Restaurant portion sizes are huge

[Paq]

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.

So you accept your summation of the consultation is in fact erroneous
You are conflating unrelated govt consultation to your preference for low calorie meals and small portions

These two sentences contradict each other. Which one is it you are accusing me of?

Lola is right most people don’t eat out majority of time, it’s just its easier to regulate what is in public domain than try regulate how people eat in their own homes. Obesity is linked to socioeconomics and it’s not as straightforward as food labelling. It is a complex biopsychosocial issue that needs holistic approach not mandatory tiny portions or low cal meals

Grass you’ve given the summary you want to read, not the actual content of the consultation.

I do sometimes eat til I'm uncomfortable. When I eat out somewhere lovely it's rare. I'll pick somewhere that does my favourite food and order something I couldn't make nearly as well at home then keep eating as it's so delicious and in enjoying every taste. I'm not overweight in the slightest and never have been. I eat well the majority of the time. If I go somewhere like brewers fayre with the kids I'll just eat til I'm full but tbh the portions aren't huge anyway. I've been known to finish the mixed grill. I rarely have deserts as prefer savoury food so will fill up on that rather than leave room.

It is a complex biopsychosocial issue that needs holistic approach not mandatory tiny portions or low cal meals

And how does portraying a portion for one meal which is more than the whole of many people's calorific needs for the day as the right size fit in with this holistic approach?

What does this holistic approach actually include?

@WildBurd

The other day I ate a whole Camembert starter, then a ribeye with chips, then a sticky toffee pudding.

👏👏👏👏👏

@WildBurd such a great user name

@LolaSmiles, that coupled with running and going walking helped me loose 4 stone...and go from +40% bodyfat to 23% bodyfat. ..
Good for you. As I've said repeatedly you have found something that works for you.

Here's the newsflash: you can do what works for you and your body, and other people might just he able to do the same for them and their body.

Your posts remind me of some online fitness groups that I ended up muting or leaving where individuals seem to think that their approach is right and healthy, so everyone else must be wrong. Endless droning on about why their diet approach is the scientific one, their food preferences were best. There's was the obvious side order of strongly implied judgement towards others / mentally patting themselves on the back for being (in their eyes) so much fitter and healthier than anyone who does things differently.

If you saw our running club socials it might blow your mind to see dozens of runners eating pub grub, enjoying a few drinks and still somehow managing to not be overweight, not be overeating gluttons, not be forced to clear our plates out of embarrassment. Some of us also go for a pub brunch after Parkruns too. Based on this thread we must be a unique subgroup of human beings.

If you saw our running club socials it might blow your mind to see dozens of runners eating pub grub, enjoying a few drinks and still somehow managing to not be overweight, not be overeating gluttons, not be forced to clear our plates out of embarrassment. Some of us also go for a pub brunch after Parkruns too. Based on this thread we must be a unique subgroup of human beings.

Not really. It is possible to outrun/train a lot of overindulgence if you have time enough to devote to it. But how many of them would argue that a pub meal is the ideal portion? Or that people shouldn't have the choice of a smaller portion?

I am surprised that people on here are not more supportive of others who would rather massive portions aren't the only purchasing options.

For example, if I ran for nearly 3 and a half hours I would burn off that Piri Piri chicken burger meal I linked to earlier....

Interestingly there was a thread a while back asking people who had never been overweight what they ate. Every one who replied said they ate what they wanted, when they were hungry, what they fancied and did not calorie count, eat diet or light versions or restrict certain foods. I don't remember seeing a single one who said they constantly dieted and were careful about calories nor did anyone ensure they exercised enough to burn off each meal

I never thought I'd say this, but I have genuinely just had a massive salad!

It was at Zeffirelli's in Ambleside and it was DELICIOUS.

I did also share a cheesy garlic bread with DH, but I could definitely have just eaten the salad and been full.

But how many of them would argue that a pub meal is the ideal portion? Or that people shouldn't have the choice of a smaller portion?

