An out of town friend sent me a gift box with all kinds of assorted cheese, sausage, and little jars of jams and jellies. There's also some candy and little cakes. She shouldn't have. Really shouldn't have!

I can't eat this stuff! I appreciate the gesture. It's a nice gift. I am fairly certain that I mentioned to her that I was on a diet. I guess I'll end up cutting it all up and serving it to people for Christmas.

Oh it's so annoying when that happens! I suppose it's the thought that counts, even if it was q pretty thoughtless thought just an idea, but if it's full of things you're avoiding, could you maybe donate things from it to a homeless shelter or foodbank? I know they really appreciate getting some "luxury" foods rather than the usual staples and tins, especially at this time of year!

My mum's started doing us a food hamper every Christmas, last year I ate so much from it I just felt sick for the whole of Xmas week I'm hoping I've learned my lesson this year!

It is always so frustrating when that happens! We have recently received SO many chocolates and biscuits off family for Christmas. I'm trying to avoid them but it's hard when I know they're right there.


It's good that you can serve the food to guests at Christmas

Sharing with guests is a good idea and don't deprive yourself have a little I say x

It really irked me at first! This friend knows I am dieting. There are a few things in here I can have, though, like nuts and some dried apricots. I can even have some of the cheese and meats if I eat them in small portions. That's the problem. It tastes too good to only eat a little! I'm going to make an hors d'oeuvres platter out of most of it.

Oh no! Well at least you won't have to buy things for people to eat when they come over. I'm sure she meant nothing by it. It was a really nice gesture. I have neighbors that keep bringing me over cookie/candy trays!

My boss was just talking about this same thing the other day. She said she got a large box of chocolates and she's diabetic. She can't have any of it.

If you are entertaining guests, serve it to them. Otherwise, donating them to a shelter is a wonderful idea. I'm sorry your friend wasn't thinking when she sent the food.

It's funny how people who know you're dieting tend to give food-related gifts or ask you out to eat all the time. I've wondered plenty of times if some of my friends were trying to sabotage my efforts; I know it sounds distrustful and paranoid but how else can you explain it when they KNOW you're dieting?!

There are definitely people that try to sabotage diets. It's been happening to me all the time with friends, people at work, and even my own family! I think it's because a part of them feels guilty for not working on their own diets (and some of them really need to) so it makes them feel better if we also fail. A lot of times I don't even think they do it on purpose.