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My kitchen is open to all at any time. We entertain a lot and cook and bake for others. So the flip side of this situation is that I do sometimes forget to mark what I have made for an occasion. My son ate two full meals of beef bourguignon I had made ahead for a friend's birthday dinner and my daughter did the same thing with an entree I made for another occasion. Whoops. These would be typical things to find in the fridge, so it was hard to be too mad about it. We joke about it now
Yes, there's always the unplanned for isn't there? There have been two occasions a beloved dog consumed what was planned to be a couple of meals for the humans. One was an entire family-sized Stouffer's lasagna scored off the stovetop and the other was a 2.5 lb half-frozen package of Costco bacon scored off the counter...including most of the plastic wrapper. It was a mystery because this dog had considerable spondylosis and hadn't countersurfed anything before or since! but but
Last edited by Parnassia; 04-29-2019 at 05:58 PM..
The polar opposite is the family who always makes way more food than necessary. There are so many appetizers at Thanksgiving that you're full by the time the turkey comes out. And they constantly ask you at the dinner table if you'll please have some more. "Please have this last little bit so we don't have leftovers". And then when you do, they say "Oh wow, we finished the whole bowl! I guess I didn't make enough. Son, go see if we have some more in the freezer we can defrost quickly".
I've learned if you're visiting a family like this and they set out a plate of cheese and crackers, never ever eat the last piece or two of cheese. Even if the host says "Won't someone eat those last two pieces of Swiss so we can wash the plate?" Oh no. Because 100% of the time, if you eat the last piece or even leave just one last piece, someone will quietly get up, go to the kitchen, and slice up a whole new block of cheese, because "You all seemed to enjoy it so much and I didn't want to leave you hungry for more!" It's maddening.
There are the pasta and meatball dinners where the hostess will keep handing you meatballs to "taste" while she's stirring the gravy. It feels rude to say no, but after the second "preview" meatball, you've eaten as much ground meat as is in a hamburger, and you have no appetite left once dinner actually rolls around. Maddening, I say.
If you stay up late playing cards with them, and you say "yes" to a bowl of popcorn, you will find yourself surrounded a few minutes later with not just popcorn but chips and salsa, the cheese, donuts, ice cream.
When you really don't want something, you have to do this dance where you refuse the offer of food at least 3 times before they give up. Sometimes you have to get rude about it. "No...please. PLEASE! I really don't want any!"
The amazing part is the family I'm thinking of isn't even as overweight as you'd think. Just a little bit. It defies reason.
When you really don't want something, you have to do this dance where you refuse the offer of food at least 3 times before they give up. Sometimes you have to get rude about it. "No...please. PLEASE! I really don't want any!"
I can think of one worse situation. The person who pushes food on you and won't take "no" for an answer, then when you take them up on the offer they start complaining about how much all that food COST them! Or they invite you out to dinner, wherever you want to go, their treat, then haggle with the servers and complain about the check on the way home.
Hmm, when I am a guest in someone's home I accept what they offer in the manner they choose to offer it. They don't have to explain or justify what they do in their own home. I don't second guess it or waste energy wondering about why they do what they do. If I decide I don't like how they eat I'll make other arrangements the next time.
Completely irrelevant.
OP just was flabbergasted and wanted to gauge how common this practice of rationing or controlling meals is. Thankfully it is not terribly common, at least in my circles. But we are mainly Italians and Jews so there's that!
I do, however, recall a very unpleasant dinner-thing I endured many years ago at a new friends home. The food was simple but good. And limited to precisely one chicken thigh, a few peas, a small salad.. and maybe some potatoes? but I don't remember anything more except that when I asked for another piece I was told 'Sorry, no. We are eating that another time'.
I came hungry and I left hungry and I couldn't keep a conversation going as my mind was reeling with disbelief.
Never forgot it.
If someone has guests over and truly needs to ration their food, then they should host a potluck instead. That's what you do if you can't afford to buy food for everyone.
