sharing food....reasonable or not?

[DonutForMyself]

I won't say which side of the fence I fall on until I've had some responses!

But essentially, do you share your food or are you a bit territorial about it?

If your DCs want what you have ordered in a restaurant instead of what they have ordered, would you swap?

Would you swap with your DP if they weren't keen on their meal?

If you are having a piece of cake etc would you offer others a bite of it?

I only like sharing if it is with dd and dh. They understand the rules.

That's awful, Crapbag. Understandable that you feel like you do.

Me and my brothers were always given one big plate to "share". Naturally them, being bigger and able to eat like bloody Pacmen, always got 90% of it. Now I like to know that my food is MINE. Dammit.

CrapBag, I'm sorry to hear about your tough childhood. I often get a sense that many people who are very, very hostile to sharing have more serious issues about food and comfort. That is why I feel that, thought sharing is polite/social, it is very rude to make people feel bad about not sharing while you're eating together, especially in a public setting. Some people who hate to share are probably just a bit uptight/germphobic/mean - but there is no way of knowing who may have other reasons.

I should add that in my last post I was talking about treats (crisps and sweets, that kind of thing), not actual meals. I sure wasn't starved.

I look at my food and instantly know what my last bite should be- how much of each food etc.

I then work backwards, eating the crap bits first until I get to the last, best, carefully planned ratio bit.

THAT'S when some cunt saunters by and nicks a vital component asking loudly "oh, are you not eating that?".

I do not share food.

Yes, Tethersend, exactly!

sharing with my kids or DH or friends is fine. But one day a bloke at work, who i dont even work with or work on the same floor as, came and stuck his hand in my bag of crisps, took a crisp without asking and i got p*ssed off and shouted at him.

Thanks. I wish my friends had got it before I had to have a bit of a go at them because my food 'issues' would be commented on all the bloody time. Now someone might start to say something and I just look at them and they stop.

"Think its really off when people don't share"

Its why I don't like this sort of attitude and I can't understand why others even care if other people like to share their food or not.

I don't mind at all as long as everyone takes their bit before I actually get started. This especially applies to desserts. I like to know how much I have left and I sort of time it with my drink so I finish my last bite with my last sip. I hate giving away the last bit of cake or whatever as then i feel really short changed, whereas I can happily give away half before I have actually started it. I sound completely mad, don't I?

MrsMango I can't get the link to work, can you tell me how you found it?

Ooh x post with tethers, I am not mad at all!

I'm going to adopt the "feel my food feel my fork" phrase. Its great!

I do roll out the 'Joey doesn't share food' as do my friends now they know.

Crapbag I laughed at your first paragraph then read why you feel the way you do

I don't have anything like the reasons you do, but it is sad that people judge you for not wanting to share as if it makes you a bad person, but actually we all have different tolerances.

The two 'indulgences' I have are food & sleep - if anyone tries to stop me having either of these I am not a happy bunny! All day long, my needs come second (well 4th actually) to my DCs, but when it comes to my food - hands off!

Golden - not mad at all to those of us who understand where you're coming from !

But, Crapbag, it is a bit socially off if people don't share. That's just culture/convention.

I do understand why people care when others don't share. And I do prefer eating out with people relaxed about sharing, as it's generally a nicer, more fun experience. But I would never make a non-sharer feel uncomfortable about not sharing if I was eating with them, since you never really know why they don't like to share, and you can't just presume that they are being prissy.

I think it's ok to talk about the the issue though, in discussion, like this one.

I actually don't understand why people have such a thing about sharing food really and I am always at a complete loss as to why others give a damn about what others do.

People also think I'm odd because I don't like certain food touching each other, I only eat things 1 at a time and I hate trying new food because I am scared I won't like it and have a horrible taste in my mouth (don't know why this would be some awful thing, would quite like to get past it), so Golden you are definitely not odd.

DP and I usually do the same Coffee.We are both quite foody and love the chance to try two different dishes! Helps we are both big eaters and not fussy in the slightest!

I am absolutely all for talking about it and I have told my friends why I have a problem with it, its just when they always commented on it that it got on my tits.

I will happily share food with DS (provided I think it's suitable for toddlers).

I'm happy enough to share snack foods and drinks with DH, but that's about as far as it goes, unless you count offering him my leftover dinner or dessert when I'm full.

Don't like sharing with anyone else. Unless we're somewhere like a tapas restaurant where you know it's expected from the outset.

I always seem to lose some of my food to DD2 unless we're having the same, but she's only 3 so fair enough. Out for dinner with DH we always ordered dishes we both liked & shared it all. But I wouldn't like to constantly be harassed for my dinner by loads of kids!

No I don't share with anyone. I get stabby about it in fact. I will at a push give a small child something if it's eyeing my food up longingly but that is it!

I don't do shared takeaways as I only like one thing usually and no other bugger's getting ANY of mine!

[Joey]

Y'know what's REALLY annoying? When you are pressurised agree to all order something different to everyone can share (usually Indian or Chinese). Then the plates get passed around the table, and by the time the thing you really wanted (and so ordered yourself) gets to you, the plate is bloody empty. That also gives me The Rage.

I have a weird thing where I think "having a taste" of someone elses food is pointless. You can't eat it all...why taste it?

I am functional about eating and was very poor as a kid

Maybe that's what worries me Neo - DP suggested letting his DD taste my food last night to see if she liked it, but the fear is that she loves it and wants all of it, then I'm a bastard for not swapping with her and eating her chicken nuggets instead!