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Original poster

Afternoon Tea - how can anyone eat it all?

483 replies

wasntlikethisinthegoodolddays · 05/06/2024 12:43

I've been looking at things to do next weekend. Looked on Wowcher, Groupon etc. A regular offer is Afternoon Tea for two. Whilst it looks lovely, they regularly feature about 6 sandwich corners each, a few savoury items and FOUR cakes each. I love my food, and I like cake, but there's no way I could eat all of that in one sitting. Can anyone eat four cakes in a row? Are we meant to take a doggy bag?

OP posts:
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Bringbackthebeaver · 05/06/2024 12:56

Well it's not 4 full sized cakes is it? They're tiny cakes, usually macaron sized.

It's meant to be a treat, so people usually overindulge. You make sure you're hungry when you go and if it's too much you just bring it home!

worcesterpear · 05/06/2024 12:55

I've only been to two or three afternoon teas in my life, but in my limited experience, you never get enough sandwiches and get far too many cakes and sweet stuff. At one of or two of them I took the cakes home.

OneTC · 05/06/2024 12:54

Easily IME

Original poster
wasntlikethisinthegoodolddays · 05/06/2024 12:54

Not meant to be an under eating thread. I eat too much and I'm 3 stone overweight. I've never eaten 4 cakes in a row though!

OP posts:
User1979289 · 05/06/2024 12:54

Re-reading you OP, could you confirm this for me?
Afternoon Tea - how can anyone eat it all then 'there's no way I could eat all of that in one sitting
Do you not have any teenagers, brothers, friends, a DH, partner, dad even who could eat this? Can you not imagine anyone eating it all? Even the Rock or Michael Phelps?
I really think people who start these threads need to think about the motivation. It's pretty weird.

Fizbosshoes · 05/06/2024 12:54

I've never had an afternoon tea, now I want one. I'm sure I wouldn't have a problem with it but in the event I couldn't finish I'd take the leftovers home!

Over40Overdating · 05/06/2024 12:54

@Pawtree give it 10 mins before someone is along to berate those who ‘scoff’ cucumber sandwiches and ‘shovel’ scones and ‘pig out’ on a macron.

The tone deafness is grating at best of times but the threads on food, eating and weight are off the scale right now.
When vast swathes of people are worrying how to feed their families yet another thread where people will revel in how little they can eat as a sign of their moral virtue is going to be very tiresome.

HellonHeels · 05/06/2024 12:53

Doesn't sound like afternoon tea is really your thing.

I'm pretty sure you can get wowcher deals for health spa type treatments, maybe a colonic irrigation? So cleansing!

AIstolemylunch · 05/06/2024 12:53

When I go I dont have breakfast or lunch (and rarely have dinner). I can normally eat a scone, one of all the cakes and one of all the types of finger smadwiches. They aren't massive remember. We have taken a box back with us before (they are happy for you to do this) but I normally have a couple of teenage boys with me as well and they can literally hoover up several people's afternoon teas (and still expect dinner as soon as we get home). They will have all of theirs, so say 2 scones, 4 cakes, 4 sandwiches, plus eat my second scone and any spare cakes or sandwiches. They always ask for more sandwiches too.

If you let me know wher and when, they will happily come and help you hoover up yours.

SilverSimca · 05/06/2024 12:53

I had no problem! As others have said, a/ the cakes are tiny and b/ you are replacing a meal, it isn't an extra meal. And I had two scones, four tiny dessert things/cakes, sandwiches and savouries.

RedRobyn2021 · 05/06/2024 12:52

Aren't they meant to be very small cakes and sandwiches? I haven't had one before but that's what I thought

EveryKneeShallBow · 05/06/2024 12:51

I don’t really like that much cake in one go, but I’ve never been to one where they haven’t offered a box for leftovers.

User1979289 · 05/06/2024 12:51

Breakfast, early afternoon tea, dinner or breakfast, early lunch, late afternoon tea. The 'anyone' comment is a bit bonkers tbh. Have you seen what manual labourers eat each day? If we go to Bettys DH has a large main, then an afternoon tea, then some cheese on toast or something to finish. And he is very very lean.

ClaudiaWinklepanda · 05/06/2024 12:51

sprigatito · 05/06/2024 12:46

Take a Tupperware if you're worried. But yes, there do exist people - women, even! who can eat some sandwiches and a few small bits of cake without rupturing themselves.

But enjoy your thread full of phrases like "hoover up", "polish off" and "couldn't possibly manage". It's been at least an hour since we had one.

You're forgetting "stuffing", "gobbling" and the mention of the starving 6 foot rugby playing son.

pasturesgreen · 05/06/2024 12:50

They won't be massive slabs of cake, they'll be tiny

Droolylabradors · 05/06/2024 12:50

Even Fortnums give you a going home box. I felt sick after afternoon tea there. So much gateau.

Over40Overdating · 05/06/2024 12:49

The portions are usually tiny. You don’t have to eat it all. You can ask for a doggy bag.

You could just have tea and cake or usual sized lunch.

The wide eyed ‘do people really eat this much’ threads on here are getting very tired.

2dogsandabudgie · 05/06/2024 12:49

Sandwiches are usually finger sandwiches so very small and the cakes are tiny. They always look much bigger in the photos.

curtaintwitcher78 · 05/06/2024 12:49

I'm more savoury than sweet in my tastes so I could eat sandwiches until I burst, but I can never manage all the cakes.

MasterBeth · 05/06/2024 12:49

Open mouth. Insert sandwich/cake. Close, chew and swallow. Repeat.

HTH

WYorkshireRose · 05/06/2024 12:48

They're not full sized cakes, unless you're doing afternoon tea wrong.

memyselfi · 05/06/2024 12:48

You're not expected to finish it that's why they have fancy boxes to take the food home.

Itsmeamandaberry · 05/06/2024 12:48

Everything is tiny apart from the worst bit (the scones). Is this one of these competitive under eating threads?

Anniegetyourgun · 05/06/2024 12:47

Only 4? That's a mere snack.

Pawtree · 05/06/2024 12:47

The sandwiches and cakes are tiny. Like, hardly a bite each normally. But they will give you a box to take away any leftovers (I find scones filling).

But this is Mumsnet with competitive undereating, so someone will be along to tell you that even drinking a full cup of the tea is too much and one cucumber sandwich should last you a week.