To be confused about this campaign on Mumsnet called #ClearAPLate?

[VeryPoorFloor]

I don't quite see the point of this campaign to be honest. The message that we should not waste food is a very good one (I hate waste!) but shouldn't the focus be more on only buying what you need, using leftovers and not putting too much food on your plate in the first place?

I thought that telling kids to clear their plates wasn't the best thing to do as it encourages them to ignore their natural appetite signals and can lead to disordered eating. Plus we are constantly being told about the obesity crisis in this country so it seems more sensible to be encouraging people to eat according to their hunger rather than eat everything on their plate regardless of whether they want it.

Or have I missed something? Or am I just being unduly picky as any campaign that reminds us to reduce waste is a good thing?

[Janethegirl]

I agree floor, not that I'd heard about the campaign. Insisting children clear their plates tends to cause eating disorders and I would never do this.
However they wouldn't be offered a pudding

[500smiles]

YANBU for all the reasons stated in your post.

[Fairylea]

Yanbu.

[AuntieStella]

Is this a MN campaign?

Or is it a campaign that someone has posted here?

I thought MN usually moved other campaigns to an appropriate topic, or deleted than altogether. You're not allowed to solicit support or votes, and ai always thought that was for the simple reason that boards could be overrun with everyone's fave charity and/or DC in a competition.

And if this is a MN campaign, I would have expected to see much more communication, both consultation about selecting it and a stickied thread launching it.

[EmpressOfJurisfiction]

Just Googled. It's a Unilever/ Oxfam campaign to cut down on food waste. www.theguardian.com/unilever-clearaplate/2014/nov/07/food-waste-empty-plates-in-support-of-full-stomachs

[VitalStollenFix]

I agree with you. That's absolutely the wrong message. I've not noticed this campaign. When did it start?

It's not on to waste food so keep eating even if you're full?

no. Wrong.

I agree that it's better to do the things you suggest. Leftovers recipes, saying only take a little then see if you're still hungry, meal planning, etc. But no matter what is left on your plate or if you are stuffed, carry on eating because it's important the plate is clear? That's just plain daft, tbh.

[VitalStollenFix]

oh. it's one of those silly take a picture things. I hate those.

[SpringBreaker]

If portion sizes were correct, then clearing your plate should not be an issue.

People tend to "snack" way too much and then eat full sized meals too.

[Mehitabel6]

I didn't know it was a campaign but think it wrong- you should stop eating when you have had enough.
Stop snacking would be a better one.

[EustaciaBenson]

Yanbui thought the same thing when I saw it

[Mulligrubs]

YANBU - on instagram etc if you search for #clearaplate there's loads of pics of empty eaten-off plates. It's so bizarre. How is that raising awareness of food waste and poverty? I think it's a poorly thought out campaign for all the reasons you state.

[Hatespiders]

It would be better to call it ' ClearYourFridge' (before buying yet more grub to stuff in it and letting things go off in there and be thrown away) I bet this is how most food waste happens. We try to eat our fridge almost empty (and our very small freezer) before using up what's left in a casserole/pie, than re-stocking once more. I'd be ashamed to throw any food away, as I've seen at first hand the terrible hunger in Africa. Also, just after the War, when food was still rationed, nobody ever threw food away! Even a bit of dried-up leftover Spam was chopped up and eaten.

[TinyTear]

YANBU

I don't insist my nearly 3yo clears her plate and both me and my DH have (still) vivid memories of being made to stay on and clear our plates when we wanted to throw up...

I put enough on her plate for a hungry day, and tell her she needs to eat at least half. the rest we save for later or me and DH eat it... (it's never that much)

[ChickenMe]

Yanbu

This annoys me. The more you over ride the body's full signal the more distorted your appetite becomes.

A focus on portion size, tips on freezing things and ideas for making leftovers appealing would be better.

OT a bit but an ex friend of mine went ballistic at me once for only eating half a meal in a restaurant to the extent that she tried to force feed me. Apparently people are starving. I said "send them my leftovers then". It was one of the many death knells for her and I. Interestingly she was vastly overweight.

[ChickenMe]

Ps removing dates on fruit and veg would be good too. I know people who chuck produce away if it's past its best before

[TinyTear]

Even more shocking, I have known one bloke who threw EGGS away if it was past the date!!!

[TeWiSavesTheDay]

Well. I don't think it's a great idea either. But I'll try it on my fussy eaters later (at 2 and 5yo I'm not convinced it will work - I mitigate their ridiculous fussiness by boxing up their untouched dinners for DHs lunch the next day...)

[VeryPoorFloor]

So its not just me then!! I saw it on the Mumsnet home page but I see now that could have just been advertising. Anyway I would have expected Oxfam to put a bit more thought into it. The supermarkets have so much to answer for I think - the BOGOF offers, the prepackaged fruit and veg (so you have to buy more than you need). Sometimes its more expensive to buy a small amount than it is to buy a large amount of something.

I think though that I also fail to see the link between one family eating everything they have on the table (and wasting less) and then trying to help those that can't afford decent food.