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Original poster

Does anyone else find it annoying someone that always leaves some food on the plate?

104 replies

nickiredcar · 25/12/2018 11:17

Even if they serve themselves out they always leave something on the plate. I know their choice and everything, but to me it is a bit annoying leaving this food to be binned every meal. If you add it up over the year it's probably several weeks work of meals and at a time where so many need food banks.

OP posts:
DBN1 · 25/12/2018 17:48

Unless you are vegan chickens shouldn't be fed on kitchen scraps sadly My parents feed their chickens everything including meat, chicken and hen eggs (I tell them not to do that, seems off to me!).

ILoveMaxiBondi · 25/12/2018 17:54

I find it far ruder to impose an expectation on how much someone else puts in their belly. Mind your business. People get to decide how much they eat.

Karmin · 25/12/2018 18:59

Chickens are omnivores, and have been known to be cannibals

TheRhythmessCarolMan · 25/12/2018 20:15

@Singlenotsingle I thought you meant you had chickens and then ate them so you felt bad about leaving any waste so you ate the lot!

TheRhythmessCarolMan · 25/12/2018 20:18

There is an etiquette thingamabop rule out there that suggests you should leave behind a tiny amount so it gives off the polite message to your host that you've had just the perfect amount.

Eye roll.

I clear my plate.

greendale17 · 25/12/2018 20:18

So, put less on your plate then. It isn't rocket science Hmm

^Completely agree. Grown adults can’t even do this properly. The mind boggles

Rosepetalgeranium · 25/12/2018 20:32

It's really not that hard to judge how much you want, if you're really bad at it go on the side of caution as you can always add more.

UserMe18 · 25/12/2018 20:35

Sometimes the food isn't as appealing as it looks....!

DramaAlpaca · 25/12/2018 20:38

I was brought up to clear my plate & usually do, I just put out what I know I'll eat.

I brought up the DC to stop when they are full, as does DH. Any leftovers go to the dogs so there's never any waste.

Oblomov18 · 25/12/2018 20:41

I'm surprised this bothers you. Taking loads and not eating it, leaving tonnes is one thing.
But leaving a tiny bit? What difference does that make?

Largepiecesofcrookedwood · 25/12/2018 22:02

It's totally irrational OP Grin
I similarly though have to restrain myself when I'm dishing up dinner (even into serving dishes so we can help ourselves) and DH says without fail, every fecking day "not too much for me"
I've no idea why it annoys me so much Grin

northernstars · 25/12/2018 22:32

As a child I had to eat everything on my plate or I was force fed. It took me years to get over that and would always leave a bit as a result. Now as an adult I can just put out the amount of food I need and it's fine. But if a full plate was put in front of me with the expectation of me eating it all I would find it very difficult. And I do hate waste of any kind.

BumDisease · 25/12/2018 22:34

The only person I've ever noticed doing this is someone who is so theatrical about it; "Oh I'm just so STUFFED I couldn't POSSIBLY eat another bite OH I'M SOOOOOO FULL how can anyone else still be eating?! etc etc" and yes it's very irritating.

Chesntoots · 25/12/2018 22:40

I have a good friend and they do the leave two peas thing. Drives me bonkers.

I could understand if it was a few bits, but why two peas? They eat really quickly too, I mean really quickly. He says it's because he was in the forces and didn't know when he would get the next meal. Surely if that were the case, you'd eat those last two bastard peas as well!!!

LoniceraJaponica · 25/12/2018 23:44

"Lonicera Not so. If you leave just a little on your plate it shows that your host has judged things to a nicety."

Not so. It shows that the person who helped themselves to food misjudged how much they thought they could eat. It is a real pain for the host when clearing plates to have to scrape uneaten food into the bin (our council doesn't do food waste bins)

GunpowderGelatine · 25/12/2018 23:47

This is me Xmas Blush

It's like I'm physically unable to eat everything. I don't know why. Even with a chocolate bar I leave a little bit in the bottom of the pack. I didn't think it was annoying though to others

llangennith · 25/12/2018 23:58

Why take it if you're not going to eat it? Is it a way of showing you have self control? Sign of an eating disorder?

Rosepetalgeranium · 26/12/2018 08:58

I don't see how if you're serving yourself or there's some food left you need to leave some to waste? If there's leftovers then the host has made enough

Mumberjack · 26/12/2018 09:06

I stop eating when I’m full, that means there’s usually a small amount left.
It drives my DH mad if he’s washing the dishes, saying there’s no need for me to leave anything.
He was brought up to always clear his plate regardless of enjoyment or amount; he’s had disordered eating and will have lifelong issues with food.
Knowing what he goes through with body image I’d rather leave a bit on my plate.

JustMarriedAndLovingIt · 26/12/2018 09:07

My step son is like this. He will absolutely insist he wants something and then nibble at it. DH always indulges him whereas I know he will do it (known DSS 3.5 years) yet it happens every time. We serve him things he asks for too which is even more infuriating.

LoniceraJaponica · 26/12/2018 10:14

So, why don't you put less on your plate in the first place Mumberjack? Confused

I don't like to overeat either so I don't pile my plate high with food.

BatsAreCool · 26/12/2018 10:19

I don't get the 'just put less on your plate'. You put what you think you might want but why shovel everything down when you start to feel full. What happens then, you think you should just eat it so your plate is empty.

We were made to clean our plate when younger and it's taken me ages to stop that nonsense and stop when I start to sense the fullness.

I don't care if others have extra, clean their plates or leave food. It is not for me to dictate how others eat because it 'upsets me'.

Rosepetalgeranium · 26/12/2018 10:52

But the choice isn't to either have a huge eating disorder or leave food to waste. There's a middle solution.

Waste is waste, it's annoying to see unnesisarry waste especially when so many need a food bank.

It annoys me when people leave the tap running when brushing their teeth. Does it really affect me, no? Is it my buisness even if it's not in my house? Yes as it's mains water and we all get affected when there is a water shortage and it's silly just just waste it because that's what you are used to.

Santaclarita · 26/12/2018 11:04

I get angry with my family when they try guiting me with this bullshit. 'you haven't ate everything, there are starving children in Africa don't you know?'. They stopped bothering me because my response everytime is 'yes I'm sure the starving children in Africa will be so pleased if I force myself to eat everything and then throw it up because I couldn't manage. That will make them feel much happier'.

You're being unreasonable and narrow minded.

Santaclarita · 26/12/2018 11:08

Oh and sometimes you just dont know how hungry you are. If you're able to tell exactly how hungry you are all the time, well done. But I can't. I can feel absolutely starving and sometimes a sandwich will fill me up, other times a large pizza goes in easily and I'm still hungry. I can't tell which one I'm going to get. It's annoying but that's life.

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