There are a lot of holidays that seem to have special meals associated with them. Easter is the one we are going to have this weekend, and it is a sugar-friendly day. Easter candy and Easter dinner are both areas of concern for a person who is watching his sugar consumption. Even an atheist has to watch out for this weekend, because the end-caps and special displays at the local grocer are packed with spring-themed chocolates, Cadbury Peeps, imitation eggs, gaily colored cakes and cookies. The sale fliers are all hawking insulin-inducing treats of every description, all at special prices. Everywhere you turn there is a temptation, if you are prone to being tempted.

Social events this weekend will be loaded with delicious temptation. The Easter family meal will be loaded with temptation. All of our well-meaning friends and family will be bringing goodies to the pot luck dinner, lunch or breakfast. If you are well informed, the discriminating diner can easily avoid the taboo foods and single out the carb and sugar free alternatives. A glazed ham is not candy. A sugar-cured ham is not a desert.  However, hidden in a lot of your entrees, sides and appetizers are hidden sugars, syrups and starches. If you keep it simple, then you will not be consuming any candida-promoting foods. Broiled chicken, baked ham, roasted meats are all going to be obviously safe for us. Gravy of any kind, while it may be just a sauce reduction, probably will have a starch in it that is making it thick.  If it looks like syrup…it probably is. Sugar beets are where sugar comes from, candied yams are not falsely labeled. Sweet corn is diluted high-fructose corn sweetener.

The drink table has one sure bet on it, water.  After water you will have more limited options.  Fruit juices are not natures way of getting you the natural goodness of apples, oranges or grapes.  They are a way of getting a lot of sweetener into you without that pesky full feeling that real fruit causes.  Drink any Coke or Pepsi, even the diet ones, and you will suffer a setback because of it.  Unsweetened ice tea is not a horrible option, it’s just not as good an option as water is.  In my case, I will stick with water.

Our holiday this year will consist of ham.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner will all be featuring smoked ham.  Our vegetables will be sauteed or steamed. If there is any sauce for the veggies it will be a simple reduction or cheese sauce.  The thickeners will all be time at temperature, instead of flour. There won’t be any snacks, deserts or decadence of any kind. Friday will be filet mignon on the grill. Saturday will be ham and something. Same for Sunday and every following day until the hams all gone.