Now, Grandpa was a man of a different age, having been born in 1894. He ate the same breakfast every day and had done so since he returned home from his service in the Great War: Eggs, bacon, toast, and jam. My Dad, when we were visiting, always had the same. But Grandpa's second wife, a bitter old stick of a woman, had definite ideas on what little kids should eat - so I always got Cream of Wheat for breakfast. To this day, over half a century later, I still hate Cream of Wheat. I wanted bacon and eggs. I've done my best to make up for that since; if, as some would warn, every strip of bacon you eat takes a minute off your life, I would have died in 1786. Everybody loves bacon, right? It's a gift pigs give us when we're good - it's spork-tacular.

Grandpa was a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, which some diet scolds will tell you these days is life-shortening, but he lived to 90. He also bragged (a lot) that in his long life, he never touched tobacco or alcohol--a claim I can't make. That may have had something to do with it - or perhaps not; who knows?

There are a lot of institutions--government, academic, and private--that presume to lecture us about our diets, and produce things like "food pyramids" as visual aids to their scolding.

Generations of Americans are accustomed to the food pyramid design, and it’s not going away. In fact, the Healthy Eating Pyramid and the Healthy Eating Plate (as well as the Kid’s Healthy Eating Plate) complement each other.

Consumers can think of the Healthy Eating Pyramid as a grocery list:

• Vegetables, fruits, whole grains, healthy oils, and healthy proteins like nuts, beans, fish, and chicken should make it into the shopping cart every week, along with a little yogurt or other dairy foods if desired.
• The Healthy Eating Pyramid also addresses other aspects of a healthy lifestyle—exercise, weight control, vitamin D, and multivitamin supplements, and moderation in alcohol for people who drink—so it’s a useful tool for health professionals and health educators.

There is something to be said about the old saw, "all things in moderation." But there's also something to be said about enjoying your life.

See Related: Plant-Based Foods May Be Better for Physical Health - But What About Mental Health? 

The United Nations Wants You to Stop Eating So Much Meat

Nobody, of course, should be eating to excess. Despite what the "body positive" types tell you, it's not healthy.

See Related: 'Fat' Has Now Become the Latest Protected Class: Why This Is a Bad Thing

There's such a thing as being too cautious. Life is something one should go through with a certain amount of gusto. That doesn't mean one has to indulge in gluttony, but life is something that we should enjoy, and eating good food (and occasionally indulging in an adult beverage or two) is one of the sensual pleasures in life that we should enjoy. Besides Grandpa, I remember my father, who loved an elk t-bone steak above all else, and was fond of sitting on his front patio in the summer evenings, with a glass of Jack & Coke at his side, sipping and watching the creek. I remember my maternal grandfather, who was fond of meatloaf and mashed potatoes, and ate them twice a week at least.

I learned a lot from those three men, not the least of which was how to enjoy life. Eating is part of that. So is being outdoors, fishing, walking in the woods, spending time with family, playing with grandchildren, and so many other things. 

Good food is one of those things that makes life worthwhile. Enjoy it. Enjoy it in moderation, with some sense applied, of course, but enjoy it. And once in a while, a big bacon cheeseburger or a dish of ice cream is in order. And there's nothing wrong with bacon and eggs for breakfast.

Life is short. Eat dessert first.

These guys get it.