Ask Dali Mama

DEAR DALI MAMA:

What do you think of white lies, like saying you like someone’s cooking if you don’t really? Energetically and otherwise….

–Curious (Canada)

DEAR CURIOUS:

It’s always best to be honest, energetically and otherwise. Honest doesn’t mean you have to say “You are the worst cook I’ve ever met,” but you can be honest while choosing something positive to say. For example, you could say, “I really appreciate the time and effort you took in preparing this meal for me” or “I like the salad greens you used in the salad.” And next time, you could suggest going out or you could make a dish to share so you have something to eat that you like and you could ask them, for example, to get those yummy salad greens they got last time.

Besides which, if you say a white lie, like, “I love these brownies,” the person might be really happy and, thinking you like them, go to a lot of trouble and expense to keep making them for you, which does neither of you any good.