Admit it. How many times have you been to a dinner party, reception or family gathering when eating seemed to be the only way to get through the event? 

I recall one such dinner, where I sat between someone who was quite deaf and someone else who insisted on telling me, in excruciating detail, all about his back surgery. Even though the food was quite unappetizing, I ate it all so that I would not have to participate in the conversation.

Eating also comes in handy when no one is interested in talking with you at a stand-up reception; going to the buffet table gives you something to do, and maybe you can start up a conversation about the potato salad. Eating often prevents you from saying something you will regret later on at a family gathering or when your least favorite relative starts asking you why you are not married yet.

The problem, of course, is that you are probably not putting ice cubes in your mouth but rather food with unnecessary calories. Few of us can afford to consume several hundred extra calories so we won’t be rude or fall asleep at a dinner party. (Although I do remember one such party when the after- dinner speaker was so tedious that a guest fell asleep and actually slid off his chair. It was the most exciting thing that happened that evening.)  

Preventing yourself from overeating is not difficult; it simply requires that you recognize that boredom, frustration or even anger (that pesky relative) is making you eat more than you planned. Try these strategies:

1. Leave the scene. Excuse yourself to go to the rest room, make an “urgent” phone call, help the hostess clear the table or talk to someone across the room. Decide if you want to stay or, if the party/reception /dinner looks totally hopeless, leave and go home. You are a guest, not a prisoner.
2. Make sure you have water or a non-caloric beverage to drink. Sipping water is a good way to stop boredom eating. (Don’t, however, try this with alcohol.)
3. Play with your food. Rolls are particularly good for this. Making crumbs keeps your fingers busy as you hear an endless story.
4. Don’t let a waitperson put a dessert in front of you if you are dieting or watching your weight. If it is in front of you, you will certainly start to eat it as you grow more and more bored with the evening.
5. Seek out low-calorie food such as shrimp, turkey, lean roast beef, and of course, vegetables. Avoid popping those high-calorie appetizers in your mouth so you won’t have to make conversation.
6. And when all else fails, daydream about how great you are going to look when you have lost all your extra weight. 

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written by Judy Wurtman, December 05, 2007

That is a 'fantastic' idea but it might be just as simple to avoid bringing those foods into the house. And I guess if you want to fill up time, using the fantastic to clean normally overlook surfaces ( like behind the refrigerator) would also keep away boredom.
Judy

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written by Beth Cooper Tabakin, Ph.D., December 04, 2007

Helpful, insightful suggestions..........
Here is another 'fantastic' idea.........spray "Fantastic" cleaner or pepper and/or salt the food you don't want to eat immediately, to avoid having to chose when you aare bored. If you forget, the soapy, salty or peppery tast will remind you!