It's that time of year again. The time where we come together for two months in the name of family, friends, and for many of us, some very embarrassing family dinners. I have always struggled with being a "picky eater", going so far as to avoid Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner by "accidentally" showing up late. Any of us picky eaters will know the embarrassing barrage of questions accompanying the Holiday Season. "Aren't you hungry?" "You don't like my cooking?" "Did you already eat?" As much as you love your family, there's only so much a person can take. So how do you balance family and food (or lack of)? Here are some tips:
1) Bring a dish that you like.
Something I have learned as a semi-independent adult is that you have to help yourself before expecting others to help you. Rather than asking for my family to be accommodating, I tend to cook something for the meal, and fill my plate with that dish, some veggies, and bread. Lots and lots of bread. Staples like pasta or a salad never go unappreciated, and it's a great way of supporting your gracious host. I try to make sure at Thanksgiving that either myself or my uncle is bringing the ziti, so that I can stand in solidarity with the rest of the Ormans in our yearly food coma.
2) Bread is your friend.
Bread is your best friend. It does not talk behind your back. It does not criticize you. It does not tell you how to live your life. Bread accepts you for who you are, and you are enough for bread. Bread makes your selection of side dishes on your plate look like a full meal, and if anyone tells you you've had too much bread, walk away, because you don't need that negativity in your life. In short, bread is your life saver at the family dinner, keeping you full until dessert. Speaking of....
3) Dessert is your friend too.
"Just saving room for dessert!"
This is my go-to response whenever anyone asks me why my plate is so empty. Dearest uncle, there are 5 different types of pie, ice cream, and apple crisp just waiting for me patiently like a Shakespearean lover, and I refuse to let myself be swept away by dinner. I will wait for dessert until the end of time. Hell, there should be a holiday just celebrating all the different ways you can put chocolate, carbs, and fruit together, though I think that was the original purpose of Valentine's Day. So if I'm not eating much at dinner, I'm making up for it with this second slice of pie.
4) Sit with your framily.
No, I didn't spell that wrong. In any family dinner, you should sit with the people you're closest too and friendliest with, aka your framily. Make it clear to them that you're uncomfortable with people asking questions about your questionable selections of dishes, and tell them that there's a 6-pack in the garage that you can split when the debate over Donald Trump starts in it for them if they don't mention it. You will be surprised how quickly people stop asking questions when your grandfather starts bringing up that time your aunt went to the prom in a powder blue dress. This also works well with drunk uncles.
5) Be honest.
Seriously. Sure it's hard, and you feel a little uncomfortable at first, but telling your family that you feel hurt by comments about your eating habits which are exclusive to you in nature is the first step improving your habits in the future. Most of the time these comments were not meant to be hurtful, and were expressions of confusion or sincere concern from people who truly love you. When you are ready to try new things (which you should), being honest and open about your desire to expand your pallet can introduce you to experiences and foods you might have never even tried (shoutout to Cousin Maggie for acquainting me with Pho, it's the ultimate match made in heaven).
6) Get drunk.
This really isn't a tip for picky eaters as much as it is my general advice for anyone spending the Holidays at home. This is especially helpful during any discussion of current events or embarrassing things you did as a child.
I hope you found this article helpful to your attempt to survive the Holiday season. Just remember, regardless of if you everything or just a roll at Christmas this year, your family is happy to see you, and that's what really matters.
