Two Thousand and Ate

Five ways to be a better you this year, and the foods to help you get there.

We all know most of us never keep New Year’s resolutions, but what if you could keep them—by eating? To figure it all out, we took some common new year’s resolutions and found dishes at Springfield restaurants that will compliment your efforts. You’re welcome.

Resolution: Stop drinking

Food: We’re no Robert Downey, Jr., but we think what we’d miss most about going dry is just saying the words. “Beer.” “Whiskey.” “Boone’s Strawberry Hill.” That why we recommend foods that have alcohol as an ingredient (don’t worry, they won’t send you into relapse). Try the tomato gin basil soup at Touch ($5) or anything beer-battered.

Resolution: Get laid more

Food: Aphrodisiacs are mostly myth, but chocolate does stimulate pleasure spots in your brain, so we recommend Soconusco dark chocolate from Askinosie chocolate ($7.50 per bar at askinosie.com). On a more fishy level, oysters do evoke a certain part of the female anatomy—though that’s only going to get one side of the table revved up. So, hetero fellas, we heartily recommend the fried oysters at Cartoon’s Oyster Bar & Grill ($6.99). If food doesn’t do it for you, just go some place with a hot staff: You can’t beat the ladies of Ebbets Field or the studs at Argentina Steakhouse.

Resolution: Stop smoking

Food: Since going off nicotine can induce binge eating, it’s best to find foods that are good for you, but can still satisfy that oral fixation—that means finding something delicious and healthy that takes a long time to chew. Hello, apples! Kaldi’s Coffeehouse offers a sliced apple as a healthy side choice for any of their dishes. Carrots, celery and pencil shavings also meet these criteria.

Resolution: Lose weight

Food: You’ll need two things: Tasty options and nutritional information. Quizno’s offers both, right on the big menu when you walk in. There are several options under 400 calories ( less than two sodas), our favorite of which are the flatbread salads ($5.99). For maximum weight loss, avoid the flatbread.

Resolution: Get out of debt

Food: Step number one for reining in your finances is to stop eating and drinking out. Barring that, you’re going to need to find something affordable and filling that you can take to work as lunch the following day. We’ve found no surer bet for this than the sweet and sour chicken special ($4.53 w/ all white meat) at Hong Kong Inn (three locations in Springfield). Eat the egg roll and one-third of the meat at night, and take the rest as lunch the next day.