Every year my friends E and J and I mark the beginning of the end of summer by going to the Minnesota State Fair. It lasts for 10 days, but we always go on the first day while things are still nice and fresh.
The fair is a chowhound’s paradise - food stands every 10 feet, mostly offering things loaded with fat, sugar and salt - yum. For many people, the only reason to go is to eat themselves into a stupor (been there, done that)
About 4 years ago we tried something different. We went right after lunch, made the decision not to have anything but water. Since we each had then saved at least $30, we would close the day by going out to dinner at an upscale seafood restaurant in my neighborhood.
It has worked great each year - no stress over what to have, no guilt over unwise choices, and no lethargy from being stuffed to the gills. I also treat hypos only with glucose tablets. We all know that just one chocolate chip cookie when low can easily lead to an unbecoming episode (also known as a binge).
13 Foods I DID NOT EAT at the Minnesota State Fair:
Category I - easy to pass up
Deep fried pickle on a stick
Deep fried Twinkie on a stick
Deep fried Snicker Bar on a stick
Yogurt made from sheep’s milk, called “ewe-gurt”
Category II - I’m curious about these
Bayou Bob’s alligator tail on a stick (last year they sold 10,000 pounds worth)
Personal pan-fried nuggets of ostrich meat
Buffalo jerky
Category III - drooling all the way down the street
Giant cream puffs
Yard long red licorice whips
Apple fritters made with the Minnesota State Fruit - the honey crisp apple
Onion rings
Foot long hot dog
Homemade rasberry pie served by blue-haired ladies at one of the many church diners
Fun things we did:
Patted a porcupine
Held an iguana
Watched a race of miniature goats pulling little carts; one of them escaped and was still MIA when we left the arena
Had my posture evaluated by a chiropractic student - yes, I know that my shoulders are uneven from carrying that heavy purse all these years
Saw of likeness of this year’s “Dairy Princess” being carved from a giant block of frozen butter.
I also artfully dodged a big glob of llama spit that flew over my shoulder. Its owner said, “now, honey, you went and provoked him - he doesn’t like being stared at and you made him mad”. (Ahem, what is he doing on display if he doesn’t like being stared at?)
We happily ended the day with a lovely meal of scallops, new potatoes, and key lime pie.
(Post prandial bg = 157).
Why the food thing worked:
It was planned behavior.
I had proof from previous years that it would work.
Other people did it with me.
There were many distractions
I knew that eventually there was “a treat” at the end of the day.
As we were driving home, I told E and J that I was going to recount my day at the fair on my blog and J said “oh, don’t - all those people will think we live at the crossroads between Hooterville and Lake Wobegon”. Well, we do, and I love it.
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3 comments:
My pump educator (heh, almost typed pimp educator) told us that every year at the state fair she gets a bloomin' onion. And has to adjust her BASALS for three days afterwards. Yeah, that thing outlasts a square bolus.
I'm off to the NY State fair tonight to pet the llamas and avoid eating FRIED MACARONI AND CHEESE ON A STICK (why does anyone think this is a good idea? why?)
My state fair treat is kettle corn. Sweet & salty, long lasting if you just pop a piece in your mouth every now and then as you go... and I find that having something in my hands makes it much easier to resist the siren song of apple dumplings and other good things.
What an excellent plan!!!
I'm not much on the fair - I get all anxious in the crowds. It just raises my stress levels.
It sounds like you all had a wonderful time (especially because the llama missed you!).
Again - way to go on the plan! I think that was an especially creative way to get out and enjoy the fair, without all the baggage that might accompany the food choices.
What a great post. Love your categories, by the way!
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