4 ms·

It is perpetually surprising to me how much other people feel it's their business what other people choose to eat.

by zinxq 12y ago

coldpie 12y ago
It is frustrating as someone who prepares food for others to have to deal with bullshit "food intolerances" like the current gluten-free fad. I could prepare a delicious meal for you, but I guess you've decided you're gluten intolerant (unless you've been diagnosed with Celiac by a doctor, you're not), so nevermind. Or the tasteless sorghum beer these types bring to parties. Food's a social thing. Placing nonsense limitations on what's allowed can really cramp social settings.
- collyw 12y ago
  Agreed. I think I may have a gluten intolerance (my brother has been properly diagnosed, apparently its genetic, and other symptoms that have lead me to believe this, that you probably don't need the details of). I avoid wheat products given the choice, but I won't stop eating wheat products as A) I like them, B) I don't want to be one of the whiny "I can't eat this" crowd (who also seem to come out with crap like dust allergies, or smoke allergies - everyone sneezes at those).
- jamesgeck0 12y ago
  Having stomachaches for a week because someone involved with food decided that I don't really have a heath problem is also pretty frustrating.
- chimeracoder 12y ago
  > you've decided you're gluten intolerant (unless you've been diagnosed with Celiac by a doctor, you're not), There is absolutely a third option between "Coeliac" and "can eat gluten without any unsavory symptoms". Even a doctor may be unable to diagnose Coeliac disease via blood test but able to diagnose a sensitivity to gluten (via similar tests) that has a different cause (Coeliac is not the only explanation). I understand the frustration of dealing with people who are self-diagnosed (it's unreliable, and comes with its own host of caveats and questions), but I'd refrain from drawing conclusions like this without actually knowing the person's history.
- a_m0d 12y ago
  Receiving an official diagnosis by a doctor for celiac is not always possible. Although my wife's doctor considered it a possibility that she was celiac, he did not do anything with that idea until she had tried being gluten free already for a few months and found that it helped her intense pain. The test for celiac requires a person to have been eating regular amounts of gluten for 3 months before the test is done. When my wife is in a position such that a crumb of normal bread in her meal can cause her pain afterwards, there is no way she can eat gluten for 3 months in order to get a diagnosis by a doctor. The best she can get now is a statement that she is sensitive to gluten - but that sensitivity is enough that she can't have food cooked in the same pan as your food when you don't give any consideration to her. So don't say this is "bullshit food intolerances" - just because you don't have to deal with it does not mean that it is not real.
VLM 12y ago
If you think most people are open minded about most things, for a good time, ask them about sex and imaginary men in the sky, or which economic system should be implemented, or which governmental system should be implemented, or even what clothing different genders should be required to wear... if most people had their way, you'd have very little ability to make decisions of any kind.
- bane 12y ago
  It used to be considered taboo to bring up religion and politics at a polite dinner party, it's starting to become rude to offer a group meal at such a gathering without consulting with each and every person on their personal dietary "needs".
bane 12y ago
Wait until you try and throw an office party for 50+ people and have to accommodate all sorts of self-imposed special snowflake religious fad hypochondriac diets for a few people so they don't feel left out. Suddenly something as simple as ordering a dozen cheese and a dozen pepperoni pizzas the morning of the party turns into a multi-day consensus finding exercise and after the histrionics, sensitivity meetings with H.R. and shouting subsides you end up with a catered meal provided by a specialty diet catering company that nobody who would have just eaten the pizza will touch, doesn't taste very good and it costs 5 times as much and now thousands of dollars in wasted time is the result.

It is perpetually surprising to me how much other people feel it's their business what other people choose to eat.

by zinxq 12y ago

It is perpetually surprising to me how much other people feel it's their business what other people choose to eat.

It is frustrating as someone who prepares food for others to have to deal with bullshit "food intolerances" like the current gluten-free fad. I could prepare a delicious meal for you, but I guess you've decided you're gluten intolerant (unless you've been diagnosed with Celiac by a doctor, you're not), so nevermind. Or the tasteless sorghum beer these types bring to parties. Food's a social thing. Placing nonsense limitations on what's allowed can really cramp social settings.

collyw 12y ago
Agreed. I think I may have a gluten intolerance (my brother has been properly diagnosed, apparently its genetic, and other symptoms that have lead me to believe this, that you probably don't need the details of). I avoid wheat products given the choice, but I won't stop eating wheat products as A) I like them, B) I don't want to be one of the whiny "I can't eat this" crowd (who also seem to come out with crap like dust allergies, or smoke allergies - everyone sneezes at those).
jamesgeck0 12y ago
Having stomachaches for a week because someone involved with food decided that I don't really have a heath problem is also pretty frustrating.
chimeracoder 12y ago
> you've decided you're gluten intolerant (unless you've been diagnosed with Celiac by a doctor, you're not), There is absolutely a third option between "Coeliac" and "can eat gluten without any unsavory symptoms". Even a doctor may be unable to diagnose Coeliac disease via blood test but able to diagnose a sensitivity to gluten (via similar tests) that has a different cause (Coeliac is not the only explanation). I understand the frustration of dealing with people who are self-diagnosed (it's unreliable, and comes with its own host of caveats and questions), but I'd refrain from drawing conclusions like this without actually knowing the person's history.
a_m0d 12y ago
Receiving an official diagnosis by a doctor for celiac is not always possible. Although my wife's doctor considered it a possibility that she was celiac, he did not do anything with that idea until she had tried being gluten free already for a few months and found that it helped her intense pain. The test for celiac requires a person to have been eating regular amounts of gluten for 3 months before the test is done. When my wife is in a position such that a crumb of normal bread in her meal can cause her pain afterwards, there is no way she can eat gluten for 3 months in order to get a diagnosis by a doctor. The best she can get now is a statement that she is sensitive to gluten - but that sensitivity is enough that she can't have food cooked in the same pan as your food when you don't give any consideration to her. So don't say this is "bullshit food intolerances" - just because you don't have to deal with it does not mean that it is not real.

VLM 12y ago

If you think most people are open minded about most things, for a good time, ask them about sex and imaginary men in the sky, or which economic system should be implemented, or which governmental system should be implemented, or even what clothing different genders should be required to wear... if most people had their way, you'd have very little ability to make decisions of any kind.

bane 12y ago
It used to be considered taboo to bring up religion and politics at a polite dinner party, it's starting to become rude to offer a group meal at such a gathering without consulting with each and every person on their personal dietary "needs".

bane 12y ago

Wait until you try and throw an office party for 50+ people and have to accommodate all sorts of self-imposed special snowflake religious fad hypochondriac diets for a few people so they don't feel left out. Suddenly something as simple as ordering a dozen cheese and a dozen pepperoni pizzas the morning of the party turns into a multi-day consensus finding exercise and after the histrionics, sensitivity meetings with H.R. and shouting subsides you end up with a catered meal provided by a specialty diet catering company that nobody who would have just eaten the pizza will touch, doesn't taste very good and it costs 5 times as much and now thousands of dollars in wasted time is the result.