To be embarrassed about my childish eating behaviour?

[Butterflysize]

I’ve started to really notice lately that my behaviour around food looks quite childish, greedy, both.

Some examples:

• out with DCs and other mums, if we go to a cafe they usually have a coffee and maybe something like a toasted teacake if any food, regardless of what the children are eating. I will have more similar to the kids, maybe a burger, milkshake etc
• Out with other family members recently at a nice restaurant for dinner, I had cleared my plate when they were at best halfway through then was sitting there twiddling my thumbs and picking at bread for ages
• same occasion, I asked for more bread twice
• I bought a box of crème eggs yesterday for the kids and have now eaten three of them

I am starting to feel people noting it and judging. I think I’ve always been like this and my parents are quite embarrassing to eat out with and show zero self control. I’m starting to feel ashamed and that I don’t fit in with other mums.

AIBU to think that my behaviour is not normal and need to do something about this? If so, any advice?

To note I am a healthy weight.

I prefer Haribo, Skittles, Percy Pigs and Randoms to chocolate. I won't see 60 again

Nothing wrong with anything you’ve said OP. I’m quite a fast eater….I think it comes from growing up in a house with siblings that’d pinch your food if you didn’t get it there quickly!
So what if you’d rather have a burger and milkshake than a tea cake and coffee….so would I!
Give me a babybel and a frube over a charcuterie board any day! 😂

Life is too short to worry about stuff like this if you're a healthy weight and do enough exercise.

My older brother has a bizarrely sensitive palate. He can taste a sauce and tell you all the individual ingredients and seasonings, can recognise lots of very small subtle flavours, can tell if something teeny tiny has been changed in a meal he eats (we're talking "you have used an extra quarter teaspoon of pepper, one less clove of garlic than normal, a slightly drier red wine than normal, a different variety of plum tomatoes etc). Despite this chef-esque palate he still prefers chicken nuggets and banana milkshakes and PB&J to "grown up" food. Enjoy what you enjoy, who cares what other people think? Scran your creme eggs and milkshakes and sod it if people judge you.

Oh gosh no. I wouldn't notice...but our household is awful..

I have ARFID (its an eating disorder from sensory issues in my case from autism)

So i only eat certain foods, in an order 😂 if a bad texture slips in there i throw up involuntarily. That can be very awkward at restaurants.

My husband eats like a complete child. Only burgers or sausage. Thats it. No salad, no veg just burger and chips wherever we go and must talk with the chef to ensure its just a burger in a bun. He has ADHD no idea if that can be anything to do with it??

So honestly if you ate out with us..we would probably embaress you 😂😂

Also DH has a complete sweet tooth, if there is chocolate you either eat it in one go or you won't get a look in 😅

How is your weight relevant?

I would think it's weird if someone asked from more bread twice.

The only thing that jumps out at me as odd is when someone eats too fast, it's typically not nice to see someone shovelling food into their mouths quickly and usually it means that person hasn't taken part in the conversation over dinner.

Anyone who can eat 3 cream eggs has an unhealthy relationship with crap food. You may think you're a healthy weight but I doubt you're that healthy. I wouldn't judge any of the rest of it - burgers and milkshakes are not just for children.

Points 1 and 4 are fine. 2 and 3, I'd just slow your eating to be in line with others so you are not left feeling awkward or asking for more bread.

As a family of slow eaters, we notice if people with us eat a lot faster. We aren't judging them if they finish early but it makes us feel uncomfortable that we keep them waiting so long between courses.

newmum0604 · Today 15:32

How is your weight relevant?

Because this is mumsnet and every other poster would have absolutely asked about it.

Op, I’m laughing about someone telling you bread should only be eaten at the beginning of a meal 🤣 Sometimes I keep the bread from the starters and save it to soak up the juice of my main meal! The sheer horror!

Seriously. Who cares what others think? Everyone eats differently and if people judge you or have opinions, they really need to get a life. Nothing you have said is of any worry or should bother anyone else at all.

It’s sounds like you’re making sugary choices where other adults would avoid it. Eg they would have coffee instead of milkshake, wouldn’t eat creme eggs.

You're totally overthinking. No one cares! The only thing you're doing wrong is eating Creme Eggs. They've never been the same since Kraft replaced the Dairy Milk chocolate shell with basic cheap chocolate. The little red Lindt chocolate eggs are what you need!!

My local Co-op is currently selling white cream eggs ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

@ssorrynotathome - have you seen the size of a creme egg these days. I could probably get 3 in at the same time.

Exactly! Even if we would prefer a milkshake over a coffee, as adults (especially parents who have children we need to stay healthy for and model good eating habits for) most of us would usually choose the healthier option.

I would also suggest, OP, that you make a conscious effort when you're eating meals with people to try and follow the general pace that everyone else is eating at, even if you would naturally eat faster. It's just more polite and civilized to do that.

Do you actually want to eat differently, op? If you're happy then I wouldn't worry about whether your choices are unusual.

Lol I dislike all of them. Prefer creme eggs but feel sick if I try eating a second one

Really who cares? As long as you enjoy your food whats the deal,I would not worry .I like a coke /chips hell happy meal! couldnt care less what anyone says .Teacakes are not very filling really,esp not instead of lunch which seems to happen a lot!

I'd much rather have a burger than a piece of cake 🤷‍♀️

burgh- cream eggs are awful... rather have a mini milk or some coco-pops like a proper grown up.

I might note it but not in a judgemental way. More the way I notice one of the school mums likes hot chocolate not coffee and a second doesn’t like hot drinks - if I have them round I tend to ensure I have hot chocolate/cold drink options in.

In your case I’d probably have extra drink options and savoury options in case you don’t like cake.

Mini milks taste of literally nothing.

I’m think you’ve got a few things going on there. It’s maybe polite to try and slow down your eating so you’re finishing at the same time as others. The rest is personal preference.

I'd put money on the tea cake purchasers actually wanting a burger and a milkshake but wanting to maintain some kind of "oh I couldn't possibly eat TWICE in a day" facade.

You crack on.