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Pandora's avatar

What is the best thing to do when you go to a dinner invite?

Asked by Pandora (32207points) August 21st, 2010

I never know for sure what I should do when I go over to someones home for dinner for the first time. Some people over cook so you feel horrible if you don’t eat your fair share and they have a ton of left overs. Some people under cook so you eat only a little and an hours later you are hungry. The second time around I know what to do, but the first time around I just am never clear on what I should do. Should I eat a little before I arrive or should I keep my appetite wet till I get there. I don’t eat very much and so at times a snack will suffice and I’m full till the end of the evening. If I eat nothing and they have more guests than they have food, I will get hungry and a bit irritable.
How do you handle it when you first go over to someones home for dinner?

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15 Answers

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

I usually bring them alittle something…wine,flowers or pottery, as I am a potter.
I offer to help clear the table and do dishes.
I also wear clothes,for I am not at home anymore.;)

john65pennington's avatar

You play it by ear, meaning roll with the puches at dinnertime. but, keep a box of Little Debbie snack cakes in your pocketbook, just in case. a good girl or boyschout always goes prepared.

Pied_Pfeffer's avatar

How about offering to bring something? If their response is ‘yes’, take more than what should normally cover the # of people attending. If it is a ‘no’, I’d go with John’s recommendation ^.

plethora's avatar

Having no idea what or how much they plan to feed me (or whether it will be any good), I am never without a protein packed energy bar. I, like you, can get a bit irritable when deprived of nourishment.

And don’t forget to wear clothes as @lucillelucillelucille wisely suggests.

Aster's avatar

Try a little bit of everything . They won’t notice how much you eat as much as you think they will.
I never notice how much people eat.

Neizvestnaya's avatar

If invited for the first time then I always ask if there’s anything I can bring for the table and that usually prompts what will be on the menu and I get an idea from there what to expect. Sometimes I’ll nibble a bit beforehand just so I don’t make a pig of myself when I get there or arrive and discover there are foods prepared in a way I won’t eat them.

marinelife's avatar

Take a snack in your purse for if you get hungry later.

Austinlad's avatar

Great suggestions above, particularly about being willing to nibble on everything (unless you’re allergic to it), and always bring a little gift like wine, bread or flower. By the way, a really good good host will ask a new guest if there’s anything he/she can’t eat.

Pandora's avatar

@lucillelucillelucille Thats insane. I too wear clothing when going out of my home! What a crazy world. LOL
@john65pennington and @marinelife. Good idea.
@Pied_Pfeffer and @Neizvestnaya, I usually bring the dessert since I don’t keep sweets in large amounts at my home. This way I can indulge in one slice instead of a whole pie. And always a bottle of wine unless I know they don’t drink.
@plethora We are similar souls. :)
@Aster, I’m pretty good at eating most anything that is considered normal food so not a problem.
Thank you all for your suggestions.

plethora's avatar

@Pandora Let’s not meet when we are both hungry…:)

Pandora's avatar

@plethora Yeah, that might turn ugly. LOL

lucillelucillelucille's avatar

@Pandora -Never hurts to remind people! ;)

Pandora's avatar

@lucillelucillelucille You got that job when I go senile. :)

perspicacious's avatar

I find it amazing that you would think so intently about this. Just go to dinner and play it by ear as far as how much you may, can, or should eat. Since you are a light eater, it’s very unlikely that your “fair share” (oh my goodness) will not be enough to satisfy you.

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