Diet decisions can cause a kerfuffle

This column was originally published in 2012. Dear Annie: I’m a woman who follows a strict diet. It has nothing to do with weight or any medical condition. I don’t care about calories. It’s about eating organic, and there are a lot of things I do not tolerate, such as corn syrup, food colouring, table sugar and unfiltered water. And those are just a few examples.

If I don’t approve of a treat someone has made, is it appropriate to politely decline to accept it?

On occasions where I’m given something I don’t have to eat in front of them, I graciously accept it and then give it away later. What if I’m on a date and the guy wants to take me where I wouldn’t ordinarily eat?

Should I insist on sticking to my diet?

I can handle a few splurges here and there, but how do I avoid constantly eating junk without being rude or weird? I live in a rural area where there are just not that many restaurant choices. Upstate Dieter Dear Dieter: If someone offers you food you prefer not to eat, don’t feel obligated to stick it in your mouth.

Say “thank you” and put it aside, or if you are feeling expansive, explain that you have difficulty tolerating certain foods. When you are on a date, you’ll need to be more flexible if your choices are limited.

Most restaurants have options that, while not ideal, are tolerable on occasion — plain baked chicken or fish, for example. On subsequent dates, when you know each other better, let the guy know that you only eat organic.

Then, if things are progressing nicely, you can offer to cook him a delicious, healthy dinner. Annie’s Mailbox is written by Kathy Mitchell and Marcy Sugar, longtime editors of the Ann Landers column.