Let me just say I love dining out, and I love being with my friends, but it's a little difficult at certain restaurants (for example chinese) where there is NOTHING raw. I usually can get by at the salad bar or see if they will give me a salad with sliced fruit, but it's tough. I don't want to go off raw foods, but I also want to be with my friends. What's to be done?

No. I eat out all the time. I often bring a snack of apples or avocados....or just order a glass of water and eat nothing. I tell all my friends / family / or business associates that I am there to spend time with THEM. I constantly attend dinners, special events, weddings and family gatherings...and it's never been an issue! If anyone asks...I just say I'm on a 'special diet' and I do not discuss it further in public (I'm always happy to answer polite questions....one-on-one).

-If YOU are happy and confident....then it's all good!

-David Z. Mason

WWW.RawFoodFarm.com

I find that acquaintances who don't know about my diet, don't even notice what I'm eating, not eating, or whether I'm eating at all. (I really do make it a point not to tell people about my diet unless they notice).

Very close friends who know about my diet - I just make sure to keep assuring them that I'm there to hang out with them, I couldn't care less about the food. I used to pack dates just in case I got hungry, but nowadays I don't even care if I get hungry.

Not so long ago I was at an event where everybody got a container of sandwich fixin's and chips. I ate the ONE tomato slice, the tiny shred of lettuce, and talked animatedly to the people around me and nobody ever noticed I didn't eat the rest of it.

Just be yourself and be confident, and don't make a big deal out of your diet. Most people will never notice, or care. It's actually very freeing.

Sarah
[goingbananasblog.com]

Salad bars are a great choice. Also a lot of buffets have salad and fruit that you can pile up on your plate and eat instead of the other stuff.

Just started my rawfood journey and blogging daily about it here: [journeyforhealth.blogspot.com]

chinese food places have huge amounts of fresh veggies ...ask them to make you an uncooked stirfry with the bean sprouts and chopped chinese veggies etc.. if you feel uncomfy asking for special service at the table .. call ahead if you know where yer going .. most places will be more then happy to accomodate you .. they want your money, your business and repeat customers afterall

my local chinese takeout does this for me and he whips me out a crazy unstirfry tossed in some fruitjuices .. pineapple,mango i think ..

does a picnic at the park or beach count as eating out... i think listening to the birds and the waves and breathing fresh air would be much more fun than being in a stuffy restaurant.

yeah jono is right

at any rate

its true
most people could care less what u eat
i mean, its true
that if they are your friends and really have an interest in hanging out with u
then they aren't going to be hovering over every thing on your plate

they would probably be flattered that you are paying attention more to what they are saying and to them then to the uprooted entities on your plate

don't worry

your friends won't run away cuz u eat lettuce and tomato ( usually that's what most restaurants have .. ha ha... )

they'll still be your friends

i have yet to experience or even HEAR of friends running away from rawiees cuz they didn't scarf down a plate of low mein ( or whatever that chinese noodle dish or whatnot ( whatever that thing is.. sorry not good with remembering certain things) iz

serious... they'll still hang with you
and enjoy your company

otherwise u got some VERRRrrrry strange friendds

I continued to eat cooked food when I occationally went to resturants for proabably about the first 3 years of being raw.

Now I find my (and my friends) ideas about what "eating out" means have changed. Try buying a durian in Chinatown and sitting in the park and sharing it. Or picking wild blackberries, eating and chatting as you go...

Rob

--
Rob Hull - Funky Raw
My blog: [www.rawrob.com]