do you always finish all the food on your plate?

[foodfinishing]

just that

Yeah, with ease. I have a large appetite, unfortunately.

I stop when full. Oh usually has my left overs, he eats anything and everything.

Yes. And then I finish the food off everyone else’s plate.

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes I'll go back for seconds, it just depends how hungry I am and what I've eaten that day. My daughter doesn't have to finish her plate either and very, very rarely does.

No. Always leave something.

Cook only what we will eat for that meal - or enough for more than one meal and freeze.

Eating out - if there's too much I'll ask to take the rest home. Never had a problem. They are pleased to think I like it.

I grew up with food in serving dishes and people taking only what they wanted, so usually finishing.
Now, living in the UK, DP is a plater-upper, which he loves doing, but I can't stand as I invariably end up eating more than I would naturally serve myself, and my weight has crept up over the years.

I put out smallish portions and leave the rest in the cooking pots etc. If anyone wants more they can and if there's By left we can use it for lunch. I hate food waste so this works well. If my children eat until I know they are full, I'm fine about throwing away their scraps as it usually very little.

Yes if I've prepared it because I usually portion appropriately to what I know I can/should be eating.

But when eating out or if we get a takeaway I rarely finish it, I stop when I've had enough.

Depends...

At home, usually YES, as I don't generally over fill my plate, but I won't eat it all if I do feel full,but it's usually the right amount

Eating out or a takeaway. NOPE. Always too much & I'll leave it as soon as I'm full

Generally I stop when I am full but if there is only a couple of spoonfuls left on the plate then I tend to finish it as a tiny amount left over would annoy me!

I'm confused; why do people serve more than they need just to throw it away? If you mean when eating out, I usually take half home cos restaurant portions are usually big. Same with takeaway, I eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. At home I serve less so I eat it all.

Yes I am greedy

@dayslikethese1

I'm confused; why do people serve more than they need just to throw it away? If you mean when eating out, I usually take half home cos restaurant portions are usually big. Same with takeaway, I eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. At home I serve less so I eat it all.

Generally when other people serve it I guess Or when it's a big jacket potato so you feel full before you've eaten the whole thing for example

I really try to, I hate food waste. Thankfully DH or My dogs are usually happy to finish what I leave.

I eat all my food at home because I serve the size portion I want to eat. I weigh things like rice and pasta before cooking to avoid waste. If I'm eating out I have learned to be able to leave food but it has taken a long time.
My mum said it was bad manners not to finish food at other people's houses and I sometimes suffered awful stomach pains when staying with friends because of this.
My children know they can leave food.

Mostly.

If someone has cooked for me then I eat it all. If I've cooked, then I eat til I've had enough.

Yes because I tend to serve up so only give myself what I want.

I live on my own, so am always 'serving myself' lol I have a small appetite so don't put too much on my plate. I don't have food waste.

In restaurants, I regularly leave food, I find the portions too big.

Yes I do. Except sometimes with a takeaway I can't eat it all. I always eat all my tea at home though.

Yes but I only put what I’ll be eating on my plate. The rest goes straight into take away tubs for lunches or the freezer.

@amoobaa gosh that sounds tough. Big hugs to you.

Not eating all the food on your plate doesn’t necessarily mean food waste - we plate up the main bit, say cottage pie, with what I feel is an appropriate sized portion. Then the accompanying veg everyone helps themselves to the amount they can eat. If they then need more of anything they can help themselves. But I only have control over my own body - I know how hungry I am. I certainly would never presume to know how much my OH or my child will eat!

Sadly, I know a little girl who has to eat everything on her plate before she can have pudding and she’s now on a diet at 9. And I also know an 11 year old whose mum controls what and how much she eats so that when she gets the opportunity to eat away from her mum, she binges. Not healthy.

Yes because we serve ourselves from the middle so I start with a small portion. My daughter frequently over serves herself though. I don't make her finish but I encourage her to only take what she will eat and remind her there is always more! Leftovers get used for lunches.

Usually, yes. Funnily enough I didn't finish my lunch today. We went to a cafe and the portion was too big.

I don't think it's a good thing to always finish what's on your plate. I was raised to do this and am currently trying to lose a bit of weight because I've crept into the overweight BMI range. I never encourage my kids to clear their plate.

As others have said, when we were young it just seemed to be the done thing to make kids clear their plate. Probably due to our parent's generation not having enough to go around. I'm glad this has fallen out of fashion.