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Original poster

Why are fish and chip portions so big?

158 replies

OutingHobby · 05/04/2022 18:09

If the price of fish and chips is going up couldn't they just start to make the portions smaller? One large cod and chips is enough to feed 3 of us for dinner round here!

OP posts:
HRTQueen · 06/04/2022 00:15

Who has left over chips Confused

Our fish and chip shop does children’s, standard and large

Standard is enough for me and I’m greedy. I love fish and chip but often feel but rubbish and bloated after but it’s worth it Grin

Original poster
OutingHobby · 06/04/2022 01:16

@ClaudineClare if you use the juices from day 6 from the oily packaging you could make a stock for a soup for day 7

OP posts:
MrsLargeEmbodied · 06/04/2022 06:39

it is never as nice as you think it will be imo
and we always share the chips

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 06/04/2022 06:55

Two cod and chips (large portions) comes to just under £15 here.

Both DH can easily polish off a large portion each - no such thing as leftover chips in this house, though the cats and dog get a share of the fish Grin

YanTanTetheraPetheraPimp · 06/04/2022 07:08

@OutingHobby

I have noticed that everywhere has started including chips and you can't buy just fish on its own. this trend hasn't reached us yet, its all seperate mix and match here.
Our nearest chippy (6 miles away so not that near!) has always sold fish separately so we occasionally have 2 portions of fish and 1 small chips (which is a mountain). I certainly couldn’t eat a regular fish and chips portion, their Pensioners meal (fish, chips, peas, bread roll and butter) is massive.
daisychainsandrainbows · 06/04/2022 08:01

@ClaudineClare Grin

Lastqueenofscotland · 06/04/2022 08:05

Depends on the chippy. Where I used to live the local large was ridiculous it looked like an entire whale in batter. I’m a huge eater and would say it was enough for four.
There was a posh one a bit further out where a portion would have you wondering what the ration was.
Where I live now a small portion is about right for one, large for two.

ifonly4 · 06/04/2022 08:34

We've always had a portion between two of us (just can't manage any more), in fact, when DD was younger we'd split it three ways and have a few beans on the side.

BarbaraofSeville · 06/04/2022 09:06

Portions here are massive so I'll generally have fish, chips and curry sauce or peas and it will last two meals. They reheat fine.

You literally can't get it all on a (large) dinner plate in one go anyway - the fish hangs off both sides and the chips fall off the edges.

Or DP and I might get a fish each and share the chips, or if we have leftover chips, I make them into a chip omelette the next day, it's only like a Spanish tortilla after all.

BarbaraofSeville · 06/04/2022 09:07

[quote HoldingTheDoor]Pass on the rock eel. It's more often than not an endangered species of shark.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rock-salmon-shark-fish-and-chips-endangered-spiny-dogfish-sold-uk-a9095956.html

www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/31/fish-and-chip-shops-are-selling-endangered-sharks-dna-tests-prove[/quote]
It's nearly all haddock round here anyway. No-one wants cod or anything else.

longtompot · 06/04/2022 10:02

It varies here. One place does such a huge portion of chips we had loads left over. We didn't realise at the time as it was the first time ordering from there. Our usual one we get a portion of fish or battered sausage each, my dh and ed have a regular chips each and yd and I share a portion, plus a pot of curry sauce each.

If you do have lots of chips left they are good frozen (do it in a flat baking sheet and then put into a freezer bag) and they fry in a deep fryer. They are like triple cooked chips

Original poster
OutingHobby · 06/04/2022 10:33

[quote HoldingTheDoor]Pass on the rock eel. It's more often than not an endangered species of shark.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rock-salmon-shark-fish-and-chips-endangered-spiny-dogfish-sold-uk-a9095956.html

www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jan/31/fish-and-chip-shops-are-selling-endangered-sharks-dna-tests-prove[/quote]
How awful

OP posts:
motherofawhirlwind · 06/04/2022 11:36

Haven't RTFT but leftover chips in an Actifry is lovely next day. Ditto mixed kebab meats. Only takes 10 minutes.

Ifailed · 06/04/2022 12:09

I expect the price will rise quite steeply, 30% of cod used to come from Russia. As a lot of chippies use palm oil to cook (I doubt if many people are aware), the shortage of sunflower oil that's predicted due to war in Ukraine won't have a direct affect, but I expect cooking oil prices will rise in general.

All of this will probably lead to smaller portions, so OP you may get your wish but I doubt the price will drop.

BarbaraofSeville · 06/04/2022 12:30

In Yorkshire it's 95% haddock cooked in beef dripping, so perhaps we'll be less affected by either cod or palm/sunflower oil issues?

SpringLobelia · 06/04/2022 12:30

Our local chippy has huge portions also. But thankfully they sell in small medium and large. I usually get small cod and chips and still am stuffed! (And I am 4 stone overweight so by no means a small eater).

They also do battered brussels with cranberry sauce at Christmas which are the bomb.

Ifailed · 06/04/2022 16:07

in Yorkshire it's 95% haddock cooked in beef dripping

I'll take you stats at face value, however when the price of oil rises it will affect the cost of all frying fats.

IncompleteSenten · 06/04/2022 16:13

As pp say, it differs.
There's a few places around us where you'd need seconds and possibly thirds and a couple where you could feed the five thousand 😁 and everything in between. My husband went to the massive portions one and only needed to get two chips and two fish between four adults. The portions were bloody enormous. And that's actual enormous, not 'I'm so teeny tiny that a whiff of vinegar and a lick of a chip and I'm full for a fortnight' enormous. I'm talking Proper Fat Bastard Enormous.

dwhat · 06/04/2022 16:13

Huge has a different meaning on here hasn't it?

It's like being hot in the house in winter has a different meaning on here.

In real life no-one squeals "Oh too much." at a chippy, same as no-one sits in 14 degrees in your living room with your coat on all winter because 15 is tropical.

It's Mythical Mumsnet again.

IncompleteSenten · 06/04/2022 16:14

The only problem with fat bastard fish & chip shop is their batter is soggy.

IncompleteSenten · 06/04/2022 16:16

@dwhat

Huge has a different meaning on here hasn't it?

It's like being hot in the house in winter has a different meaning on here.

In real life no-one squeals "Oh too much." at a chippy, same as no-one sits in 14 degrees in your living room with your coat on all winter because 15 is tropical.

It's Mythical Mumsnet again.

Next time I send my husband to Fat Bastard fish & chip shop I'll photograph the portions and update this thread. 😁

You have to go get us all fish and chips darling, it's important to Mumsnet, vital I tell you!

Bluesheep8 · 06/04/2022 16:17

in Yorkshire it's 95% haddock cooked in beef dripping

Is it?

womaninatightspot · 06/04/2022 16:18

Our local chippie charges a tenner but they are nice but fairly mean chips to go with it. Tourist spot though.

aSofaNearYou · 06/04/2022 16:23

I agree OP. I always find the portions bizarrely big and tbh I have a big appetite and usually portions for pretty much everything could be bigger for me. This is the one exception.

I guess it's because the fish are what they are and they shove on an amount of chips that compliments that. But I can never finish it.

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