How to tell your redneck relatives no thanks to all the fattening food they shove in your face?

Question

I'm visiting family in the south and they look at me funny because I don't want to eat chips, donuts, fried foods, etc...I feel weird with my egg whites and stuff. What kind of excuse would you give to get out of eating all this junk? They won't accept the "I don't eat this way" answer. I'm here for a week and I can only indulge so long before I start feeling fat.

And I say the word redneck because the one trying to make me eat all this stuff IS A REDNECK. BTW, she's not originally from the South she is from the Midwest but temporarily transplanted here.

You people need to stop being haters. I consider myself a southerner and you know and I know that there are some people that are rednecks. No I am not snobby towards them, I am frustrated that my polite no thank you's are unheard and I can't figure out why they want me to shove this food down my mouth. I lift weights and cannot be eating all this junk. No wonder Americans are obese I am witnessing it firsthand!

Answer 1

Although there are some pretty good answers down below, I still believe the best way to come across is with a little white lie. I also have redneck roots, and I know that the food and be quite tasty, but horribly bad for you...and I am sure that some of your relatives have had bouts with doctors over cholesterol and diabetes. Soooo, you use that info to your advantage. Just tell them that your doctor has recently tested you and found abnormally high levels of....(whatever you chose)...and that it could be life threatening if you do not watch out for some ingredients. Then play it off as if you do not want talk about and you want to talk about something fun. The mystery will make them wonder of there is something wrong, but them you will not be bothered. That, or say you are allergic to yeast..so that covers all bread like thingys.

Answer 2

some thoughts -

Don't lie. Eat the healthier food, like egg instead of just egg white, eat good toast and butter .... stay away from the fried packaged food. Prepare yourself for battle. Study your enemy, the food, and have a gross come back about all the icky stuff in it. Describe vividly what is does inside the body. lol Exercise more. This will help you feel better. Document what you eat, and what it does to you. Keep a journal, 8:30 am really tired, ate donut, 2 cups of coffee 10am wired and irritable. And then you will have some HARD facts about why, and what this stuff does to you ....

best of luck,
star spinner

a little redneck humor: You might be a redneck if - You believe dual air bags refer
to your wife and mother-in-law.

Answer 3

Well, you could start by not using the word "redneck," that's VERY offensive, especially to Southern people like myself who aren't white. People think all of us are "rednecks," and that's the first thing that should go. I detect some prejudice in your question, and you might want to work on that. It makes YOU sound ignorant. really.

Just tell them that you don't want to die early from heart disease, and you won't touch it. Tell them it isn't that you hate them for it (our food is our heart, as you know,) but you CAN'T eat it. Telling them you're on a special diet should help.

Answer 4

I go through the exact same thing with my family in the south! I used to be a vegetarian and would you believe that they criticized me for that?!

Well, you need excuses. Or at least, that always worked for me. Always be "not hungry" or "not feeling well." Also, rather than tell people that I was a vegetarian, I used to say that I was on a diet. Which is true--it was a diet, a diet that just didn't include meat and horrible food!

So just say that you're on a diet or that you're watching what you eat or something (but of course, if they're overweight, that'll offend them and simultaneously offend the person who prepared the meal). Another suggestion is to eat ONE meal of whatever they're eating during that week. I always call this a "token experience." This way, they'll never be able to say, "You don't like our food?!" You will have had eaten that one token meal with them, so you can always refer back to that when they try to call you out for not eating fatty foods. I do this all the time and it can apply to all aspects of life!

Answer 5

Well sounds like my kind of cook, and I am in the south, also sounds like the menus we might offer...... but nine times out of ten we serve BIG salads on the side and fresh veggies...... are you sure the veggies and the salads are not going to be on the table as well, they too are traditional southern servings...... then you could just forgo the grease..... if the host is just to pushy...... then pa-ray that they have gotten a great big great Dane who likes to be under the table. Good Luck!

Answer 6

You can tell them that you are taking medication and that your diet is very strict. You can also say you are not feeling well, and are not interested in eating at the moment.

Be kind though, as they are only being hospitable. Food is an expression of love here in the South.

Answer 7

kind of whisper in the ear of the host(ess) that you have a medical condidtion that causes you severe "runs" if you eat too much grease or sugar and that sometimes you get terrible gas also. then you kind of whisper it to the others like you're telling them a secret............ Being from the south they can understand that easier than just saying you don't eat like that. If you do that they'll keep after you to eat thinking that you don't like it only because you haven't tried it.

Answer 8

Simply say "No Thank You" or "I am more of a salad type of person." There is never a reason to not be polite. Not all "rednecks" eat bad food. One thing is true though, they want you to feel welcome. A real southern trait. Relax and enjoy a glass of fresh squeeze lemonaid.

Answer 9

You have relative problems and, persoal ones too. Just tell them ,(her), "no thanks" and drop it there. No talk of egg whites or anything else.
If you were telling me why my diet is so bad and I thought you were just being weird I might do the offering food thing to P*ss you off.
Frankly the tone of your question makes me take thier side. are you being civil or superior, snide or accepting?

Answer 10

Just tell them your trying to better your health and you don't allow yourself things that aren't good for you. Maybe you could buy the grocery's for one meal and do the cooking and make it something you know is good for you. They just may find out eating unhealthily doesn't have to be boring.