Pot Luck Vent

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

It is the main dish. Also, it is a small pot luck (only 10 people invited). This is typical of this woman though. Several years ago, she was on an extreme low-fat diet. She made pork barbeque then, also, but she made it "low fat". I didn't have a problem with it because it didn't have "additives." (Can you tell that I dislike Splenda?)

Okay, definitely rude and inconsiderate. Sounds like a dietary dictator.

Someone else wanted to bring a platter of chicken wings and she said "it's not needed and besides I can't eat chicken wings because they have sugar in them?"

And just because the wings would be available means that she has to eat them? Or does she have that little will power when it comes to eating? At least she would have a choice between the barbecue and the wings. She's not giving anyone else who would not want the splenda barbecue a choice.

If I were in that office, I'd be bringing a platter of chicken wings anyway. No fuss, no announcement, just show up with them.

 

[DoeWDW]

There's a really great recipe for "Heroin Wings" by Dana Carpendar, a widely respected low-carb guru. They don't contain any Splenda or other weird diet stuff but are delicious!

 

[Christine]

I agree if it's the only main course, that it is very rude. Did the person who has an adverse reaction to Splenda tell the woman making the BBQ? If so, what was her reaction to that?

No, she just told me about it. Again, we can't really overthrow this woman.

I guess my main question was: is this really normal? It is just something I would never do. I make a lot of "alternative" stuff at home, but I don't consider them pot-luck worthy.

 

[LvsTnk]

Why do people have to use that Splenda c*** to make a diet type dish!

I totally agree with you on this one. Sooo many recipes.

 

[DoeWDW]

Christine, you asked if this was "normal" and I'd have to say no. At pot lucks in my office, we bring all the normal foods. If someone has a particular food need (like Splenda barbeque) they would bring that in addition to the regular version of the food.

 

[skiwee1]

If you are supposed to bring "some chips" then why not make them main meal type chips. Make a huge dish of taco meat with lots of cheese, onions, and sour cream and supply the Tostito chips to go with them. That is what I'd do.

 

[Maleficent13]

No, not normal at all. I have never had anyone ever bring a "diet" dish to a potluck (especially one with an additive in it), and I've been to hundreds.

 

[Christine]

There's a really great recipe for "Heroin Wings" by Dana Carpendar, a widely respected low-carb guru. They don't contain any Splenda or other weird diet stuff but are delicious!

I'd like to see that! This guy was going to go out of his way to make a no-sugar buffalo-style chicken wing. This woman was ADAMANT that he could not do it. I'm telling you, she is quite perplexing. She's actually a very nice lady, but very, very rigid when it comes to certain things. And immovable. And yes, I work for her.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

No, I don't think it's normal at all.

Even if she doesn't know about the effect splenda has on the other woman in the office you mentioned, I don't think ignorance should be an excuse. A host or hostess (which is what this person basically is for the potluck, since they're organizing it) should take all the guests into consideration.

 

[Lisa F]

Sounds like there is more to this person's rudeness than just bringing something she can eat on her diet to the potluck.

It's an interesting question though. Friends of mine are vegetarian and they had a vegetarian weddng. Nothing funky/strange in the ingredients, but not a shred of meat to be found. A lot of people complained like crazy because there was no meat, and how rude of them to force their evil vegetarian ways on the GUESTS blah blah blah. Some people left in the middle to go to mcdonalds because they could not go for 4 hours without eating meat (there were other yummy things there like pasta with several choices of sauce, eggplant parmesean, roasted veggies, normal crudite type stuff with cheese and crackers... just no meat.. not weird cultish tofu creations like tofurkey or anything). I thought the guests were being rude for complaining.

In general I don't have a problem with someone who serves food that they can eat too at parties but I think it should have the widest appeal possible. There are TONS of meat dishes that don't require ANY sugar at all and therefore don't require substituions that would be "normal" for everyone and still ok on sugarbusters. A pot roast in the crock is the same sort of a thing appropriate for a pot luck, perfectly on program, but nothing "weird" in it.

 

[minkydog]

This isn't a true pot-luck if everyone is being assigned what to bring. I have several food allergies so I usually bring stuff i know I can eat. If I can't tell what a dish has in it, I don't eat it. If i know a dish has something off-limits, I stay away from it. While I wouldn't bring anything weird to a pot-luck, I would definitely stick with my diet plan.
My advice to you is let these women continue to run their little "pot luck" but you be in charge of bringing something else if you don't want to eat their food.

 

[Christine]

Sounds like there is more to this person's rudeness than just bringing something she can eat on her diet to the potluck.

It's an interesting question though. Friends of mine are vegetarian and they had a vegetarian weddng. Nothing funky/strange in the ingredients, but not a shred of meat to be found. A lot of people complained like crazy because there was no meat, and how rude of them to force their evil vegetarian ways on the GUESTS blah blah blah. Some people left in the middle to go to mcdonalds because they could not go for 4 hours without eating meat (there were other yummy things there like pasta with several choices of sauce, eggplant parmesean, roasted veggies, normal crudite type stuff with cheese and crackers... just no meat.. not weird cultish tofu creations like tofurkey or anything). I thought the guests were being rude for complaining.