But you have the choice of how much of that portion to eat. It's not a waste of money, most of the cost is covering the staff and overheads not the actual food and would be similar for a smaller portion. If you eat out infrequently then a bit of waste isn't the end if the world or you can, as other posters do, take the leftovers home. Better a portion that satisfies the majority and makes life easier for kitchen staff as multiple sizes can get complicated

@itssquidstella

I never thought I'd say this, but I have genuinely just had a massive salad!

It was at Zeffirelli's in Ambleside and it was DELICIOUS.

I did also share a cheesy garlic bread with DH, but I could definitely have just eaten the salad and been full.

See im not happy with this salad. To me the vegetables in a salad should be raw! 😆. DD had a halloumi salad the other day, obviously halloumi is tastier grilled but it made all the lettuce etc go a bit limp as it was warm.

Better a portion that satisfies the majority

The majority?

Well I worked in the pub food/restaurant industry for a long time and yes, the majority of people eat most of their meal

@rantymcrantface66

Interestingly there was a thread a while back asking people who had never been overweight what they ate. Every one who replied said they ate what they wanted, when they were hungry, what they fancied and did not calorie count, eat diet or light versions or restrict certain foods. I don't remember seeing a single one who said they constantly dieted and were careful about calories nor did anyone ensure they exercised enough to burn off each meal

The question is did they fancy and eat pub sized portions a significantly proportion of the time?

yes, the majority of people eat most of their meal

The reason for this might not have been hunger but rather that in this country many people have been taught as children to clear their plates.

The question is did they fancy and eat pub sized portions a significantly proportion of the time?

Why a significant proportion of the time? As stated in this post by many, most people eat out infrequently

Not really. It is possible to outrun/train a lot of overindulgence if you have time enough to devote to it. But how many of them would argue that a pub meal is the ideal portion? Or that people shouldn't have the choice of a smaller portion?

It's not overindulgence. It's enjoying a meal with friends. The language you use when discussing other people's food intakes is quite telling. It's interesting that I think people are more than capable of adjusting their food intake for different situations, but you think that people outtrain their overindulgence and it requires time to devote to it.

Thankfully, everyone eats what they want because we have quite healthy attitudes to food and exercise. Some have starters, some don't, some have extra sides, some don't, some have desert, some don't. Some people have enough of their main course but have desert. Some people share desert. Believe it or not we are all too busy having a good time and don't spend our evening inspecting everyone's calorie intake, or discussing the need to outtrain our 'overindulgence'.

rantymcrantface66 I agree. Most of the cost comes from overheads, not some extra potatoes or the wrong sort of veg being on the plate. Nobody is forcing anyone to stuff their faces.

The reason for this might not have been hunger but rather that in this country many people have been taught as children to clear their plates.

Yet they still order desert 🤷🏼‍♀️

rantymcrantface66
That will be because they're obviously gluttons or they didn't want desert, they just felt compelled to order desert and shovel the whole thing. Either way, people don't actually want or need desert.

The only logical solution here would be to ban deserts other than miniscule slices of food police approved deserts because other adults eating a slice of cheesecake is upsetting for people who would only want 3 teaspoons of desert and would be positively stuffed for days as a result.

Yet they still order desert

Maybe they like to have some sweet food too to round off a meal. I often do. 🤷‍♀️ I just manage my portion size to account for it.

@LolaSmiles

rantymcrantface66 That will be because they're obviously gluttons or they didn't want desert, they just felt compelled to order desert and shovel the whole thing. Either way, people don't actually want or need desert.

The only logical solution here would be to ban deserts other than miniscule slices of food police approved deserts because other adults eating a slice of cheesecake is upsetting for people who would only want 3 teaspoons of desert and would be positively stuffed for days as a result.

I assume they don't eat for a week afterwards as they are so full. I mean how could they?!

The food police on this thread are more likely to berate me for only wanting a sliver of cake or a small ramekin full of apple crumble and a dash of cream instead of something which would fit in a casserole dish.