Do you eat differently when men are not around?

Glamour Magazine

Esteban is embarking on another week-long business trip, which always reminds me how he affects my eating habits. For instance, during a usual weeknight, we make dinner, usually comprised of some kind of chicken affair, paired with steamed veggies, and if Esteban is cooking, sometimes he'll make something potatoey.

When I'm alone for a week, I tend to make myself vegetarian meals, usually stir-fry with brown rice that I will then eat for the rest of the week, as well as at least one dinner that consists of a giant spinach salad and a bowl of cottage cheese. And sometimes, I'll find myself starving around 9:00 p.m., and I realize that in the absence of someone asking, "What do you want to do about dinner?" I have totally forgotten to eat. Esteban has mentioned that he does the same thing, only instead of spinach salads, he ends up withmacaroni & cheese or sometimes he eats canned ravioli (a guilty pleasure product for him, as I find that stuff disgusting) or goes out to a neighborhood pub known for its amazing Italian beef sandwiches.

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I can understand the problems of deciding on what to make for dinner every night, and the desire not to have to make two totally separate meals, but do you switch off, having chili dogs and mac & cheese one night and maybe a delicious edamame salad and steamed salmon the next night? After all, women tend to eat healthier than men, so shouldn't we endeavor to be a positive influence for guys?

We've talked about girl food and boy food before, and Ree even has some of the recipes on her food blog classified by gender, but how much do you change your own eating habits if you dine with the opposite sex? For instance, if you go out with girlfriends, are you as likely to order a steak as you are if you go out with a guy? I do, but there's a weird moment of eyebrow raising when my friends hear what I'm ordering, as though I've just taken a step away from sisterhood. I'm pretty sure that wouldn't happen if I were eating foo foo. (Read up on how women talk about eating in public.)

Lay on me your tips for maintaining your dietary autonomy.

[photo credit: Getty Images]

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