Someday I hope to make it out of school to the point where this will be a
more frequent problem. As it stands now I don't often go to dinner parties
-- i.e. if I'm invited over for dinner it is usually for a casual dinner at
a friend's house.

But what is the etiquette of informing someone you are lactose intolerant?

I'm one of those moderately lactose intolerants. The pills don't help me
too much, but I'm not allergic and sometimes will eat products with a small
bit of milk products in the ingredients.  I.e. souffle or a cream sauce
will do me in, pizza does me in, but a chocolate cake with a cup of milk in
the recipe is okay.

But I guess my question applies across all spectrums.  What esp. gets me
are when I inform people that I'm lactose intolerant, and people say "Can't
you just take those pills?"

So what do you do when accepting an invite to a dinner?

And while I'm at it, what about a larger catered function -- i.e. a
ceremony at school.

I don't want to be a militant, I just don't want to be known as that guy
who never eats his food.

-Andrew

P.S. My favorite find is Ben and Jerry's Devil's Food Chocolate Sorbet --
tastes as rich as I remember premium chocolate ice cream. And if you are
ever in Northampton, MA, "Herrell's Ice Cream" has good "No-Moo" flavors.