Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

‘That’s me done for food today’ after a 3 course lunch

350 replies

Offred2 · 19/12/2019 16:23

I went to a restaurant with four friends for a Christmas lunch a few days ago. We all ate 3 courses and had a glass of wine each (none of us are big drinkers). The portions were decent-sized but not ridiculously big.

As we were finishing one of my friends said something along the lines of ‘that was lovely, I wont be needing anything else to eat today’. Following this all my other friends nodded/agreed.

While I didn’t say anything I was thinking that this is not the case for me at all! After that lunch at 1pm I ate beans on toast at around 7pm. I think of myself as someone with a pretty normal appetite, but if my friends were being truthful I ate a substantial amount more than them that day.

I remember a few years back my MiL making a similar comment after a restaurant lunch, that she wouldn’t need to eat anything else that day. However as we happened to be staying with her at the time I know she later ate sandwich and soup at dinner time.

So - my friend’s comment got me thinking. What do people actually mean when they use this phrase? Is it literal, as in ‘after this big lunch I will not eat any food until tomorrow’? Or do people simply mean that they won’t need to have a big evening meal, but might have eg a sandwich? Or is it something some people (women!) say without meaning it, to indicate they have a small/delicate appetite, though they may have every intention of eating something else that day.

For what it’s worth all of my friends in the restaurant are healthy weights, and as far as I know no one has any history of disordered eating.

OP posts:
BillHadersNewWife · 20/12/2019 00:29

It's not always competitive. DH and I have realised we have much smaller appetites than most other adults. We eat far less...that's not a boast and nor am I stick thin...I'm normal. So is DH...though he's on the slim side maybe.

We eat one main meal a day and from having guests over, we realised years ago that in order for people not to feel hungry, we needed to provide about twice per person what we'd eat ourselves! We do it...we don't judge...people are just different.

MIL and SIL always mention how little I eat..it's not little...it's enough!

furrymulesandPJs · 20/12/2019 02:35

BilHadersNewWife Yes, people eat different amounts. I doubt they were being competitive about it. OP, I think youa re overthinking things a bit.

IvinghoeBeacon · 20/12/2019 02:47

“ restaurant portions are huge”

Not all restaurants :)

onioncrumble · 20/12/2019 02:54

It makes no difference to me, I still eat later on. I feel just as hungry.

onioncrumble · 20/12/2019 02:55

If the portions are huge, you are probably going to the wrong places Xmas Wink

Namechangeymcnamechange11 · 20/12/2019 02:59

I'd probably think at the time that I was full for the rest of the day, but in reality, I would end up snacking on fruit, maybe a sandwich.

bitheby · 20/12/2019 03:01

Haven't read the full thread but I hope somebody has said something about blood sugar and it not being healthy to only eat in one big go. Stomach acid will build your without anything for the digestive system to do over many hours too.

Completely normal and sensible to eat in the evening after a big lunch for all sorts of healthy reasons.

Pixxie7 · 20/12/2019 03:13

I think it’s often just a saying. After Christmas dinner I always say I won’t eat until next year, but of course I do.

PremierNaps · 20/12/2019 03:18

I genuinely mean I won't eat anything else until the next day. It fills me up. If I've eaten quite late say 7pm the next day I still feel blergh until about 2pm 😊

HoppingPavlova · 20/12/2019 03:21

With that description, I’d probably have a piece of toast for dinner. Couldn’t imagine being hungry otherwise - and I’m extremely overweight.

IamtheDevilsAvocado · 20/12/2019 03:24

In my family food has been a real issue... We've had compulsive over eaters/ feeders and people continually on pointless diets!....which have not worked.

Surely it makes a difference - how calorie rich/size of each course... I've been to some restaurants where the three courses together wouldn't cover a small. Side plate...
It's still 'three' courses though...

Some people are so habitual about their eating, they eat regardless.... It's 7pm I must eat something, rather than listen to whether they're hungry or not!

I think people who say that mean all sorts of different things....

Many people I knke... Count 'not eating' when they're head soup/bread, beans on toast.

I worked with a nice woman who was always on some restrcivtoe diet... That never worked... She was ALWAYS talking about food.... And always saying how she couldn't understand why her weight didn't decrease.... She had a continual supply of chocolate bars that she would eat with her continual coffee she had on the go... One time she counted them... She had 37 different bars of chocolate in her drawers...
This wasn't calories.... It was just a snack!

