AIBU to stop my children wasting food at the holiday buffet?

[constantnc]

To not let my kids waste holiday AI food?

At home our food waste is minimal, I serve a portion onto plates and seconds is always available.

For the first time on holiday I have let my kids ages 9+ go around the buffet and serve themselves.

I am not happy with the waste, ie the 1 bite and I dont like it, and lots of what they will like then full up.

Unsure whether to reduce independence and serve what they will like and eat, or let them get on with it. Most families seem to have no problem piling the plates and leaving half of it.

(We use AI so i get respite from cooking cleaning so dont want to swap from AI).

There is a pic OP posted of the full plates that the kids left half of. Have a look, we might still disagree as food portions can be subjective, but I think OP inadvertently painted a very different picture in her OP to what her kids are actually easting/wasting.

me too

I never felt very comfortable with being too funny over food waste with my DC. I made sure they were always comfortable to say they'd had enough even if it was their eyes being bigger than their bellies. So saying food waste when it comes to young DC is "unacceptable" just doesnt sit right.

I remember being really pissed off when a waiter gave one of my DS a hard time for not finishing his meal and banging on about waste and DS started trying to force it down, when i say i felt enraged... 🤬

You are unnecessarily strict.

Don't feel you need to eat it just because they haven't.

It is still a waste if you don't need/want it. Either way the food isn't going back to the buffet so don't treat yourself as a dustbin. Good luck and enjoy the rest of your holiday :)

This. If you always serve them they’re not learning at home. Don’t blame them for that!
Maybe have some home meals where you have the dish in the middle and they can learn how to judge what to take

Just in case this helps someone, I took this advice with toddlers and it became a "thing". Don't focus on them choosing something new they may have to finish. Just let them try what what they want, even if they end up not liking it.. It has changed our life with our now tween. He eats lots of variety now. But if is had persevered with the no waste (plate empty) I'm sure I wouldn't have the sushi, curry, chinese, roast etc.today.

Teach them to take one of each, try it and then they can go back and get more of what they liked.

At 9+ they will be able to understand the concept of unnecessary waste.

Great way for them to try new foods. Just nae sure they take a ‘taster’ portion to begin with. Good that they’re willing to try new things.

YABU
You're on holiday.. CHILL
How are they gonna experience/explore new foods/tastes if you control what they're eating?!

There is being cautious and respectful of resources and then there is OCD/anxiety that can be passed on ..as can eating disorders..eating food past being full to not waste it is poor modelling for healthy eating and the food ends up in the toilet or the bin eventually regardless. You need balance here..have you considered they are going to excess as you are too restrictive and they finally have freedom and choice they don't know what to do with?!!

If you use AI then you are contributing to huge amounts of food waste.

Not judging but if you think by not putting food on their plate it isn't wasted then you don't understand.

Let them try different things - they might find things they wouldn't try if it was a whole meal.

You are right to encourage them not to be greedy: taking ten strawberries if they only want three is just greedy.

I do think buffet is the time to learn to try new things though - but one at a time.

As for the bread, I think once it's been "wasted" by being uplifted and not needed, shoving it down when you don't really need it isn't actually redeeming the situation. It's the old "you eat it, you wear it" scenario. In other words, you are only going to digest it and pass it along, perhaps gaining some unneeded calories along the way, and its not as though it had any real nutrients. If you aren't actually enjoying it, I'd skip that step.

YANBU. There is nothing worse than the spectacle of idiots at a buffet piling their plates high with stuff they're never going to eat, and sure enough half gets left.

It may be true that in an AI resort it would get binned anyway but your children are learning that's the way to behave at a buffet - so they'll do it at buffets that don't have endless resources, like weddings or parties, and others will miss out altogether.

If they want to try something - take a small amount - if they like it they can go back for more/have a larger portion the next day.

Otherwise they take the amount they would normally eat.

You really do not have to 'get your money's worth' at an AI place by eating everything in sight - you've paid the same however much you eat - unless you regard coming home with a stone of extra fat round your belly as a good 'investment' against lean times in the future.

You are not unreasonable but then again you children seem to eat very little 🤔 My 2 have been allowed to help themselves since they could teach and even say 13 the eldest needs reminding (sometimes) that he can go back as many times as he wants... But he would easily wolf 4-5 times that and he is very adventurous with food. You are doing fine ☺️

I would discourage waste too, but I bet half the buffet ends up binned

As much as I don't condone food waste, I do see AI as an opportunity for my children to try new things I may not have made or wouldn't want to gamble on ordering when out elsewhere in case they don't like it. I would have a word with them to be mindful of waste but don't take the option to choose new things away from them, their experimenting

Check OP’s pic of the kids’ plates! They took a small amount to begin with!

I always tell mine to have a little bit and if they eat it they can have more.

Have encouraged DC to just try a bit and go back for more of what they like so that's what they do. You could go round with them the first couple of nights to role model. Xx

We don’t do much food waste is our house either. On holiday, I am more relaxed but not completely. It’s a mix of trying things (and it’s fine to leave it if you don’t like it) in a small portion and going back for more if you do. I think it’s gross how much some people let their kids waste, they’re obviously not going to eat 17 waffles covered in chocolate so gently tell them to get 1 and go back for another when needed! I think you could relax a little bit but I admire your stance.

How is it any different waste wise whether you eat food you don’t want or put it in the bin?

You need to chill

Small plate - take one each of three or four things. Eat and return.

Model that behaviour yourself.

Remind them that 'there are people starving in this world'.

Would people be less starving if OP’s kid ate all 12 pieces of pasta instead of 6?