what is a "normal" amount to eat at a buffet?

[happybubbles20]

Not sure if this is best place to post but need to k.ow as sense of normal portion seemingly completely void from my makeup!. What is a "normal" or reasonable amount to eat at a buffet e.g. sandwiches, sausage rolls, mini-muffins etc....any advice gratefully taken.

I have one plate then pick bits off DH's

One of everything on the buffet, two of the things I love.

What LikeAnAdvent says. a little bit of everything.

I cater buffets, just small ones. I allow the equivalent of a sandwich (eg 4 quarters, or a wrap, or a baguette IYSWIM), a sausage roll OR cheese scone OR slice of quiche, some olives OR crisps, and one or two pieces of cake per person. There are always leftovers, mostly of cake. HTH.

One of everything :o

Thanks all. Theres a glut of buffet lunches at work and being a bit of an overeater whose currently trying to reform I find it torturous!

Oh, I thought you were planning on catering!

I eat far less at buffets made of sandwiches than I do if the buffet is made of chicken-on-sticks and sausage rolls and nice things.

If you are trying to limit yourself, think of how big a lunch you would normally have if you were buying it yourself. A sandwich (so 4 triangles or 4 little bit sof baguette) and a piece of cake? Maybe swap one of the bits of sandwich for some quiche or sausage roll or whatever.

Have a sneaky look at the plate of a normal weight person - not someone who obsesses about food all day long, just one of those sane individuals who eats when hungry, stops when full, and stays a reasonable weight - and copy them.

no piling allowed. I love buffet food and can tend to overeat so I remember that 'normal' buffet eaters never have more than one layer of food on their plate :)

onlyaninja sorry should have been clearer! Lol that's the problem - not overly enamoured about sandwiches, its the yummy cheesy, pastries and chicken skewers which get me :-(
bibberty I am soooooo past normal with regards to eating that I wouldn't recognise a normal plate of food even if someone else was eating it....besides doesn't everyone overeat at buffets?
My problem is that even with the best intentions my willpower crumbles and I leave feeling embarrassed (as I imagine colleagues are making a mental note of the amount I've eaten) and bad tempered/disappointed with myself for failing miserably again!
Has anyone any tips to boost self-control at these things?

shopping good tip! Thanks :-)

I have cattered for a few buffets, i always go on 'at least one of everything per person' of course you always get the people who will take 4 or 5 of something but you will also get fussy people who may not eat anything.

No-one is actually looking you know :)

options:

1 - don't go to the buffet
2 - eat before you go to the buffet eg a cup a soup so you are not hungry
3 - chose a VERY small plate
4 - always have a glass (of water!) in your hand which makes juggling the buffet plate more difficult and slow down your eating
5 - chew each mouthful 20 times - again it will slow you down
6 - adopt a mantra: "do I need to eat this?"

I find buffets very hard to back away from. I always end up eating too much- cold, salty snack foods are my achilles heel!

onlyaninja guess not but it feels like they are. And not only that but judging me too and thinking fat cow!
willali really good advice. Will have to put into practise next time though as failed miserably with self-control today. Tried the 1 sandwich thing with a sausage roll, cheese straws (x2) and only 1 piece of cake but couldn't stop myself going back for seconds (and thirds). Even wondered if I could go back later as the leftovers are left out for other staff. Cannot get any control of this.monster called eating! Am rubbish :-(

Sorry. I know I'm ranting to complete strangers but cannot admit to DH or family as they think diet is going well and that I ate the salad I packed for lunch today. That was my intention....to not even go but thought I could control myself.....clearly not. But food is available everywhere not like I can abstain like giving up smoking.

Sorry....rant over...just don't know how to conquer eating problems.

peeriebear believe me - I know exactly what you mean!

People would only be looking if the buffet was under-catered and so some things (or everything) ran out very quickly.

Happybubbles, tomorrow is another day. I go to Weightwatchers and have found it really helps with the pyschological side of dieting/ overeating.
No one is looking at you at the buffet by the way, they are all busy considering an extra cocktail sausage

Thanks shopping hope you are doing well at WW. Today is a new day, as you say, and a chance to do better. Just don't want to be this way anymore. would like to enjoy an event not spend all week obsessing over the thought of what I will eat at the buffet!

If the buffet is big enough that there are leftovers even after you had seconds and thirds then no-one will have noticed what you took. It's only if there isn't enough food to go around that people care what everyone eats.
I have a terrible weakness for buffet foods too and would have gone back for the leftovers :)
Dont't fret about this anymore just write off the bad days and start afresh using some of the tips willali suggests. Every diet has it's good and bad days the trick is to not feel so bad when you do slip up that you give up.

If I think I'm going to overdo it on a buffet - which I always do, because my brain resets every time I clear one round - then I find a waitress, or the 'dirty plate trolley', and get rid of my plate back once I've finished. Then I try not to pick at what's left without the use of a plate.

Happybubbles - you are not alone with this! Work buffet lunches are torture for me. I can generally stop at a moderate plate of food but the temptation to return and pick if the food is left hanging around is torture.