Super Bowl Food Land mines: who will really win the game? You or the Food?

OK, that is too damned adorable!  If I had more people coming over, I'd attempt to make that.  LOL

Anyhow, "the big game" is Sunday.  Many of you may not be interested, view it, or participate in the annual food and drink gorging associated with the Super Bowl.  But for those of you who are/do....it's a land mine, isn't it?  Well, it certainly is this year as we try to avoid junk food.  But the Super Bowl is about junk food every bit as much as it is about the NFL championship football game and awesome new commercials.  The question is, how will we handle it, those of us who will be watching?  Whether we are hosting an event (I am, albiet small)...or attending a party, or simply viewing it at home with loved ones (that's me, my small family get together, but I'm turning it into a party.)  Do we serve/eat/avoid the junk food, or tip toe through it?  Well, here's my game plan:

1.  Having my mom, my oldest daughter, and oldest grandson over. 

2.  turning it into the party, because we are playing a few typical football betting games for which I have small, football-related prizes for the winners.  Five winners in all.  Five people, but not a one-prize-per-person set up.  Technically, one person could win all 5 gifts.  Not likely, but possible.

So how am I doing this?  I'm going to have a mix of junk and healthy foods.  I'm planning on serving:

1.  shrimp cocktail.  This is healthy food.  And uber delicious.

2.  BBQ wings.  OK, not great, but by no means hideous junk food.  Some nutritional value, if not over-indulged

3.  my hot dip.  It calls for bean dip, sour cream (I use light), cream cheese (I use light), salsa, chopped chives,  (all mixed together) and topped with cheese (I use light) and cooked until bubbly.  Served with tortilla chips.  (I'm also serving celery sticks with it.)  I obviously am making this as low-cal as possible, and if I stick to mostly celery stick dipping, it shouldn't be a deal-breaker for me or anyone else claiming (haha-my eldest daughter) to wanting to lose weight.

4.  Pizza rolls.  Per Mr. Sunny's request.  They hold NO charm for me.  No temptation whatsoever.

5.  later, the meal will be homemade carne asada.  No tortillas for me, but they'll be available for everyone else.

6.  Dessert:  brownie bites, and homemade Peanut butter Rice Krispy treats with a topping of chocolate chips and butterscotch chips melted together and spread on top.  Mr. Sunny requested those.  Brownie bites are my choice.  I imagine I'll have 2-3 brownie bites, and maybe, maybe, a one inch square of the treat.  We'll see.

Drinks:  BYOB.  I'll be having 1-2 Michelob Ultra beers, and plenty of decaf home-brewed tropical iced tea.

So, as you can see, there is a nice mix of dietary choices I'm serving.  I'm not going to be a Saint:  they are all playing on the field.  hahahahaha  (football fans will get that, the rest of you....not so much.) 

I could play the martyr, but I'm not gonna.  Not to my family/guests, and not to myself.  I will work towards being the Portions Queen on Sunday.  I will avoid the pitfalls (too many chips, too much dessert), and focus on the more healthy choices.  I will enjoy the get together more, and remove the food from being the focus for me.  Part of living a healthy life is focusing more on group gathering comraderie, and less on the food in front of you.  That's simple enough.  And when you are tempted (and you and I will be, over and over again) to grab that extra whatever that, in our hearts, we KNOW is wrong for us AND our long term goals, to think about how we will feel on Monday.  and Tuesday.  And Wednesday.  IS the 30 seconds or less of eating that temptation WORTH days of paying for it?  hmmmm?  IS IT?

NO.  No, no, a MILLION times no.  REMEMBER THAT as your hand reaches out beyond a tolerable amount.  When you start to enter that MORE THAN I SHOULD BE EATING terrritory, DON'T DO IT.

Remember to stay true to your goals!!!  You'll be a much, much happier and proud camper, come Monday, if you do!