What to do when you have NO control over what you're eating...
Tonight, I have a tasting with a wedding caterer. Normally, if going to an event with lots of things to taste, I'd eat something beforehand and abstain from eating much at the event. This, however, is something I HAVE to taste at - I have to pick the food!
Just venting I guess - I know most catered food is a landmine of oil, butter, cream, etc...but on the other hand, I know its just for today.
Really, do you have to taste all the food? You know most of the catered food will be exceptionally yummy or the company probably wouldn't be in business. If the crab puffs aren't puffy, will the guests talk about that for years or what a nice time they had at your wedding? You could also take your finance, friends or family to assist with tasting so you don't have to taste 100 things.
I would taste and not think twice about it. Perhaps eat a little lighter today and/or tomorrow - get in some extra exercise. But this is your wedding - taste everything and decided what you like best. After all - how often are you doing to get married? One night of testing a few things is not going to kill your diet - it won't blow you week and it sure wont make you gain any weight back.
I think we all relate to feeling like there is no control over our eating, whether its a lack of control stemming from something temporary, like this is for me, or something bigger and much harder to deal with, such as a compulsive eating disorder. We all want to be in control, and we've all felt like we had no control, though on different levels.
Just based on my personal experience: this is exactly one of the occasions I would have used to eat uncontrollably - it's the WEDDING FOOD, I MUST taste it in order to MAKE SURE it's okay, it would be wrong not to taste it! All the 100s of things I used to say to justify out of control eating and feel even VIRTUOUS about it.
One of the important things I've tried to learn is what actually justifies "special" behavior. My birthday - yes. The seemingly once a week co-workers' birthdays with a seeminglessly endless parade of grocery store bakery cakes - no. The old me would have said "I have to have a piece of Mary's birthday cake! It's a birthday, it's special, it would be rude not to, how can I say no"yadda yadda until I had 2 pieces and scraped all the extra icing from the edge of the tray.
My wedding - yes. Drink, eat cake, have crab puff appetizers, enjoy the day as much as possible. Tasting for the wedding - no.
Just my own personal experience. I tend to be mostly amused at my little attempts at justification these days, that person is a lot easier to swat down now.
Glory - I absolutely agree. This is NOT going to be a free-for-all, by any means. But the event is designed to help people holding their weddings at our chosen venue choose a caterer - and there will be 4-5 caterers with food for tasting available. I don't intend to hire one without having tasted his or her food - that just makes no sense to me...the food is too crucial a part of the wedding. And you'd be surprised at some of the caterers in business out there - I've been to at least 3-4 weddings with horrible food, so I know there are caterers out there who do not make exceptional food, not by a long shot.
My plan - eat small bites of only a few of the higher cal items offered, 1-2 things from each caterer to get a sense of their food and quality, and fill up on veggie sides, if they have them available to taste. And it'll be nice to have some idea of the quality of the veggies and lighter sides anyway - those things should be delicious at the wedding too!
I avoid coworker birthdays like the plague. But I think choosing the caterer for your wedding counts is a really big decision, unlike, say, Mary's birthday. Just my opinion.
Sorry, I didn't realize you were selecting a caterer, your initial post says you are tasting from one caterer! I got the idea that you had chosen the caterer and were picking the food to be offered, not that you were picking a caterer in the first place.
I avoid coworker birthdays like the plague. But I think choosing the caterer for your wedding counts is a really big decision, unlike, say, Mary's birthday. Just my opinion.
I agree. I don't think you should just stuff your face, but definatly have a bite or two and don't beat yourself up over eating a little higher then normal.
You could always ask what each caterers specialty is and just taste those one of two items. Most times it is the specialty for a reason. I personally chose my caterer because I have been to more than a dozen weddings that she had done. **** I even know what I wanted before I got a confirmation for my date.
Ack, you're right, my post was wrong. I have to pick my caterer tonight. I'm going to blame it on wedding-brain. Its a condition i'm convinced exists - you lose the ability to talk about, think about, etc. anything but your wedding, and make random typos.
I'm doing well and fairly low for today, have about 800-900 calories to play with, so i'm not too worried. Small bites, lots of veggies, and heck, maybe a crab puff.
[QUOTE=mandalinn82]
My plan - eat small bites of only a few of the higher cal items offered, 1-2 things from each caterer to get a sense of their food and quality, and fill up on veggie sides, if they have them available to taste. And it'll be nice to have some idea of the quality of the veggies and lighter sides anyway - those things should be delicious at the wedding too!
QUOTE]
I think you have a great plan I hope you feel better about the whole thing now and can handle yourself for the next time you have a problem like this..
Yay! The evening was such a success. I tracked it as best I could in fitday, and it wasn't even that bad...AND we picked a caterer. I have enough caloric room for a light dinner, which is good because we barely ate anything at all, without going over (granted, my fat is a bit high for the day, but hey, the calories are right on par with my normal).
What to do when you have NO control over what you're eating...
