I would fast the 24hours. Just answering the question to it's literal phrasing. Typically it is easy enough to find Paleo-acceptable foods in a social situation, just skip grains, veggie/seed oils and refined sugars. In my view,Paleo is NOT about carb avoidance, cut about avoiding those bad agents above.

Yes! While I lived in Italy this past summer, I very rarely had the opportunity to choose what I ate for dinner. The family I lived with knew I was "allergic" to wheat, thank goodness, but they still made foods such as polenta, green peas, potatoes, etc. And risotto, despite it still containing gluten, and also processed meats. At first it made me feel incredibly guilty, and I was worried about any negative effects I would feel, but after a few weeks of having these occasional dinners, and not suffering any noticeable side effects other than increased appetite, I accepted their place in my life. Especially since I knew that it was for a very specific time period. If I were you, I would first try and have just the sauce. And if that's impossible, then include just a little bit of the pasta. I started out having very small high carb dinners, and then let myself have larger ones later on as I adjusted to having them in my life.
Also, if I felt that my blood sugar was spiking too high, I would then go munch on some almonds that I kept stashed in my room. I don't know if you have the ability to supplement with other foods, but I found this to be quite helpful, too.

I'd probably just try to stick with rice and potatoes as the starches. I do the same when cooking for others. I don't want to feed them super unhealthy things, but most nonpaleos are not satisfied without some starch. So fried rice and a baked potato with butter is my way of walking the middle road. But if they want margarine, they'll have to bring their own cuz that stuff's gross!

My mother-in-law served us pasta just last week (she knows i don't typically eat it, but she is 73 and forgot i guess) and I ate it without complaint, hesitation or regret.

This is easy for me to say, as I have no symptoms when I eat wheat. I just choose to avoid it because of what I believe it will do to me long-term.

Forget that! Fasting is good for you. Wheatfeels like somebody trying to shave the micro villi in my GI tract.

I would say that if you are already healthy, then eating the spaghetti on this one occasion wouldn't hurt you irrevocably. If you are still having health problems, or if you have a severe reaction to wheat, it could really set you back. If you already eat VLC, fasting is easy, so it wouldn't be as big a deal as eating the pasta.

On the other hand, it could also be a learning experience. Finding out if you have an immediate response to such a meal could be very enlightening.

Although difficult I would use the situation as an opportunity for a fast. Or if the option is available eat the meatballs only with a small amount of the tomato sauce. Also, if salad is served with the spaghetti then I would definately do that too. The option of bringing along beef sticks or some Jerky are great options as well.

Last night I worked at a function and dinner was provided - Sub sandwiches. Yes, I partook. Usually when I cheat, I take a little extra fish oil then make sure I eat clean the next day. It's a very conscious decision. If I don't make a point of it, I tend to go spiraling down the road of too many bad carbs.

24 hours is nothing, I don't even get why you would ask this question :)

De Vany just posted on his blog reviewing a study on ketosis showing 30 hours could potentially be the possible sweet spot for fasting in an evolutionary inspired diet.

And Kamal, I would do more reading on wheat and gluten. You might feel fine, but damage is being done regardless.

I'm down with fasting for 24 hours if hanging out at home, but not while out of town with friends who are feasting in front of me.

Like you, I am not sensitive to wheat. I don't think it's very healthy, but I don't have any problems with the occasional wheat intake and in fact I do partake sometimes in situations less "desperate" than the one you describe. I guess I hew to that whole 80/20 thing.

So I -- again, no sensitivities to wheat -- would do it. Obviously that answer would be different if I had an allergy to wheat as so many people seem to have.

i buy a bag of bananas chips fried in coconut oil. seems evey town now has a wal-mart so they are not hard to find while traveling. think of them as paleo junk food.LOL it least they dont give me arthritis.

Since I AM sensitive to wheat, the spaghetti wouldn't be an option but I do fine with just vegetables and fruits on a given day if I can get them. And if the dish included rice or corn with the veggies I wouldn't lose sleep over that either. I'd probably have a meat-only day when I got home.

It's a perfect opportunity to fast. :) If you can't find anything acceptable, which I doubt, just fast.

I mean, seriously, there's Diners everywhere, how hard is it to order a plate of fried eggs and bacon. Sure, it's not going to be pastured eggs or uncured bacon, but it's a lot less damaging than spaghetti. Or corned beef and cabbage for that matter.

It's not that hard.