Afternoon Tea - how can anyone eat it all?

[wasntlikethisinthegoodolddays]

I've been looking at things to do next weekend. Looked on Wowcher, Groupon etc. A regular offer is Afternoon Tea for two. Whilst it looks lovely, they regularly feature about 6 sandwich corners each, a few savoury items and FOUR cakes each. I love my food, and I like cake, but there's no way I could eat all of that in one sitting. Can anyone eat four cakes in a row? Are we meant to take a doggy bag?

6 corners are basically 1 sandwich and a half with NO crust! So probably more like 1 sandwich, and 4 bite sized cakes (it's not like 4 massive slices of cake) and a couple of bite size sausage rolls. I can definitely finish that! 😂

I would never have a go at someone for eating only a little, and sometimes my DDs don't have a big appetite, and I have never said "finish your plate" or anything like that. But I do hate it when people say it in such a way, when eating as a group, that no-one feels they can order what they want, according to their appetite, or is food shamed into ordering less than they had wanted to eat. Particularly as, since I am watching my weight, when I am going to have a nice meal out I will probably have not eaten very much beforehand and could eat a scabby horse through a gate at that point.

With certain groups of women it is all "Oh I could only eat half a bagel!" The scene in Julie & Julia when they are all having tiny salads with no dressing perfectly illustrates it. I'm so glad my oldest group of friends are not like that and all have good appetites and are not silly or judgy about food. And are all slim- I'm not quite as slim as they are but I'm not massive either.

Actually I don’t want any scones, either. Just lots of little savoury sandwiches with the crusts cut off. No fancy open sandwiches, thanks - just proper triangular ones, like I used to make for dds’ parties - mostly scoffed by the parents, and dh would be exceedingly miffed if he found none left when he got home!

Really not a good idea to eat more than one cake in one sitting. A few sandwiches and one cake is lunch. Several sandwiches and several cakes is excessive.

Why? Will I combust?!
Unclench. It’s not meant to be a daily meal, a few times a year is absolutely fine.
Nothing bad will happen if you only eat cake for 24hrs. I’ve done it.

It is a treat.

If you have to ask why maybe you should overhaul your diet.

@YourPinkDogYes a piece of cake is a treat. You’re talking. 3 or 4!

3 or 4 small cakes = one standard piece of cake (which IMO isn't a treat, it's just cake and can be part of a healthy diet).

I think @greengreyblue is probably the sort of person that doesn’t eat their selection box for breakfast on Christmas Day.

I’m more savory than sweet generally but I’m very happy to have an occasional sweet binge. Obviously not frequently but if I want to eat a family sized cheesecake to myself I will.

Afternoon tea cakes are just little tastes. You need about 4 to make a portion.

I don't believe this for one second! There is no such thing as too much gateau!

I do find I feel sick after a scone and a piece of cake.
However I fight waiters who take away my side plate of bread in restaurants when they clear the table for pudding. In fact id be pleased with bread for pudding.

I'll go with you!

😂😂why what will happen? Cardiac arrest? Nuclear Armageddon?

Hahahah it’s such a laugh revelling in eating badly isn’t it!! 😂

This thread makes me want to eat cake.

Just be brave, pull up your big girl’s pants and tuck in. It’s going to be ok, I promise. 🍰🧁🥧

Have you ever thought about not eating eveything on your plate?

I'd just enjoy the company, and ask if you can take the cakes home, if you really feel like you need more calories in your life. Or they are so delicious, someone else must taste them.

Eat everything

Human beings have celebrated with feasting for the whole of recorded history. There is nothing wrong whatsoever in enjoying nice food and having fun. Literally not a single clinically trained dietician would say there is an issue in eating whatever the hell we want every now and then, barring any medical issues (obviously).

I don't think enjoying the cakes indicates that you feel you need more calories in your life. It indicates that on that one day you are going to take your calories in the form of cakes and sandwiches instead of your usual meals as a way of celebrating a occasion. Who knows, getting yourself to and from the special cake venue might involve walking further than usual.

It really isn't good for us to always eat exactly the same things at the same times every day - a bit of variation to wake the system up is important.

Don't eat breakfast first? Afternoon tea is lunch, it's a full meal not a snack. I know people have differing appetites but it's not like they give you whole sandwiches and cakes. You usually get 1 scone, 3-4 fingers of sandwich (that adds up to 1ish sandwich), perhaps a sausage roll/savoury item (though if you get an additional savoury item you usually get less sandwich), and a few bite size cakes. Generally everything in an afternoon tea (except maybe the scone) is one/two biters. If you really can't finish it, they'll have boxes/foil and will wrap up your leftovers for you

Also remember that places don't tend to do afternoon tea for one. So all the photos you're seeing on line will be an afternoon tea spread for 2-4 people

Very easy to eat 4 cakes in a row - same as it’s very easy to eat a whole tub of Haagen daz…hmmm feeling peckish now

Oooh yes I hate that!! If you have food issues then don't agree to go out to eat with your friends if you're just going to sit there eating nothing and making veiled comments about how fat they are because they've asked if people want starters or have the ability to eat gasp a whole sandwich and scone for lunch. Just ruins the atmosphere for everyone else and can do some real harm to people's self esteem