It's going to be a long night, and staying up until the results of the Scotland independence referendum come in is going to take a fair bit of fuel. The returning officers might be relying on the restorative powers of Irn Bru, but those of us at home can do otherwise.
Peak too early on the macaroni pie front and you'll end up in a carb coma before the polls close. Instead I'd suggest starting slowly with oatcakes and crowdie cheese to line your stomach against excessive celebration or commiseration later on.
Oatcakes are incredibly easy to make. All you need is oatmeal, butter, salt and water, and a pinch of sugar if you want to push the boat out, But today of all days, there's a good excuse to support Scottish industry by buying them instead. (Personally, I like the rough kind, which have a more interesting texture.)
Crowdie, a cream cheese thought to have been introduced by the Vikings, is harder to get outside Scotland; you can substitute Quark at a pinch, but whichever you use it's even nicer whizzed up into a quick pate with some smoked fish, a squeeze of lemon and some black pepper.
In fact, Scotland boasts a spectacular range of seafood starter options. These are quick to prepare, easy to eat with your fingers in front of the TV, and, crucially, the high protein content should keep you alert.
Mussels can be briefly steamed in ale with some garlic and parsley, or, if you're really confident this is going to be a night for celebration, you could invest in Scottish lobster, or sweet scallops or langoustines.
It is tempting to suggest plumping for some Scottish game, with grouse, partridge and most venison available at the moment. But with so much financial uncertainty hanging over the results, a bit of belt-tightening might be in order in the form of a slow-cooked Scottish stew with pearl barley and peppery mashed neeps.
I would recommend mutton gently cooked until it melts in the mouth but lamb neck or beef shin would both do nicely.
Brown the pieces of meat in a hot casserole dish, then scoop out and set aside. In the same pan sweat carrots, onions and leeks in a little fat until soft, then add the meat back in along with some pearl barley and sprigs of thyme or a bay leaf, and cover with beef stock or water. Bring to a simmer, then partly cover and cook very gently for a couple of hours, until the meat is tender (let's face it, there's no rush).
Season and serve with either mashed neeps or tatties and a liberal grinding of black pepper.
As the votes are counted, reward yourself for making it this far with sweet Scottish brambles and a scoop of classic Scottish-Italian gelato … plus a fortifying dram for luck, of course. Single malts aged in sherry, port, sauternes or rum casks tend to go well with desserts, though unless you're pairing each course with a different bottle just choose something you like.
Keep your Scottish cheese board close, and your whisky closer, as the night goes on and you feel you need some comfort eating. The islands in particular make some really excellent cheddars that will go well with some more of those oatcakes.
Come the morning, you should know whether a celebratory breakfast (smoked salmon, single malt and tattie scones) or a frugal drowning of sorrows (plain porridge, cheap blended whisky, in quantity) is in order.
Make sure the salmon is actually Scottish, rather than Scandinavian, and doesn't look too greasy, bearing thin lines, rather than fat stripes of fat, and however sad you feel toast those porridge oats before cooking to bring out their flavour.
But whichever way the result goes, congratulate yourself on avoiding the temptation to try topically deep-frying your own Mars Bar in the small hours, and go to bed before the whisky makes it seem a good idea.