Everyday Systems

I find it amusing, since recommitting to no s, how much food I've been offered outside of meals. I've been offered muffins at a course, a biscuit put on my plate when having a cup of tea with a client, my neighbour dropping over her lovely bread and butter pudding..my favourite!!
I just had a job with a lovely Greek client today, and was busy in the other room then walked out to a set plate of a piece of pizza and some beautiful prawns (in her special olive oil and lemon sauce) at 3.30pm..and she was very insistent that I eat and very offended when I said "no thanks" ..so I asked if I could take it with me and she was happy with that..and then she popped a beautiful Greek almond cake in the bag as well!! I do also think that perhaps I'm noticing it more because it's so obvious that it's not meal time, but I just thought I'd mention it here.. It would be much easier if we all went back to traditional 3 meals a day and we'd all be on the same page!
The thing is I'm not actually tempted by these things so much (as I know I can have them at the appropriate times) but I really struggle with saying 'no thanks' and offending someone, and also the thoughts in my head thinking everybody will notice that I'm not eating and worrying what 'they' think..which as I type this can see how ridiculous that is!!!

It really is something, isn't it, how much food is all around us!

I always accept when people offer, as the social side matters a lot to me.
That, though it does seem like an obvious hot potato the other person is passing to me.

Having said that, if it's on the spot, I'll just have a token.
If it's to take, I feel free to offload the lot or discard it.
All too often it wound up in my stomach and weighing on my spirits, so...

And, in the spirit of the ubiquitousness of food, also the enticing, relentless teasing with ads, posters, pictures... with 'novelty'...

The mere identification of 'food' with 'packaged food-like products' is a serious issue.

To me, we are under siege, and it's a sick culture.