My wife and I had 45 minutes to kill on Sunday morning after we arrived at the Farmer’s Market too early, so we decided to drive around our part of town to find something to do. As I was driving, I realized that all the places I normally would have taken us to prior to us having adopted the Paleo lifestyle were all cafe’s, bakeries, or restaurants. This made me think about how much our culture revolves around food as the center of our social lives.

The reality is that it’s not just the center of the American culture; food is at the center of all cultures. Regardless of which side of the world you are from, food plays a central role in our social gatherings. Whether it’s the big family-style meal of the Italians, the roasted pig in Filipino culture, or the barbecue cookout style of Southern Americans, a common theme is the feast. I love family gatherings, but the temptation of all-day grazing can be very hard to overcome, especially if there are Paleo-friendly offerings. During our Fourth of July party, all the food was Paleo, yet I grazed all day. Each time I grabbed some food, I justified it by telling myself, “This is good for me. I can have just a little bit more.” And then I ate a little bit more. And then a little bit more again. This can be troublesome.

Of course, one day of eating a lot won’t kill you, nor will it derail you, but it will slow your progress, if you’re working toward a weight loss goal. It can also be demoralizing to someone who is trying to eat better. It can make one feel like they were weak and failed in being resolute to eat not just good foods, but the right amounts. All of this is okay; as I’ve said in previous posts, you have to live your life and socialize. From time to time, you have to take part in our culture’s events, and they involve food.

But what about when you want to go out with your spouse, friends, or workmates and just have a little fun? If you ask someone if they’d like to go somewhere to hang out, most of the time it’s assumed that you want to catch lunch, dinner, or drinks. Typically, I can find Paleo options almost anywhere, but it’s not fair of me to expect others to always go somewhere I have options. Some of the most “fun” places people want to go have no Paleo options. This puts some severe limitations on the types of places we can go to socialize or kill time as the overwhelming majority of these places are definitely non-Paleo. Of those that are, they typically offer a subset of food that are Paleo compliant, or are quite expensive. What is the Paleo adherent to do for fun on a Sunday morning?

Aside from the farmer’s markets that are a Paleo toy store, my wife and I have found shopping, or more precisely, window shopping to be a good option. Of course, this can become expensive when you find something you absolutely couldn’t live without. There is also coffee and tea, but as my wife isn’t a big fan of either as a form of relaxation, this isn’t a good option for us. There are museums, historical sites, parks, and other activities that can be taken part of that don’t involve food, but these involve more planning, more distance, and money.

The bottom line is that if you want to do something socially in our culture, it likely will involve food or drink, and most of the available options will be non-Paleo. It will test your resolve, and you will be tempted. From time to time, it’s okay to have some non-Paleo food. It won’t kill you, and it won’t make you lose all the progress you’ve made overnight. Just remember that moderation is key in both the serving sizes of non-Paleo dishes you eat, and in frequency of allowing such non-Paleo eating or drinking occurrences.

Do you have any suggestions for Paleo-friendly activities to help you kill time? Pokemon Go! has been fun, but in the Texas heat, it’s mostly a nighttime activity.