Bowerbird5 · 20/12/2019 03:49

I probably wouldn’t say it but I probably wouldn’t have anything either. I have a veggie mushroom burger with fries and some lettuce at 12.50. I had a bag of crisps about 10 tonight. I have just come to bed because I was wrapping presents and tiding up.

Aridane · 20/12/2019 04:09

I couldn't manage a three course meal without leaving leftovers blush

It only took 9 posts Grin

nowaypose · 20/12/2019 04:31

I think it’s just a throwaway comment to say they’re full, I doubt they don’t eat anything else for the rest of the day.

Creepster · 20/12/2019 04:35

I think it means they won't be having the usual large evening meal, just snacks. I also think it is wishful thinking for some people.

kateandme · 20/12/2019 04:45

here and to all i know it more means we wont need to bother cooking 'a meal'but would still later want some toast.poached eggs,cereal,,sandwhich or something like that.
unless your one of few your meal would deff have digested enough then for the body to naturally be hungry,that is just biology.

kateandme · 20/12/2019 04:47

but for some woman(sorry) it is to excuse in others if theyve had more than a pea on the plate.or to ease themselves of guilt.or competitive eating.god i hate it.your fucking human.surpisingly you need food to breathe.who knew!

kateandme · 20/12/2019 04:53

they cant possibly know.its strange how the body works someties and depnding on your mood or what else youve done recently.you could somehow feel hungy within an hour.or have toast for lunch one day and not feel so hungry for tea either.listen to the body as and when

TheTeenageYears · 20/12/2019 05:03

When I eat my ‘main meal’ in the middle of the day it does tend to mean I really don’t fancy much in the evening. I would generally end up eating a plate of raw carrot/cucumber/peppers/tomato just so that I don’t either get to 11pm and be really hungry or wake up in the night hungry. When i’m not particularly hungry I tend to go for veg/fruit/protein rather than carbs. I couldn’t generally survive till the evening on a plate of plain veg at lunch though which just goes to show how bodies need fuel through the day to operate. I can never understand people who don’t eat all day and then have a big meal in the evening - it really can’t be particular good for you.

ReturnofSaturn · 20/12/2019 05:10

Had a whopper burger from BK for lunch. I know I won't be able to have any dinner later as I'm so full.
Will probably have a cup of tea and a biscuit before bed.

My appetite seems to have really changed this last few years though (I'm 31)
In my twenties I could eat much more.

RhythimIsRhythim · 20/12/2019 05:25

Depends. Would normally eat dinner after lunch out.

But during loads of Christmas meet ups or on holiday , I might skip a meal. Probably breakfast next day. But only if it comes time and I’m not hungry, I wouldn’t know in advance.

BustedDreams · 20/12/2019 05:36

When younger I would do the Christmas Dinner on Christmas Day. We’d do it all again on Boxing Day, big roast, all the trimmings. Now I can’t face all that food (neither can family) I’m definitely in the camp of no more food if I’d had a 3 course lunch. Op I’d be stuffed!

jcurve · 20/12/2019 05:39

If the portions are huge, you are probably going to the wrong places

Hardly. I have eaten this week at a Michelin star French restaurant and a well regarded gastropub in London & couldn’t finish either main course.

OP - this is normal to me. If I’m going out to dinner I have to eat something small (salad or soup) at lunch, otherwise it’s physically unpleasant to plough through the evening meal with no desire to eat. I had a curry with my team yesterday at 1pm and didn’t eat again - even the guys said “no dinner for us”!

In my twenties I could scoff anything but I’m just not as hungry in my 30s, even though I do loads more exercise.

Tinytimoteo · 20/12/2019 05:41

I think they just mean they are stuffed but wil eat something small or not so small later no doubt.

MIL is always saying stuff like that its annoying.
I remember once i went for a roast with them, i didnt clean my plate and i cant remember whether i shared dessert or didnt order it. That was at 1 or 2pm. When we were heading home i mentioned stopping at supermarket to pick something for dinner and BIL was like ShockHmm what another meal?!
They are all short and slim Grin and i suspect have some eating disorder.

WobblyAllOver · 20/12/2019 05:42

Depends on the meal. Some three courses and I wouldn't eat again that day. Others I might have a slice of toast.

Swipe left for the next trending thread