My Husband’s Family Invited Me to Dinner but Ignored My Pescatarian Diet

Having dietary restrictions can put anyone under some pressure when it comes to group gatherings. In Suzy’s case, she’s a pescatarian. Her fish-only diet made it difficult to find anything to eat at her husband’s family party. In the all-beef gathering, her only option was to leave.

This is Suzy’s story.

Dear Bright Side,

I’ve been a pescatarian for about a year and a half. That means that the only meat I eat is fish. Everyone in my husband’s family knows this. Yesterday, I went to his family’s party. But there was nothing for me to eat. When I told my husband that I was really starving, he said, “I’ll eat quickly, then we’ll go home.”

That really hurt, because I’d planned a date for us at home and made special food, including lobster. He knew about it. Despite that, he was spoiling his appetite and leaving me to starve while there was a perfectly good meal waiting for us at home. Later, his aunt offered me a burger, so I told her I couldn’t have it because I don’t eat beef.

She froze before confessing that she totally forgot about it. After hours of waiting and letting my husband gorge himself, I couldn’t take it and excused myself to the bathroom to cry. After I came back. I told my husband we’re leaving. On the way back home, I told him that I was upset and that there was a meal waiting for us at home. But, he said that he completely forgot about it. Now, I’m even more hurt. Am I overreacting?

Suzy F.

Here’s what the Bright Side Team thinks.

Thank you for sharing your story with us, Suzy. Your frustration with your husband is valid. You had nothing to eat and got hungry; he should’ve excused you two and left. That said, you could’ve tried to remind him of your dinner date before he kept eating, so he remembers and leaves with you.

His family’s all-beef feast may have left you out, but they likely didn’t plan this ahead to make some food additions for you. Their forgetfulness may have hurt, but it happens. People do forget and it’s okay to forgive them. Nevertheless, they should have at least made something small, like fries or a salad, since, at the end of the day, you are a guest and should be served something. Leaving you with nothing was a bit rude on their end.

You can try to vent to your husband that you’re upset about how things went at the family party. If he seems understanding, then all should be well. If he doesn’t seem sympathetic to your situation, then you might need to monitor his actions more. Either way, you deserve someone who understands your dietary restrictions and takes them into account during every outing.

Dietary restrictions can be difficult to accommodate, but making them shows that you care. For instance, if a loved one is vegan, you should respect their choice, unlike this family, who mocked their daughter for being vegan, leaving her without dinner.