No matter how small or lavish an Indian wedding reception is, the food will always be the most talked about thing of the day. The bride and groom may receive some amount of patronage from their guests through the party, but take a look at the ever-crowded food counters and you’ll know where everyone’s priorities lie.
But who’s to blame them, Indians always go overboard with their food menus. From the pani puri counter, to the Italian, Indian and Chinese cuisine counters, followed by the multiple salad and dessert bars, the open buffest is a total feast. No wonder people always end up overeating.
If you’ve been though this confusing ordeal too, here are a few tips and tricks to avoid giving into it.
1. Do not go to a party empty stomach: As Indians, we’re all familiar with the concept of not eating much before a wedding reception, so that you have enough space to fill your tummy with good food at the wedding. However, staying starved will make you overeat and you won’t even realise it!
2. Don’t binge on the first food item that comes your way: The first round of chicken tikkas and cheese balls may look like a treat, but hold on there’s a lot more to come. You don’t want to get stuffed that soon, do you?
3. Scan the whole buffet: As you walk through the counters, the platter will definitely make you pile up all the food on your plate. Instead of giving into this temptation, start by scanning the whole food counter beforehand. This way you can pick only the best and enjoy it without overeating.
4. Rely on portion control: The plate in your hand maybe big, but you don’t have fill it up. Ask yourself, would you have eaten so much on any other day? Then why today? Your stomach isn’t going to magically expand. Eating more than your usual meals will obviously cause you to feel overfull and uneasy.
5. Practise mindful eating: Eat your food slowly and relish the taste and texture of the food. This way you’ll enjoy your meal better and will also be more aware of how satiated you feel.
6. Watch how much you drink: Food isn’t the only thing that will make you feel full, alcohol also adds to the calories you consume. So if you really want to make the most of the food, forgo the alcohol and enjoy another piece of that gulab jamun.
7. Avoid a second serving: If you head for another serving, be warned it’s going to come back and haunt you. With an empty plate, you’ll now have space to pile on more food, which won’t seem like a good idea two hours from then.
8. Don’t sit too close to the buffet: This may seem silly, but it is true. If you sit close to the buffet you’ll be tempted by the aromas and sights, thus increasing your mental appetite, even though your body may not need so much food.
9. Keep yourself busy: Remember you’re not there for the food alone. Engage in other activities, greet people, play with children, linger near the main functions and help people around. Enjoy the wedding to the fullest.
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