By Andy Tarnoff Publisher Published Dec 14, 2009 at 2:16 PM

As the year comes grinding to a halt, I know enough to realize that unhealthy eating temptations are lurking around every corner. Holiday cookies, decadent parties and egg nog galore (egg is my favorite kind of nog!) can wipe out months of good habits in just a few days.

So I walked into work today, pledging to eat well this week.

I found myself derailed by 10 a.m.

I guess I forgot that our "Milwaukee Challenge: Apple Holler vs. Elegant Farmer" pie article runs Thursday, and this was the morning earmarked for sampling two delicious pies.

Fine, I thought. I'll just eat two pieces of pie and skip lunch. Or maybe I'll grab a salad.

Not an hour later, someone knocked on our door and dropped off a McDonald's bag with two Johnsonville brats in it. Now, I couldn't be rude, could I, and not give one a try? Of course not!

Fortunately, I pawned one brat off on co-worker Bobby Tanzilo, who is now apparently, working off his lunch in the gym. I, meanwhile, am digesting two slices of pie and a bratwurst before 2 p.m. and blogging about my gluttony.

For what it's worth, the McBrat (no, they don't call it that) was fairly good. Not as good as what I would make on the grill, but not bad, either. I didn't know this, but starting today through Jan. 10, McDonald's will offer the menu item around southeast Wisconsin -- for the first time since 2003. So there ya go. Getting a brat is now even easier.

Maybe I'll have that salad for dinner. Or maybe I'll skip dinner. That is, unless someone wants to drop off a cream puff or something to our offices.

Just kidding. Please don't. Because you know I just can't say no to free food.

Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.

Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.

Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.