Hi, I just joined last weekend... Anyway, my big willpower test is coming this weekend. My boys have their annual cake-baking contest for Cub Scouts where they have to make a theme cake with everything on it edible. This means tons and tons of candy in the house: circus peanuts for dragon eyes, pointy mints for castle spikes, caramels for castle tops, licorice for dragon claws, etc.

Lucky for me, I don't really care about cake, frosting, or the Ho Hos that will make the dragon's head. And for the past 2 years when we have gone to the event, I've been able to successfully not sample any of the 30+ (!!) cakes at the affair. But my real downfall is junky candy. I know myself -- I need to have NO candy during all this decorating...

So, how do *you* keep yourself from the items that are your downfall? I do it by disassociating myself from the object. Like instead of counting out licorice for the dragon claws, I tell myself, "The licorice is nothing more than bird food. If it were bird food, I would have no desire to eat it right? So treat it like bird food..."

Wish me luck!

Good luck Think of them as building materials instead of candy, you wouldn't eat lumber or drywall would you.

Chew gum during the decorating process. Caramels and gum? Circus peanuts and gum? NOT appetizing.

I would suggest chewing some minty gum too. After you've had something really minty nothing tastes very good. Good luck!

Good advice, everyone! In addition to not wanting to eat drywall, espec. while chewing gum, I came up with one more -- wear heavy lipstick. I hate the feeling of putting food in my mouth when I've got heavy lipstick on...

What about preparing some alternative snacks in case the temptation does become too much and you find yourself wanting to munch? Frozen grapes may help in this case...sweet, chewy, hard at first.

Great tips here!! I wish you much luck- you can do it!!!

That is a very good question! It makes me ask myself how I got through baking at Christmas without diving in to the treats.

I'm a bit of a germ-o-phobe, so this story helped me....

If you think of those items being touched by someone with dirty hands it might be easier. Have you heard the story about free cocktail peanuts they serve at bars? 7 out of 10 men do not wash their hands when in the bar restroom.... and then they eat those peanuts. Pretend you got that candy from a bar!

Wow - sweet, chewy, hard at first -- just *exactly* the sensations I love! I'll have to give frozen grapes a try!

Great news -- I passed the 1st test. Today we baked 5 boxes of cake mix, and not a lick of batter passed my lips. And we made a whole pan of green melted chocolate (to cut into dragon spikes) and fortunately the idea of green melted chocolate is just completely gross in and of itself.

Tomorrow's the big decorating day... thanks for all your tips and support -- I'll let you know how it turns out!

Yay, I did it!! Nary a lick of frosting, crumb of cake, or gob of candy passed these lips! And the incredible thing was that, by and large, I wasn't even tempted...

Tomorrow I just have to get through the banquet without sampling any cake, and then I've successfully made it through another year of cake contests... YAY!!!

Good for you! Glad to hear it went smoothly. I hope the banquet went as well.

Lol!

LO to the funny stories! New leaf- you are awesome!!! Thanks for the thread!