Help regarding staff Christmas buffet social situation

[Ricekrispie22]

I have food-orientated OCD which means that I can't eat at a home-cooked buffet. I am embarrassed by my disorder (it's quite severe), and try to hide it from my work colleagues. The trouble is, I've been invited to a buffet lunch 12:30 - 3:00 hosted by one of my colleagues at her house for all of our department at work. I'd like to go, or at least put in an appearance to give some Christmas cards and presents to certain people, but don't know how to avoid the food bit.
Do I ...
a) arrive early, stay for a drink and to drop my cards and presents off and leave before everyone starts eating saying that I've got to be somewhere else?
b) text to say that I've been held up somewhere and call in at about 2:00 for the very last bit?
c) don't go at all? But what excuse do I give?

I don't want it to appear that I'm deliberately avoiding the food. Please try to imagine you have my illness and suggest what you'd do in this situation that would raise the least number of eyebrows!
Thanks

Just go around chatting to people and if they ask why you aren’t eating just say you will get something in a bit or that you have no appetite after a big breakfast or big meal the night before.

If you want to go for the whome thing but nit eat their food could you message the host saying that you have complex dietary needs and will provide your own food to avoid hassle for her.

If you want to avoid food entirely i would go late as at 12 i imagine food will be served quite promptly

Can you just put a couple of things on your plate and not eat them, or would that be stressful. After 10 minutes, put a screwed up napkin on the plate and put it down somewhere. Probably unlikely to be a sit-down affair, just a stand and chat.

People won’t even notice you’re not eating anything. If there are bought items, eg crisps, could you manage a few of those?

Most people will be too tipsy / self-obsessed to notice that you're not eating ... If anyone does mention it, just say you're not hungry, or that you have a big dinner party to go to the evening, or you ate a dodgy prawn the night before

Don't overthink it

I don't have OCD but won't eat food from random people that they've cooked at home. Far too many tales of cats on worktops etc for me to even consider it.

Just say you're on a diet to fit into a Christmas dress. Have a drink. Or take your own food and pop it on a paper plate. Honestly from past experience buffets = pigs in a trough and no one will even notice that you're not eating. The ones that do will be secretly relived that there's more for them. Have a good time.

Presume it’s at a weekend?

There aren’t any excuses for attendinf but not eating that won’t come across as rude to the host: the invitation is to eat. Easier to come up with an excuse not to attend at all.

I honestly don’t think I’d notice if someone wasn’t eating. It’s not as if it’s a sit down meal and you all eat at the same time. When the buffet is open, drift to the kitchen/ bathroom. Then If someone asks later on, just say you had something and it was lovely. Your OCD is making you more anxious about eke situation.

Say you’re going out for a pre-arranged big family meal straight after so you don’t want to ruin your appetite but you still wanted to come. Have a good breakfast at home though so you’re not hungry for the whole 3 hours!

I'd probably go along but a bit after the start, busy myself chatting and having a drink, take myself off to the loo for a few minutes when the food starts, come back and pick up drink again, move around, if anyone says anything just say you're not very hungry / will get something in a bit and keep circulating. Perhaps have an excuse to leave early lined up in case it gets too tricky.

I had this exact situation last night.
I just told people as they asked that I have issues about buffet food due to anxiety .
may be tell the host that this is the situation. they will the k you for being honest

Thanks for all of the support and good ideas.
@littlebird glad to know I'm not the only one.

My DS is the same as you. He just avoids the buffet area and if offered food just says he will get some later. He often goes for the later bit as most of the food has gone and no one notices.

You'd not get me eating other people's food either.

I'd go, and just not eat/have something before so that you aren't starving.

Is it a buffet you could bring something to? Then put some of your thing, plus a little of some others onto a plate, but only eat yours? That's what I do at these things, unless someone I know is OK () has cooked, then I can eat their dish too. All very embarrassing but I do hear you. Last one I went to had boxes of takeaway pizza - brilliant!

I think your over thinking it . Like others have said no one will notice if you don't eat and if you are asked say your not very hungry going for a meal later or something like that . You must definitely go .