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As an European , it always shock me every time we come to the US. The portions are just ridiculously large and could feed an African family for a month. We have now learnt to share a main course and a starter as there is no way we could finish all that food. Some restaurants really go overboard.
Don't take it personal whatever I say. We live in USA where just about every other TV commerical is weight loss advertisment. I do watch medical alert on TV about people weighting in at 800 - 1000lbs and yes we are enabling. I feel so badly for those people and what they endure.
Whoaaa there!!! The OP was simply stating that the amount of food served by most establishments is more that some people can consume at one sitting. This isn't about fat, thin, buffets, fast food. We can all eat what and when we want. Right? I do... I don't frequent many restaurants for 2 reasons, 1 is I never go out except with my Dad and 2, the portions are too large and I end up taking it home and sometimes I eat it later and sometimes I don't. I don't like to waste food either so I don't eat out much, to each his own....2 goldens, a buffet and my brother are a match made in heaven and we all have to wait for him
^^^ Yeah, to get back on track.... serving portions here are excessive. What's worse, they have become normalized. A restaurant that tries to bring some common sense back to portion size will be derided as having small portions. So while we could probably stand to see some reduction in portion size at restaurants, nobody is going to "unilaterally disarm" so to speak. I see a market opening here.... a new restaurant or chain of restaurants marketing "sensible portions for sensible people" or some such. It would also do well to offer them at commensurate sensible prices...
I personally went to enough "buffets" to know how to enjoy one without feeling that I engorged myself. In fact, I really enjoy being able to take a teaspoon of something to see if I like it and then going back for a "normal" portion if I like it. I tend to have salad first if it's one that has something besides iceberg lettuce and unripe tomatoes on it.
The size of the meal compared to the Europeans' is ridiculous. In Italy for example,their plate is equivalent to a child's plate here in the U.S.,they are more aware of their body and figure.Just walking on the street you can tell which ones came from the U.S. It's embarassing!
When my family go out to eat,we always share,sometimes I even do that with friends.
We do the sharing thing a lot as well. Also, I really don't see anything wrong with ordering a meal and taking half home to take to work the next day for lunch. I've mostly learned to order what I know I can eat. I don't order much pasta because I can only eat about a cup worth of it.
I am. This is particularly prevalent at Chinese and Mexican restaurants in the US, where time and time again I order a plate of food and what I get is enough to feed at least 3 people. And for such a cheap price! Why?
Not only are people trying to stuff all this extra food into their stomach in one sitting (hence the growing obesity problem), but the ones who physically cannot consume it just take it home in a styrofoam box which ends up right in the landfill. Then there are the ones who just leave a bunch of food on their plate to be dumped in the trash. There is no greater sin on this planet than wasting food. What an insult to struggling and developing countries - another reason the US is hated.
Is there something wrong with presenting a customer with a human-size portion of food? Why not knock a couple dollars off the price and offer a normal size portion? I have traveled to other areas around the world - both poor (Mexico, Central America) and wealthy/developed (Europe/Australia) and never ever have I had to request a box to take food home in. It's just not done. I've never gone to Mexico and received a burrito the size of my foot - and I have big feet.
I have also had friends from other countries who visit here and are shocked by the huge portions of food. It's sick.
Is anyone else bugged by this?
The better restaurants in America don't serve huge portions and cater to a differant class. Yes its disturbing to be seated next to glutten man and his family and see and hear people slurp down 3 times what a normal person needs in a sitting.
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