OK - My in-laws are having their 50th wedding anniversary dinner at a local restaurant that has not much (if anything) that I can eat.

I can't skip out and say I'm not going to go, and I also can't go and not eat dinner with them. Any suggestions?

It's not till Oct., so I've got time to figure something out, but it just irks me that they know I'm on the Beach, yet they choose some place like this!!!

http://www.phelpshotel.com/Hotel/Menu.htm

You will be well established on phase 2 by October so you should be okay if you are careful with what you choose. You could go with a salad if you did eat the edible shell. You might call them ahead of time and see if they have any acceptable dressings. Some people bring their own when there is not an acceptable one. I usually get something other than a salad. Of course, skip the bread.

You could go with grilled or broiled fish or chicken. It looks like a very nice restaurant to go to for such a special occasion. I would call ahead and explain that you are diabetic and need to avoid sugar and that you also need to avoid butter. Those are the things that are harder to find out if they are in recipes. Many places will offer alternatives like sauces on the side. They might even have a soup that is okay or else a salad with a low sugar dressing. Go with vinegar and oil if they have nothing else.

Does the dinner have a set menu or will you be able to pick from the restaurant menu? You could get one of the salads and not eat the shell (or ask for it without the shell so you’re not tempted). You could also get a meat or fish and ask for it with extra veggies and no starch, just watch the portions. I think its very doable if you’re smart on your choices and portion sizes, and you are smart about what you eat that day before the party.

My 'newbie' might be showing, here, but couldnt you order a steak? Or the salad, minus the edible bowl? Or the grilled whitefish?
Looks delish, though. I wish I hadn't read that menu!!

I really don't eat red meat that often, and because it's DH's birthday this weekend, he wants steak - so that's my limit for the year.

As for fish - I've had it there before, it's loaded with EVOO or butter - I've asked for it with out that, but they never remember.

I do like the suggestion about calling ahead and telling them I'm a diabetic, and that I need to know how things are prepared. It can't be that hard to make something that I can eat. Chicken parm with out the breading, and on ww pasta - I'll even bring my own pasta!

I'm having this issue right now. My sister's bachelorette party (which will be a nice dinner) is tomorrow and I just called the restaurant to see what their menu looks like. I'm a vegetarian so I like to know what's on the menu before-hand so I can try to figure out what I'll be able to eat and I also wanted to nutritional information and the girl on the phone was all haughty like I was asking her to do something really out of her way. It's 2:30 in the afternoon and I had asked if they were busy at the time. It's not like I'm calling in the middle of the dinner rush! They don't have any nutritional information posted (I thought restaurants HAD to do that? No?) so I ended up talking to someone in the kitchen and he told me the ingredients for one meal I had picked out so I figured everything out for myself. Did you know they deep fry peppers and onions for fajitas? I'll be asking for them to be left off from now on! It's hard because you don't want to be the annoying customer but at the same time, they're providing a service that I'm paying for!

Sorry to turn this into my own personal rant, but I was annoyed with this issue, too.

Kara

Any of the grilled seafood along with a salad looks good on that menu. Just ask that they grill without butter and bring you some extra lemon!

Kara, I thought that most restaurants grill instead of fry onions/peppers for fajitas...I usually see grill marks on them.

It might be kind of a drag, but you could eat before you go, then just pick at a salad and some seltzer water and spend your time socializing.

The Grecian chicken looks fine to me, if you ask them to hold the pasta and increase chicken.

I personally don't think eating a bit of olive oil with SBD is an issue. I was doing a lower carb hybrid of SBD (sort of Atkins Lite) and eat olive oil on my salad and it hasn't been an issue. Alternatively just request that for medical reasons you must not have it cooked in oil, and can they just dry grill the chicken for the salad, and ask for dressing on the die.

I used to be all shy about asking for things to be done how I want them. However at the end of the day I realised that I am paying THEM. Service is terrible in Australia, and my Mum was just in the States and said the things they won't do for me here are a pleasure to the people in the US *jealous*

It's one meal. Eat reasonably and move on. One meal isn't what made you (or me, or any of us) fat.

FWIW, I don't think it's not their obligation to choose their restaurant based on your diet. Their party, their occasion, their choice.

You might get interesting input if you ask about this in Maintainers or Featherweights. Coming from that perspective I'm seeing a 50th anniversary party as a once-in-a-lifetime thing, a good thing, something that we all want to be lucky enough romantically and physically (both partners still alive and still healthy enough to go to a restaurant) to achieve, and the idea of even considering not going to the party because of diet brings up issues of balance between life and diet.

I'll have to agree with you, MariaMaria, on this one. These are both big "once-in-a-lifetime" celebrations, Mare and Kara, and I see many options on the menu that you can choose from. Most restaurants will also be willing to make you a steamed vegetable plate. Don't let it stress you out, relax, enjoy your special time out with your family, just don't go overboard. You can hop right back on the wagon afterwards.

My point is that both DH and I suggested better places, with a better menu, prices, and location! We even offered to pay for $200 of the meal if they decided to go to one of those places (we had meal awards from his job that are only good in some places)! Now, we can only use one reward, so it's only $100 now. It's not that we can't afford to pay the $200, but coming up with $100 cash is not as easy.

I'm sorry - I'm just frustrated by the whole situation. Thanks for letting be vent!

Mare, Thanks for clarifying the matter, I was under the impression that your in-laws were treating. Yes, if you are the ones that are paying, it should be at a place that you can comfortably afford. Have you discussed this issue with them? I hope you can all work this problem out.

I'm sorry, I should have made my point clearer. It's probably going to end up costing us around $75 - $100 per person anyway. My in-laws, her mother, as well her brother and his wife, and her sister and her husband are all not paying. Which leaves the bill to the 4 kids and their spouses. That's why we wanted to use the vouchers.

PLUS, that's not including the gift. As of now, the gift is a bed. But that won't be too bad, because the siblings and the in-laws siblings are all chipping in for that.

You could definitely eat there! What about the shrimp salad, without dressing of course!! You should be concentrating on the event, the wonderous occasion of your parents 50 anniversary! That is SO RARE! You should be so grateful!! One night won't ruin your entire diet, so just pick at something and embrace the evening!