat). It's just incredible to me that a whole menu would only have one non red meat option and the others wouldn't have a vegetarian, healthy or kiddie option at all. Everything was just fried/baked with pasta, meat and fatty sauces that they're cooked in. At least one or two of the restaurants didn't even have 'traditional' appetizers/salads.

I do like the making a meal with sides thing. I didn't dwell on the sides but maybe I'll take a closer look, especially for ones without a plain ol' house salad type of thing.

I agree with Nikki
Ask for take out dishes so when your order is up, fraction off what you will eat then take the rest back to the hotel, and do as you wish with it. ie dump it!

I wasn't under the assumption that you are vegetarian but vegetarians encounter the issue a lot. Vegans more so.

Honestly, I have to admit that sounds a little depressing to me. Personally, I don't know how you do it... I could never (and probably wouldn't want to, even if I could manage it) eat just a small dry salad for dinner.

I don't say, "it's only one meal," and anyway, it's not -- it's easily 4 dinner's worth to me.

Oh, yes. Having just a taste of this myself, I can only imagine. Especially for vegans.

Yup, me too. I got that you weren't vegetarian, I was just commiserating over having a similar problem. I hope it goes well for you.

Dry house salad is boring but I eat tasty foods at home and would gratefully take boring if it's either that or 1/4 of a dish for a couple thousand calories.

I guess I sound intense ... we're all in different places with what we're currently doing. Not going off plan is my main priority at this point in time. So certain dishes are just not going to be possible. I wouldn't have expected to find entire menus of these dishes, but hopefully we will be going somewhere else, better, or at least a common chain.