The meeting is about the meeting, not the food. Research by Herman and Polivy shows social eating pressure powerfully influences consumption. You can skip the food entirely, eat selectively if genuinely hungry, or eat minimally to participate socially. What you shouldn’t do is eat mindlessly because food is present and others are eating. One decision, then attention returns to the actual purpose.
This companion covers the social pressure, options (skip, select, minimal), and refocusing on the meeting. (4 min read)