I used to need to have a drink with my meal too, dinner anyways. Having a cold beer or a cocktail with my food was just the best. For many reasons I’ve since stopped. I’d still have a drink with meals occasionally, especially if it’s a group event. But if I’m eating by myself or with my partner I almost never have a drink.

You know what? It hasn’t made a difference to my enjoyment of my meal. It did at first. Felt weird to have my food without a beer, but after the transition period it was just normal to not have one. This may be a part of the psychological dependency on alcohol.