In general I don't have a problem with someone who serves food that they can eat too at parties but I think it should have the widest appeal possible. There are TONS of meat dishes that don't require ANY sugar at all and therefore don't require substituions that would be "normal" for everyone and still ok on sugarbusters. A pot roast in the crock is the same sort of a thing appropriate for a pot luck, perfectly on program, but nothing "weird" in it.

That sums it up for me. I think I would have been quite happy if she just didn't put the Splenda in the barbeque. I mean, does it REALLY need it? I also don't have a problem with someone making something low fat by using a leaner meat.

 

[Christine]

This isn't a true pot-luck if everyone is being assigned what to bring.

No, it's not a true pot luck. We were all told what to bring. I'm surprised I was allowed to bring my potato salad, honestly.

 

[Southerngirl]

I agree.....with the OP....I dont think pot lucks are a place to bring your diet dishes....If they are that stringent on their diets then they should bring their dish and then something that goes along with the groups tastes....especially if it is widely known that a co worker has a "reaction" to Splenda. Also, it sounds like the meat dish may be the main course and the use of Splenda doenst make sense.

 

[Christine]

I agree.....with the OP....I dont think pot lucks are a place to bring your diet dishes....If they are that stringent on their diets then they should bring their dish and then something that goes along with the groups tastes....especially if it is widely known that a co worker has a "reaction" to Splenda. Also, it sounds like the meat dish may be the main course and the use of Splenda doenst make sense.

Welcome Southerngirl. I'm honored to have you first post on my thread!!

To be fair, it isn't widely known that this other woman has a problem with Splenda.

BTW, does Splenda cause reactions in a lot of people? My boss' wife also cannot eat Splenda for "intestinal" reasons.

 

[HoneyPooh]

She would have to send me home after lunch if I ate her BBQ. Splenda gives me a major migraine. And no, that's not normal. Sounds like she could really care less if anyone enjoys the "pot-luck" besides herself.

Funny someone should mention a Vegan wedding, I went to one this past Sunday. We had a family discussion before we went about the menu and what might be included. Everyone agreed we would eat what we could and then hit a burger place afterward if needed. Turned out they had made sure to have both "meatysaurus" foods and "veggiesaurus" foods available and I liked the Vegan offerings better!

 

[minkydog]

Welcome Southerngirl. I'm honored to have you first post on my thread!!

To be fair, it isn't widely known that this other woman has a problem with Splenda.

BTW, does Splenda cause reactions in a lot of people? My boss' wife also cannot eat Splenda for "intestinal" reasons.

I don't eat artificial sweeteners at all. Some of them cause me stomach upset(sorbital,slpenda) and some give me migraines(aspartame). My sister gets heart palpitations from aspartame. So I just use sugar or honey for sweetness, or go without.

 

[Marseeya]

Reading your situation, I think it's kind of nuts. But in any ordinary potluck where the dishes aren't assigned, I think it's actually a great idea to bring something that your diet will allow and then let everyone know if it has potentially odd ingredients (splenda in meat???).

 

[DoeWDW]

Many people have a reaction to sugar alcohols. There are several but they all end in -ol, like malitol, xylitol, sorbitol. These are widely known to cause intestinal discomfort, gas and "the runs".

Splenda is NOT a sugar alcohol and does not cause problems in the vast majority of people, especially in small doses. Often, though, when Splenda is used in a product, the manufacturer will often ALSO use sugar alcohols. People THINK they are reacting to the Splenda, when they are really reacting to the sugar alcohols.

With that said, there are a very small number of people who are sensitive to Splenda itself.

Can you tell I've done low-carb for a long time????

I'll be back to post the recipe for "Heroin Wings".

 

[DoeWDW]

Heroin Wings(or thighs!!!) (I use chicken breast strips)
From Dana Carpenter's Low-carb e-zine

Ingredients
4 lbs. chicken wings or thighs
1/2 cup butter
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Method
(Once you try these, you'll understand the name -- utterly, totally addictive! These are a bit messy and time consuming to make, but worth every minute. You'll impress the heck out of your friends -- and wish you'd made more! They're great leftover, too.)

First, preheat the oven to 350.

Cut the wings up into "drummettes". (Freeze the pointy "tips" for soup -- they make *great* broth!)

Then combine the grated cheese and the seasonings.

Line a shallow baking pan with foil. (Do *not* omit this step, or you'll still be scrubbing the pan come New Year's Day!)

Melt the butter in a shallow bowl or pan. Now: Dip each "drummette" in butter, roll in the seasoned cheese, and arrange in the foil lined pan.

Bake for 1 hour at 350.

Kick yourself that you didn't make a double recipe!!

You'll notice that these have practically zero carbs