We’ve officially entered silly season n regards to food consumption. Here, in early November, having witnessed some truly outrageous candy consumption - I have one friend in Michigan who had 590 trick-or-treaters - we now preparing to crash into nearly non-stop feeding opportunities.

I can all be daunting for those of us who are trying to change our nutrition to more resemble that of humans rather than a school of piranha, devouring an unfortunate creature that fell into their path. Celebrations that should be about thankfulness, faith, family & friends have morphed into decadent displays of bounty that border on the obscene. What’s a person to do when confronted with literally tables full of platters and pies, chocolates and cakes? Not to mention generous helpings of guilt poured over it all.

The thing is, what a person can do is pass. Pass on all of it. Seriously. Just because we might have been raised on annual traditions that centered on sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows or dumplings stuffed with yet more dumplings or Aunt Ida’s pecan pie, we’re not morally obligated to keep on eating things that we now know simply don’t serve us well. And it will still be Thanksgiving if you don’t have cornbread stuffing on your plate. The day can still be a wonderful celebration without little turkeys fashioned out of fudge stripe cookies, caramel squares and candy corn. (That was a thing in our house. I enjoyed making them, eating them, sharing them and sometimes hiding them so there would be more for me.)

We come together as families or friends to enjoy the company. If we can’t imagine having conversations with those around us without the distraction of heaping plates of food, we may want to examine our relationships. Some time ago I wrote about this, inspired by our dining room table, set with china and napkins and white tablecloth. Candles, music in the background and our grown children and their families cutting up in the kitchen (everyone always ends up in the kitchen, right?). I was struck by the idea that we would all be sitting around that table, eating fare that is very different than we used share. All our tastes and practices have changed. The thing was, the food was irrelevant. The people were, and are. That day I believe I didn’t eat anything at all. I was happy, holding our new granddaughter, watching the fine adults our children are, actual conversations being had.

That was a celebration. In every sense of the word.

So, this next couple of months can be something other than several chances to fall into food comas. Just because we ‘have always done [fill in the blank]” doesn’t mean we must always do so now or going forward. And perhaps, come January 2nd, we can look back on the Halloween to New Year’s Day season as one where we didn’t allow food to be the boss of us. Remember, food isn’t love. Love is love. Food is… food.

Disclaimer: I’ve been fortunate to have had the time and resources to research the ketogenic diet, also known as LCHF (low carb/high fat). The information I share is based solely on my understanding of that research. We are all responsible for our own choices, including what we put in our mouths and there’s no substitute for each of us checking things out ourselves. And I’m not a medical professional in any way. Go Keto With Casey is not a medical site. “Duh,” you might say. But best to make it clear to all.  I welcome questions, comments and even civil criticism. I’m still learning. So, if you have something to add, go for it. Links in this post and all others may direct you to affiliate links, where I will receive a small amount of the purchase price of any items you buy through those links. Thanks!