Smaller meal portions for women

[mynamefor2025]

Currently watching good morning Britain and they are discussing If smaller portions should be offered to women to help with obesity rates as women need fewer calories.

Er is there no obese men on the planet? I feel like given a few years, we will all be micro chipped and have every thing controlled for us by the government including our portion sizes.

Like chip shops do a pensioners one that is often smaller and cheaper

Smaller portions should be offered for a lower price, but for anyone to choose not just women. I can't see that happening. Restaurants are struggling as it is.

They were talking about 25% less in portion size- but I did not hear it being mentioned that it would cost 25% less. Although tbf I turned over because one of the people they had on about it was a bit incoherent.

Some of the pubs near us offer a lighter bite for smaller appetites which i like. A starter size is often too small and a main too large for me. (And I'm 13 stone so not a sparrow. But make it for everyone.

AFAIK a higher percentage of men than women are overweight/obese so I'm not sure if offering smaller portions would have much of an impact. Someone who's obese probably isn't going to opt for a smaller portion anyway given the choice, unless they're actively trying to lose weight.

There is already the option for smaller portions or "light bite" versions of main meals in many pubs and restaurants which typically cost 2/3 the main meal price. Anyone can choose to buy this option, no need to impose anything on women. They're just coming up with ridiculous controlling policies to make it look like they actually do stuff or have a clue about anything.

Not watched the programme but if they mean should meals be offered in different sizes with different price points, then yes. Places I know that offer a menu of ‘light bites’ tend to be chain pubs and they are things like a smaller portion of scampi and chips available in the afternoon, presumably with older people in mind. But it would be good if more upmarket places did this too, with their main courses. I’ve seen this done occasionally with a pasta, risotto or salad with the idea that the smaller portion is a starter, but nothing stopping you ordering it do your main course.

Years ago when I was calorie counting I recall ordering from the children’s menu (Sunday lunch or pasta rather chicken nuggets!) and then ordering an extra portion of veg alongside.

I’ve thought of another place I know, country pub, that does this for some options. We had fish cake, chips and salad. I had the normal portion (£12) and DH had the small portion as he wasn’t particularly hungry. It was around £7 and there was plenty there for lunch.

See, the sexism here is assuming all women are smaller or should be smaller than all men.

I'd love to be able to get a main meal of five or six hundred calories. If you look at Wetherspoons there is one main on the menu anywhere close to that.

Men need more calories in general than women, my husband and I both compete at sport and he needs 3000 calories 5ft6 and 86-90kg and I need 1600-200 5ft6 and 63kg

I don’t see a problem with it

If I eat out I expect to be given the same amount as a man would.

At home, I serve myself less than my husband or my daughter’s boyfriend.

I am 5’2”. My husband is 6’2” and my daughter’s boyfriend is 6’4”. Obviously they need to eat more than I do!

Well not entirely. They used the word gender alot so they would still be confused by what size of portion to give 🤣

No, I think they should market meals so that they come with protein/veg and the carbs are optional and purchased separately so that you can buy side of potatoes, breads, rice or allow you options to swap them. Yesterday I had salmon on a bed of broccoli with hollandaise sauce. The potatoes were served in a separate dish so I was able to just have a few and share them with my friend. In the past I’ve asked to swap the fries for salad - that should be an automatic option - would you like fries, green beans or a salad on the side?

It also means as potatoes etc are served separately that when I out with my beanpole of a husband, he hoovers up those high carb/fat dishes without stigma as they weren’t on my plate but in ‘sharing’ dishes.

That way it is down to you how you manage your calorie intake.

I don’t need to be patronised with ‘women’s portions’. And I don’t think men/boys need to be encouraged to ‘eat more, because you’re a big lad’ - that led to my now 17 year old being very overweight as this is what we and school and family all did, unwittingly encouraging over-eating. It has take us a year of him learning that one normal sized plate of food and no ‘seconds’ is plenty, even for a growing 6ft 3+ lad.

Sounds like an ill thought through idea, but then it is breakfast time TV. Candy floss for the brain.

I would be very happy for there to be a variety of sizes of portion offered within any individual dish, or for there to be more lower calorie options.

The problem being that for the restaurant, an individual costs them just as much to cover whether they have a small or a large meal. So the smaller dishes would need to be proportionally higher cost for quantity to ensure profit margins are maintained.

Sounds like silly presentation on GMB of a good idea. A choice of portion sizes (with appropriately proportional pricing) isn’t a new idea (wasn’t uncommon when I lived in the US in about 1990). I can’t imagine any business actually calling them ‘women’s’ or not offering them to everyone.

I agree. It actually reminded me of the scene from the show afterlife with Ricky Gervais where he asks for a kids portion because he wanted a smaller portion and the waitress would let him order. The scene was hilarious.

Just hate how once again, women are the target when giving everyone the choice of smaller portions would actually be beneficial.

Yes, a meal has a set cost and a variable cost element. The former is usually the greater part. You can see this with things like steak size (one of the commoner existing meals with a size choice).

I would love to be able to order a smaller portion in a restaurant on the occasions I fancy it, or am restricting calories but need to eat out for work etc. And would like to reserve the option to have a mahoosive one occasionally too regardless of my sex.

But that wouldn't work. It would be fatties like me that order the big portions.

I would love a smaller portion option as I’m sure would a lot of elderly people.

I'd order a big portion too. 😂I can definitely keep up with DH when it comes to food.

Are they going to charge less? I mean often I’d like to get a half plate of something…
But as a standard practice it’s a ridiculous idea. I mean someone who is 5ft needs less that someone who is 5ft 10. Someone who works out daily will eat more…are they going to have everyone take a quiz upon booking? Any what if I just want to eat more that day?

I’d love to be able to order a smaller portion that’s not a kids meal. My experience is that women do eat less than men. I definitely eat smaller portions in all my meals compared to dh and my growing teen. When we go out dh will 99% of the time finish my meal.

It's quite common here in Germany to be able to order a smaller portion for anybody. Could be an older person, child or just somebody who wants it. Although there is a chain restaurant offering Mr Rumpsteak oder Mrs Rumpsteak!

When it comes to meal times I identify as a man. 🤣

I think this is unnecessarily politicised. Most women are smaller than most men. Smaller people generally need fewer calories and are able to eat less. It’s nothing to do with supporting obesity - that’s a red herring, it’s Christmas after all! It’s just about putting an appropriate amount of food on someone’s plate such that they will eat it and not be over faced.

DH is 18 stone and built “fat strong” like a rugby player - a lot of it is muscle but I won’t pretend he doesn’t need to lose some belly fat as well! Of course he eats more than my 5ft4 mother who weighs about 9