I do know someone who brings food over to dinner parties and "rations" it so that she can take home leftovers. Which is pathetic, since she should only bring what's she is willing to share, to begin with.
I can't imagine telling my guests "every one can have one dinner roll. One chicken wing. Two glasses of ice tea. No seconds on dessert."
really, I wouldn't even host dinner at my home if it had to be like that.
My inlaws ration their food when they have guests over. I bring my own food, because I hate that. I won't eat any of their food or even drink anything at their house, other than tap water.
Night owls? I'm not a morning person, the thought of food before I've been awake for at least an hour is disgusting. And now that my kids are grown I definitely have a lot of down time in the morning since I went to a job that never starts before 11 AM. Night owls live different lives.
Yeah, I'm usually up till 1am, wake up @8 or 9 and rarely eat before noon.. dinner ~6+ ..works for me.
My MIL didn't think money should be wasted on food. But she didn't ration it.
She volunteered at the food bank so was able to bring home each week a banana box full of outdated food that she was always pressing on us when we visited. Month-old pies and cakes, overripe fruit, that sort of thing. No idea if they were moldy or not because after I innocently accepted a slice of one once and tasted it, I never did again.
We took her to Ruth's Chris once for a special treat. I thought she was going to burst a blood vessel when she saw the prices.
But think of it the other way...those parents might be thinking, "hey, how sad that family feeds their kids processed and fried junk food, and sugary sodas."
I agree.
Americans eat a great Abundance of ill- preserved foods and snacks.
Portion control appears non-existent.
Often, I endure comments like how's your waist so small but your back and Quads are massive. ....my response- I appreciate my mode of transportation. Undoubtedly we'll only receive one as we traverse this life. Take care of your second brain.. your stomach.
Completely irrelevant.
OP just was flabbergasted and wanted to gauge how common this practice of rationing or controlling meals is. Thankfully it is not terribly common, at least in my circles. But we are mainly Italians and Jews so there's that!
I do, however, recall a very unpleasant dinner-thing I endured many years ago at a new friends home. The food was simple but good. And limited to precisely one chicken thigh, a few peas, a small salad.. and maybe some potatoes? but I don't remember anything more except that when I asked for another piece I was told 'Sorry, no. We are eating that another time'.
I came hungry and I left hungry and I couldn't keep a conversation going as my mind was reeling with disbelief.
Never forgot it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PriscillaVanilla
If someone has guests over and truly needs to ration their food, then they should host a potluck instead. That's what you do if you can't afford to buy food for everyone.
I do know someone who brings food over to dinner parties and "rations" it so that she can take home leftovers. Which is pathetic, since she should only bring what's she is willing to share, to begin with.
I can't imagine telling my guests "every one can have one dinner roll. One chicken wing. Two glasses of ice tea. No seconds on dessert."
really, I wouldn't even host dinner at my home if it had to be like that.
My inlaws ration their food when they have guests over. I bring my own food, because I hate that. I won't eat any of their food or even drink anything at their house, other than tap water.
Bingo! If I'm so broke or on some sort of a diet I won't have people over. A guest at my house should not feel hungry for long periods of time. If someone is at my house, there is cereal, or doughnuts, or muffins (SOMETHING) to eat when you get up. If you choose not to eat it fine. Cereal and milk are served in adult sized dishes and I'm going to have enough for multiple glasses if the guest(s) want it. For other meals there will be enough so nobody goes home hungry. No limits (within reason) on burgers, chicken, whatever. Obviously a glutton wouldn't be invited back.
Potlucks help resolve this problem. I've always wondered what hosting etiquette is I've had so many bizarre encounters lately I have no clue anymore.
I'm also not going to make a big presentation. There's the food eat it. It seems strange to make a big to do if you're rationing.
Just my thoughts. As I said, I don't even know what etiquette is with this anymore. I'll reiterate, this is not asking for advice or me expecting hosts to do this, just observing. Read the first post quoted.
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