How to Reject Food Politely!

„Try just a bite!”

“ Try it, I made it just for you!”
“ If you do not wanna have cake, I won’t either, and I’ve been craving it all day long!”

“ Get some pumpkin pie, it is a family tradition. Do you really want to be the first one that will stop it?”

If you are on the road of eating healthy, probably you often hear words like the one posted above! Sometimes the feeling is terrible, when other people try to make you feel guilt, just because you are trying to take care of your health but in their eyes you just belittle their hard work, by refusing to try the meals they cooked!

People are born with an instinct, to know when we are hungry and when we are full! Unfortunately somewhere early in our childhood, we lose that instinct. Part of it is due to the people, who are part of our lives and the meaning they give to food! I guess that all of you know how food is associated with something more than “just satisfying your physical needs of energy”. Food has become a way to express your love, a premise to get closer to others, a way to honor traditions, to show your respect and appreciation for others!

I remember the terrifying feeling I used to experience when I began eating healthy! All my loved once, were used to me, never refusing any treats or food as a whole. One of my grandmothers, used to cook a lot of different desserts and meals for lunch, when she knew I was going to visit her. For her that was a way to show me how much she loved me and how much care she took of me. On the other hand, as a good grand-daughter, I always showed my granny how much I respected her hard work, by eating as much as I could!

When eating became an informed choice, I began to reject, cakes, biscuits, chocolates! People around me were offended, because they thought it was a pure disrespect and tried everything to blackmail me, so I can give in. They used to make me feel guilt all the time! The feeling, to be sure that you are doing something good for yourself, but in other people’s eyes it is just a caprice and disrespect, is devastating! There were moments, when I’d rather just stay at home, and don’t go anywhere, just because I didn’t want to go through the moment when I have to say “No, thank you! I do not want!”, just to get a galaxy of blame!

How to reject food politely

As time went by, I realized that normal people, understand and that there are ways to politely reject the treat without offending others. What I did was the following:

First, you have to always state out loud, how much you appreciate the hard work of others. It would be nice if you say something like “ This cookies look great. I am sure that you put in a lot of effort!”

Second, it is important to state what you need. Say something like “ Thank you but I am not hungry right now.”;”Thank you but right now I feel like eating some fruit!”. Try to emphasize right in the beginning what is the reason, so you won’t leave people thinking that you’d love to eat cookies like that, but theirs just don’t taste that good!

Third, if you’d like, you could explain further, by saying that you are trying to eat healthy and desserts and fried foods, will make you feel bloated and cause headache. But remember, that it is not necessary to give explanations to everybody!

Fourth, I know that there are moments, when healthy eating becomes something like a religion to you. You catch yourself judging people, who do not have the same nutrition plan as you do, and you let yourself giving them advices how to be just like you! Do not do that! Usually this sharpens the conversation and puts a lot of unwanted pressure in the relationship. If somebody want an advice from you, go ahead and share your opinion, but do not intrude it! You could tell how and why you eat that way, but not intrude your lifestyle directly to others!

Fifth, if people whose company you are in, are the closest to you, just go ahead and tell them what you are trying to do and how you want to eat. That is what I did with my grandmother. At the beginning she used to get offended, but with time I dared to tell her that I want to have a healthy life and I do not have anything personal to her cooking abilities. I told her that instead of taking so much time to cook a variety of desserts, she could just prepare something simple that I am gonna eat! Thus, nowadays every time I go to visit her, she has prepared chicken, salad and butter on the table!Now I am happy that I do not need to think of absurd excuses why I won’t eat and in the same time she is happy that she took care of me.

My other grandmother, never got offended by me rejecting her treats, but she didn’t quite understand me. One day, she just asked me and I explained her, how I am eating and why. A month later, she had a birthday and she had invited guests. She had prepared sweets for them. When I entered, she took out a large bowl of veggies, and put them in front of me, with a big smile! 🙂

Whatever you do, there will be always people, who won’t understand you and they won’t even try to do it! That doesn’t mean to let them make you feel guilty! Try to reject politely, the food they are offering! If they do not get it, just pass through their blaming words with a smile and keep in mind you are doing it for yourself! You are doing it in order to be healthy and strong!

Use these advices, so you won’t overeat during the holidays, just because you can’t reject food to other people!

What are your tips to reject food politely?

P.S. If you liked this post, please share it with your friends! I’d greatly appreciate it!

Please join my Facebook page! Thank you! 🙂