Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

Restaurant portion sizes are huge

800 replies

Paq · 31/07/2021 22:05

Does anyone else find this? Went to a pub/restaurant last night and the portion sizes were insane. I managed a third of my salad, brought the rest home and shared it with DH for lunch today. DD got through half her curry and 6'1" hollow legged DH just about managed to finish his risotto but then felt overstuffed all night.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
eightyfourandahalf · 01/08/2021 22:20

@gogohm

Depends on where you go, the more expensive the restaurant the smaller the portion!
I read that a lot, but most nice restaurants have perfectly decent portions, does it mean the cheap and rubbishy ones serve huge portions?

That dish is a perfectly reasonable portion to me...
Add starter and desert if you like.

Restaurant portion sizes are huge
BlossomOnTrees · 01/08/2021 22:20

We went to frankie and bennies the other week. Had a proper meal there, was still hungry after and I by no means have a big appetite

NotMyCat · 01/08/2021 22:24

@grasstreeleaf although sciatica isn't always weight related though

grasstreeleaf · 01/08/2021 22:26

I don't understand what you are getting at with that comment. I just want to eat a meal without anyone pointing out how many WW points something is, or how many calories something is. I don't believe that has anything to do with stress.

So no one in your circle has had weight related or metabolic related health issues? I'm surprised, since so many of our population have. The stress comes from that. People describe a lot of cancers as a lifestyle or metabolic disease. One of the worst fears there is. A bit of calorie counting surely is forgivable?

grasstreeleaf · 01/08/2021 22:28

although sciatica isn't always weight related though

Often is. Or weight in proportion to muscle tone and flexibility. Not always can be a result of injury.

NotMyCat · 01/08/2021 22:29

@grasstreeleaf

although sciatica isn't always weight related though

Often is. Or weight in proportion to muscle tone and flexibility. Not always can be a result of injury.

Well yes.. people would probably look at me and assume my sciatica was caused by the fact I'm fat. It wasn't. Just people are quick enough to judge already without attributing sciatica to weight
Sparklingbrook · 01/08/2021 22:30

@grasstreeleaf

I don't understand what you are getting at with that comment. I just want to eat a meal without anyone pointing out how many WW points something is, or how many calories something is. I don't believe that has anything to do with stress.

So no one in your circle has had weight related or metabolic related health issues? I'm surprised, since so many of our population have. The stress comes from that. People describe a lot of cancers as a lifestyle or metabolic disease. One of the worst fears there is. A bit of calorie counting surely is forgivable?

No they haven't as it happens. But I have plenty of stress in my life believe me, including 'worst fears' but that isn't to do with this discussion about eating.
grasstreeleaf · 01/08/2021 22:37

. But I have plenty of stress in my life believe me, including 'worst fears' but that isn't to do with this discussion about eating.

So with just a teensy stretch of imagination can you imagine if the stress was related to a disease which was linked to over eating? Yet you still want to be sociable and lead a full life. Wouldn't choice over portion size help a little bit?

Sparklingbrook · 01/08/2021 22:38

@grasstreeleaf

. But I have plenty of stress in my life believe me, including 'worst fears' but that isn't to do with this discussion about eating.

So with just a teensy stretch of imagination can you imagine if the stress was related to a disease which was linked to over eating? Yet you still want to be sociable and lead a full life. Wouldn't choice over portion size help a little bit?

This is getting a bit much now and personal. I'll leave you to it.
grasstreeleaf · 01/08/2021 22:40

This is getting a bit much now and personal. I'll leave you to it.

Just the truth. It can be a bit much and personal if it affects you personally.

eightyfourandahalf · 01/08/2021 22:49

So no one in your circle has had weight related or metabolic related health issues? I'm surprised, since so many of our population have. The stress comes from that. People describe a lot of cancers as a lifestyle or metabolic disease. One of the worst fears there is. A bit of calorie counting surely is forgivable?

I do not know anyone who is rude enough or self-centred enough to talk about calories when having a meal with others! Confused

grasstreeleaf · 01/08/2021 22:54

I do not know anyone who is rude enough or self-centred enough to talk about calories when having a meal with others! 

I don't generally but the veneer might crack occasionally. Shit, I've come through life threatening cancer, turned my health and fitness around completely, who cares if I have the odd diet chat during a meal? I generally dine with people who actually care about me...

eightyfourandahalf · 01/08/2021 23:13

I generally dine with people who actually care about me...

doesn't mean they have to care about the amount of calories there are in your side salad.

