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Tips For A Host Of Dieting Guests
By: Michelle Selica
Martha Stewart once said about dieting, "The toughest part of a diet isn't watching what you eat. It's watching what other people eat." Attending a party is very difficult when you're on a diet. Also, hosting a party when you know many of your guests are a diet can be maddening. What do you serve? Low fat or low-carb? You can't plan your menu to accommodate all the current diets on the menu. But, you can set up an atmosphere that centers on socializing rather than on feasting on appetizers.
Every popular diet focuses on different ways to eat healthily. Some diets emphasize no carbohydrates while others permit a few. For example, the Atkins diet doesn't allow processed or refined carbohydrate and the South Beach Diet starts out by prohibiting carbs, but introduces good carbs again in the last stages. Some diets like The Carbohydrate Addicts Diet allow carbs if they are only consumed once a day along with proteins or vegetables.
So what options regarding food are left for the party's hostess? Believe it or not, lots! If you leave out all the prepackaged party finger foods that many times amount to 300 calories in one quick pop, you can create healthy and tasty options for all of your guests - dieting or not. The easiest way to select a spread is start by picking a fun get-together theme. When the emphasis is less on what to eat and more on what your guests can participate in, many dieters feel much more comfortable attending a get-together. Some theme ideas include outdoor leisure activities like Bocce ball, TV show finales and special events, and party games like Bunco or Scavenger Hunts.
To add an element of pleasure to otherwise uninteresting foods, spice up and add flair to the presentation. For example, why pile carrots, celery and tomatoes on a dish alone when you can arrange them in a rainbow to serve with low-fat yogurt mixed with guacamole seasoning. Try forming a rainbow with fruits too. And rather than just setting out fatty desserts, scoop berries into fun cups and leave by the desserts.
Desserts are sometimes the hardest foods to offer at parties. Many dieters feel deprived when they walk past these sugar-laden treats. Try baking some desserts with a sugar replacement like Splenda, which tastes just like the real thing. How about tossing candy and serving flavored shaved ice? Fortunately, we are now told that certain chocolates like dark chocolate in small servings have health benefits. Remember to dish up desserts in smaller serving sizes as we all eat too much sugar anyway.
If planning a sit down meal, try not to rush your guests from one dish to the next. Eating in leisure reduces the temptation to over stuff and quickly depositing treats in your mouth. Avoid breaded or fried meats; instead, turn to grilled chicken and chilled shrimp. If you serve soups, start the soup from scratch and leave out starch. If breads work well with your menu, avoid white breads and serve multi-grain or wheat instead.
Planning a party when you know many of your guests are dieting can feel a bit overwhelming. However, with some planning, you can find interesting and fun ways to present a beautiful spread while keeping the guests from milling around the food area. To quote Martha Stewart again, "A diet is a when you have to go to some length to change your width."
Copyright 2006 Michelle Selica. All rights reserved. Click here to see her archive of articles: http://www.foodiet.com/archive/ |
