This may be a dumb question but how does sobriety work with food?
These are “tequila lime chips” from Whole Foods and I ate some do I have to reset my sobriety counter?
The ingredients are
Ingredients: Corn Flour Tortillas (Corn Masa Flour [Yellow Corn Masa Flour, Trace of Lime], Water), Expeller Pressed Canola Oil, Tequila Lime Spice Blend (Sea Salt, Spices, Paprika, Dehydrated Vegetables [Garlic, Onion], Sugar, Citric Acid, Lime Flavor [Soybean Oil, Natural Flavor], Lemon Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Tequila Type Flavor [Tequila Type Flavor With Other Natural Flavors, Maltodextrin, Rice Concentrate]), Salt.
Allergens
Soy (Soybean Oil)
How does something like pasta with vodka sauce also work?
Thanks!!
There is no tequila in your chips, only a seasoning blend and a hint of tequila flavor. If it triggers you to want to drink the real thing, then by all means, don’t have them in your home and don’t eat them. There’s no need to reset your counter. Also vodka sauce tastes just as amazing without the vodka, so if you’re making it at home, just leave that out. I would definitely not have it at a restaurant, because it will have alcohol in it.
It’s good to ask these questions. We have to be aware that alcohol is in certain foods. You’re doing great!
Edit to add: Not all alcohol is burned off during cooking or baking, so I wouldn’t use a recipe that calls for it. I do use real vanilla extract, but you can easily find the imitation variety.
Thank you! Your comment made my day. Felt stupid asking but I had no idea you could make the sauce without vodka! And yes I will not be ordering it at a restaurant… good point!
I’m sure a lot of people will say to use imitation, but I feel that should be up to the individual. Recipes call for such small amounts of it that I don’t consider it. But I do know that if someone struggles heavily with sobriety, it’s not something they should have in their house.
I thought for years that all alcohol burnt off during cooking! I was raised Pentecostal and a lady in the church made a rum cake for the pastor every Christmas. You could smell the alcohol before you ever saw the cake. No wonder he loved it so much!
Of course it’s your journey.
I have no trouble cooking stuff with booze in it. I never have had trouble cooking with booze. I cook all the time. And if a recipe or marinade calls for wine or sherry or beer whatever, I follow the recipe. My problem was drinking booze. Or not being able to stop drinking booze. This may not work for everyone. But I consider myself sober AF.
I don’t think I would have a problem cooking or baking something with alcohol in it. The problem I would have is that the alcohol would be in my house so within my reach. I believe that would bother me… at least at 6 months sober it would. Maybe in the future, but definitely not right now.
I had to get use to booze in my house real fast
But I totally get it. I finally threw out my last bottle of Bailey’s this Christmas that had been sitting around since Christmas 2019 it took me a year and a half or more to throw out all my cold beers. I guess I just shut that shit down. Whatever it takes. I’m sure you are in more of a “normal” category in this regards.
After I read your post I strolled right over to the pantry to check out the vodka in my vanilla extract . It just says alcohol. I never thought of that. It’s probably vodka.
I know you did! And you’re much stronger than me. There are times when it would be dangerous for me to have it within reach.
I make vanilla extract, and except for imitation, it’s vodka and vanilla beans. You can make it with bourbon or rum, but it’s not as desirable, and the taste of those alcohols shine through. Store bought can’t be more than 35% alcohol. I keep mine at 30% by adding more vanilla beans. I haven’t started any batches since I’ve been sober, but when that time comes, I’ll only buy exactly what I’ll be using. Safety first…
@Labradorlover So sorry! I didn’t mean to take your post off track.
Personally I think it depends on the individual. The question is, to me, will it lead you to a relapse/make you want to drink (as my sponsor would ask)? Or does it straight up have uncooked booze in it?
Stuff that has cooked down alcohol in it like a wine sauce don’t bother me in the least, and don’t have any noticeable alcohol content, if any. Or beer-battered onion rings.
Now then, you also have stuff like rum cake or liquor cordials that are drenched in alcohol. I avoid those at all cost for the booze that they are.
That said, some go all the way and avoid anything with hints of booze at all, including my sponsor. That’s just keeping things simple to avoid risk of any slippery slope at all.
Yeah. I think my palette was just never refined enough to even notice the beer in those onion rings. So it never really phased me. Others mileage may vary of course!
On the other hand, I’ve seen rum cake that smelled so strong you could light it on fire. Hard pass!
Also vodka sauce tastes just as amazing without the vodka, so if you’re making it at home, just leave that out. I would definitely not have it at a restaurant, because it will have alcohol in it.
But the main ingredients are vanilla beans and vodka.
No wonder he loved it so much! 
sober AF.
There are times when it would be dangerous for me to have it within reach.
