Movember is great. Men growing their most impressive mustaches, all in aid of prostate cancer awareness. But, as anyone who’s ever grown a mo will know, with it comes the trials and tribulations of breakfast, dinner – and pretty much any eating in general really. While often an impressive feat of grooming, there are some foods that are just a no-go if you want to keep it that way.
So before we delve into this – remember two things. Movember is only for a month, and it’s for a great cause.
Right, now we’ve warned you, read on to find out which of your favourite foods are seriously worth avoiding this month if you want a respectable Movember moustache, and what you can replace them with.
Breakfast
1. Stop The Cereal Dribbling
Not to hound you before you’ve woken up or anything, but the food avoidance starts with breakfast. Unless you enjoy your Corn Flakes dry, chances are this one applies to you. The milk can drip down into chin territory, which you’ll want to avoid if you’re growing something particularly substantial, or can naturally get absorbed by your moustache on the way in. Try replacing with porridge to avoid any mess. Made thick enough, this is much less likely to spill and drip, leaving your beard clean and dry before you leave for work.
2. Butter Up To Your Toast
Okay, so we’re not a total killjoy. Toast isn’t off limits completely – it’s just the toppings that need to be carefully selected. Anything sticky is a no-go – so leave your jam, marmalade, peanut butter and even the Nutella in the cabinet for the next month. Try butter instead, and make sure it’s melted. This leaves no physical spread on the top of the toast left to get stuck in your Movember moustache, keeping it well maintained for all the world to see.
3. Cut The Frothy From Your Coffee
We daren’t suggest coffee as a whole for fear of sending coffee addicts around the country into a panic attack. It’s simply the frothy kind that should be avoided if you’d rather your moustache not sport a moustache of its own. Favouring a flat white over a latté is the best option when making it in the office – but if you absolutely have to get your fix, simply add a lid. Find your local Costa Express at SPAR to get your kick and maintain a glorious moustache.
Dinner
4. Stop Slurping Spaghetti
Notoriously difficult at the best of times, anything you have to slurp past your chin to get into your mouth shouldn’t even need to come with a warning. The dangly, sauce-coated nature of spaghetti means that for Movember, it’ll have to be avoided. Lucky for you, there are an uncountable amount of other pasta shapes to choose from instead. Fusilli and Penne are two of the more sturdy varieties – and a hit with pasta lovers looking to keep their facial hair clean and dry while still enjoying a taste of Italy with their meatballs or bolognese.
5. Put Down The Pizza
Okay so hear us out on this one. Possibly even more controversial than coffee, technically this one isn’t a no-go – more so how you approach it. As much as the eating of a slice is very much a personal thing – fold, no fold, curve, point to crust or crust to point (really?) – for one month only, a knife and fork is a better option than having cheese and tomato stuck on your face. Also, don’t bother going for the three cheese pizza – that’s just asking for trouble.
6. Say No To Soup
Much like cereal, soup is a drippy no-go area for Movember moustache growers. Tomato or chicken, chunky or thin – no matter the consistency or the flavour – you’ll have to go for something else to keep you warm in the run up to Christmas. With stew being a little thicker, and the meat and veg absorbing much of the liquid, you can give it a go as a risky replacement. If you’d rather not live on the wild side and put your moustache in peril, then our Deliciously Easy Meals might just have something for you instead.
Dessert
7. Ice Cream: Ditch The Cone
We’re not here to ruin anyone’s good time – but ice cream is also one to look out for. Chances are if you’re dedicated enough to be eating ice cream in November then you’re a pretty die-hard fan, so we won’t take it away from you completely. Simply try adding a few scoops to a bowl and eating with a spoon to avoid the mess. If you’re an ice cream in a cone or no ice cream at all kind of guy – then ice lollies will just have to suffice this November. There’s a sentence we never thought we’d hear.
8. Leave The Sticky On The Toffee Pudding
The clue is in the name with this one, and spoon or no spoon (who eats sticky toffee pudding without a spoon?) you’ll have to avoid the syrupy mess that is sticky toffee pudding if you want your Movember moustache masterpiece to maintain its well-groomed self. Try a cake, brownie or sponge instead to keep things dry and clean – that means no custard either, unfortunately.
9. No Chocolate Fondue For You
A seriously ridiculous idea if you’ve got a beard, moustache, or any kind of hair follicles on your face this November; going for plain fruit and marshmallows is the easiest option here. If you absolutely have to get involved – and let’s be honest, why wouldn’t you? – then waiting for the melted chocolate to set is the only way around this one, but can you really wait that long?
Growing a beard or moustache for Movember in aid prostate cancer awareness is a great way to raise money and recognition for prostate cancer in men. If you’re getting involved this month – keep your Movember moustaches and beard maintenance in top form by avoiding all your favourites for the month – then gorge on them all in one day come December!
Follow the SPAR UK Facebook page to enter our special Movember competition or sign up to our Newsletter for more information.