EspressoDoubleShot · 01/08/2021 23:39

who cares if I have the odd diet chat during a meal People are probably too polite and might feel inhibited asking you to stop imposing about food calories and your opinion on portion size. Having had a health crisis that you fortunately survived You have an emotional and social leverage that most people won’t challenge. Throughout thread you’ve been quite strident i wonder if you’re like that when out in real life too

MrsMaizel · 02/08/2021 00:06

@grasstreeleaf

This is getting a bit much now and personal. I'll leave you to it.

Just the truth. It can be a bit much and personal if it affects you personally.

You are starting to get quite offensive now to other people with cancer and family members with it or who have died - you cured yours , great for you but it doesn't work that way for everyone .
KarenofSparta · 02/08/2021 05:24

@grasstreeleaf

Not something to be counted or weighed

I'm thankful for weighing and counting. It got me back much needed erpective and allowed me to take control. I went from having cancer and sciatica and a BMI of 27, fat percentage of over 40 percent to a functional back, being cancer free as far as we can tell for 3 years, a BMI of 18.5 and fat percentage of 23% and being able to run 10k! I honestly don't mind a bit of counting a weighing. But I do like food still!

Wow. Well done grasstreeleaf, what an achievement.
Original poster
Paq · 02/08/2021 06:36

I can't quite keep up with this thread but here's some of my thoughts on the general gist:

  1. Yes, restaurants should put calories on their menus, makes entire sense.
  2. The population is fat and getting fatter. This doesn't mean as a whole people are becoming more stupid or weak willed. We live in an obesogenic society and restaurants have a part to play in tackling that. Being a business doesn't absolve them of all responsibility, we expect companies to operate within environmental standards, I think we should do the same for human health.
  3. Being fat or thin isn't a measure of a person's worthiness or success or value, it's just a crude health measure. Generally being too fat or too thin is bad.
  4. I hate feeling over stuffed. I hate food waste and I hate situations that lead people to over eat. Varying portion sizes in restaurants would be amazing, doggy bags are the next best thing.
OP posts:
Original poster
Paq · 02/08/2021 06:39

Also, for your critique, I found a picture of the offending salad on their trip advisor reviews. Although I think mine was bigger. Also a picture of the Thai green curry.

Restaurant portion sizes are huge
Restaurant portion sizes are huge
OP posts:
grasstreeleaf · 02/08/2021 06:49

You are starting to get quite offensive now to other people with cancer and family members with it or who have died - you cured yours , great for you but it doesn't work that way for everyone .

Wow! Who says I cured mine? Healthcare Practitioners do describes cancer as a 'lifestyle/ metabolic disease' and it is linked to being overweight/obese. I didn't decide that. My own mother and aunts also died of cancer. I fully know it doesn't always work out for people. But given the odds I find it quite distasteful to be told I should shut up and be happy that pub and restaurant portions are far too big for most people's calorific requirements!

grasstreeleaf · 02/08/2021 06:54

People are probably too polite and might feel inhibited asking you to stop imposing about food calories and your opinion on portion size. Having had a health crisis that you fortunately survived You have an emotional and social leverage that most people won’t challenge. Throughout thread you’ve been quite strident i wonder if you’re like that when out in real life too
Tbh in real life I don't need to say anything. People just get it.

MarleneDietrichsSmile · 02/08/2021 07:00

I honestly wish portion sizes were bigger, and I have no need for calories or WW points

It’s a rare occurrence to eat out, and I love to out when I do, without restrictions

One restaurant near us does lovely food, but very low carb. So I always order a side of chips. The whole table then takes “just one chip” (or 2 or 3) and I am left with 3 chips for myself. Bloody low carb freaks pinching my chips Grin

This would not happen if everyone had their own big portion

Big portions rule

LolaSmiles · 02/08/2021 07:01

grasstreeleaf
The issue is that you seem to think that your personal experiences and preferences mean that you can speak for everyone else, which you have done throughout this thread with your claims of what most people should or shouldn't eat.

You've clearly gone through a lot and have found changes and habits that work for you. That's excellent.

It doesn't give you grounds to decide what is right for most people though, nor decide that people who do eat standard restaurant portions must be wrong/eat too much etc. Plenty of people are capable of managing their food intake across a day or a week and just because they don't do it your way, doesn't make them wrong.

MarleneDietrichsSmile · 02/08/2021 07:03

@grasstreeleaf, congratulations on your recovery and lifestyle changes. My friends who have cancer are all slim and sporty though. Weight is a contributing factor only in some case, no?

RampantIvy · 02/08/2021 07:03

That salad looks delicious @Paq.

Original poster
Paq · 02/08/2021 07:07

@RampantIvy it was genuinely fantastic. I love salads. To the person upthread who said "who goes to a restaurant and orders salad?" like it was a joyless act by a depressed dieter, the opposite is true.

OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread