Why are US meal portions so big??

whierd

Haha I know what you mean, the portion sizes are ridiculous here. I guess its because people demand it and the restaurants want to bring in more people with the all you can eat buffets and giant portion sizes. What's good is that most restaurants nowadays, even fast food places, now offer healthy options as well (i.e. salads instead of fries, etc) so if you're conscious about things like that you generally will have some options. But I agree the portion sizes here are pretty ridiculous haha!

Yes, thank goodness that most places are offering low cal options and actual nutritional content of their meals. Haven't eaten at McDonald's or other fast food spots in months for that reason. It's crazy how much crap is in our food. Now, I can go out to a restaurant and have better options and know what is going into my body...for the most part.

McDonalds has a few fairly low cal options.

Cadori

I've just returned from a holiday in California and was amazed at the portion sizes on all the meals I had when eating in restaurants. I mentioned this to an American friend and he just replied that the US was the land of plenty and they had to support their farmers. He then left half of his stack of pancakes and it was thrown away - what is the sense of that?? Portions in the UK are much smaller and yet we have a weight problem here too.

I haven't been to the UK and don't know anything about how sizes compare, but I do agree with you that portion size is ridiculous in most restaurants in my area. In fact, you can't order a Mexican entree without them bringing 2 or 3 plates of food because it doesn't all fit on one plate. Standalone Japanese restaurants are about the only ones (other than outrageously priced NYC locations 269,000,000 Americans have never eaten at) that keep portion size reasonable.

I believe my city was even voted the fattest in America several years running. We definitely live up to it. Around here, guys call themselves athletic and toned, when really they look like that MFP troll Whierd. I guess after a while, even we don't see how we look anymore.

Reported.

joshdann

Personally, I think our obesity epidemic comes from an odd combination of the "waste not, want not" mantra of the depression being passed along from that generation combined with both a "get your money's worth" capitalistic attitude and the absence of personal responsibility. It has nothing to do with restaurant portion sizing--that's driven by demand.

a reasonable argument! RUN!!!

whierd

I've just returned from a holiday in California and was amazed at the portion sizes on all the meals I had when eating in restaurants. I mentioned this to an American friend and he just replied that the US was the land of plenty and they had to support their farmers. He then left half of his stack of pancakes and it was thrown away - what is the sense of that?? Portions in the UK are much smaller and yet we have a weight problem here too.

I haven't been to the UK and don't know anything about how sizes compare, but I do agree with you that portion size is ridiculous in most restaurants in my area. In fact, you can't order a Mexican entree without them bringing 2 or 3 plates of food because it doesn't all fit on one plate. Standalone Japanese restaurants are about the only ones (other than outrageously priced NYC locations 269,000,000 Americans have never eaten at) that keep portion size reasonable.

I believe my city was even voted the fattest in America several years running. We definitely live up to it. Around here, guys call themselves athletic and toned, when really they look like that MFP troll Whierd. I guess after a while, even we don't see how we look anymore.

Whierd wasn't trolling. My original post about big pharm was trolling. Whierd is honest, blunt, and quite intelligent. I like him an awful lot :flowerforyou:


I have NEVER had a Mexican entree come out on more than one plate, and I have had many.

Nor I. Except for torillas in a tortilla warmer.

smantha32

The meals are larger because the market responds to what the consumers want,

dear whierd, I don't think i agree with you here, and i've heard enough of 'blame the fatties for their problems' i see the restaurants that are 'pushing' large portions as just like drug dealers, tempting their customers to buy more and more. Of course nobody else puts the food in our mouth, but it's not that simple and I think there is an addictive element to processed food. I speak as one who used to eat pizza, burgers etc. daily, now that I cook all my food at home I no longer crave my old diet. I still eat a lot - but it'smore nutritious. There is a british journalist called Jacques Peretti who's made some documentaries, you can find on you tube, about 'The Men Who Made us Thin' . The obesity epidemic cannot have started because people suddenly got greedier, it has to be the environment we're living in. What do you think?

1) don't believe so-called "documentaries" on youtube
2) the explanation is simple. food is more readily available now than ever in history. most people work at desks now instead of toiling in the fields all day. the human body is still designed for the "feast or famine" cycles that were common throughout history. now, we not only don't have famine (in the developed world), but we have leisure time and we are no longer nearly as active procuring that food nor surviving. snacking is now an option. i don't think people a 1000 years ago had the time during the day to snack. so it has nothing to do with food companies or corporations or any of that tinfoil hat nonsense... it's because life is easier and we burn less calories and food is more available and we eat more of it as a result. it's that simple.

Dear Brainy,

1. The documentary was on BBC but you can find it on you tube

2. Clearly you are in the 'a calorie is a calorie' camp, 'calories in/calories out'. I disagree, I find the evidence for low nutrition, high fat, high sugar, highly processed food being poisonous and addictive totally convincing. You may disagree, so let us just carry on doing what we are doing. Good luck to you.

I think processed food can be both poisonous and addicting... however, it's still all about calories in and calories out. You've probably just exploded this thread, because all the people who've lost weight here using calorie counting are likely about to deliver the smackdown.

Cadori

I've just returned from a holiday in California and was amazed at the portion sizes on all the meals I had when eating in restaurants. I mentioned this to an American friend and he just replied that the US was the land of plenty and they had to support their farmers. He then left half of his stack of pancakes and it was thrown away - what is the sense of that?? Portions in the UK are much smaller and yet we have a weight problem here too.

I haven't been to the UK and don't know anything about how sizes compare, but I do agree with you that portion size is ridiculous in most restaurants in my area. In fact, you can't order a Mexican entree without them bringing 2 or 3 plates of food because it doesn't all fit on one plate. Standalone Japanese restaurants are about the only ones (other than outrageously priced NYC locations 269,000,000 Americans have never eaten at) that keep portion size reasonable.

I believe my city was even voted the fattest in America several years running. We definitely live up to it. Around here, guys call themselves athletic and toned, when really they look like that MFP troll Whierd. I guess after a while, even we don't see how we look anymore.

Whierd wasn't trolling. My original post about big pharm was trolling. Whierd is honest, blunt, and quite intelligent. I like him an awful lot :flowerforyou:


I have NEVER had a Mexican entree come out on more than one plate, and I have had many.

Plus, he's cute. And cute + smart is an incredibly good combo.

faely

I just love it when people use "most people" as if they actually know "most people" and can speak on their behalf.

generalizing for the sake of proving your own argument

I'll stick to the pro's like Sara and the other awesome people that use science and fact.

Mr_Knight

I have NEVER had a Mexican entree come out on more than one plate, and I have had many.

Yeah, that's a new one for me, too. I mean, yeah, when you order fajitas the tortillas will often come in their container because they need to be separated, but that's like saying the soup came on more than one plate because there's a bread basket on the table.

I'm not going to claim it never happens, because I haven't eaten *everywhere*, but I've never seen it.

jennaworksout

gluttony

smantha32

It's a conspiracy by Big Pharm. They are in cahoots with the restaurant industry (and in effect, bit ag) to make us ever fatter, ensuring a continuous market for their products. Do we really believe that with all of the advancement in pharmaceuticals that there is no cure for obesity? It's not in their best interests to have a healthy public.

Here is a really good article:
http://bigthink.com/in-their-own-words/the-obesity-conspiracy

Yeah but they can't make you eat the higher fat food, and it's still your choice to put the fork down.

A little bit of self awareness and personal responsibility goes a long way towards foiling the conspiracy.

Otterluv

Whierd wasn't trolling. My original post about big pharm was trolling. Whierd is honest, blunt, and quite intelligent. I like him an awful lot :flowerforyou:


I have NEVER had a Mexican entree come out on more than one plate, and I have had many.

Nor I. Except for torillas in a tortilla warmer.

Well yes. And if they brought my tortillas and fajita fillings to me on the same plate, I would not be happy: soggy tortillas :sick:

whierd

I kinda want multiple plates of Mexican food now.

jayjay12345654321

I have NEVER had a Mexican entree come out on more than one plate, and I have had many.

Yeah, that's a new one for me, too. I mean, yeah, when you order fajitas the tortillas will often come in their container because they need to be separated, but that's like saying the soup came on more than one plate because there's a bread basket on the table.

I'm not going to claim it never happens, because I haven't eaten *everywhere*, but I've never seen it.

That's the norm in Houston. I've lived in Texas all my life. I've never had an entree at a Mexican restaurant that didn't have at least 2 plates. Three if you something on one of the other two plates has additional toppings to assemble with. It's the norm here.

Otterluv

I kinda want multiple plates of Mexican food now.

I know, I'm feeling really shortchanged here. We've obviously been going to the wrong Mexican restaurants.

Contrarian

I've just returned from a holiday in California and was amazed at the portion sizes on all the meals I had when eating in restaurants. I mentioned this to an American friend and he just replied that the US was the land of plenty and they had to support their farmers. He then left half of his stack of pancakes and it was thrown away - what is the sense of that?? Portions in the UK are much smaller and yet we have a weight problem here too.

I haven't been to the UK and don't know anything about how sizes compare, but I do agree with you that portion size is ridiculous in most restaurants in my area. In fact, you can't order a Mexican entree without them bringing 2 or 3 plates of food because it doesn't all fit on one plate. Standalone Japanese restaurants are about the only ones (other than outrageously priced NYC locations 269,000,000 Americans have never eaten at) that keep portion size reasonable.

I believe my city was even voted the fattest in America several years running. We definitely live up to it. Around here, guys call themselves athletic and toned, when really they look like that MFP troll Whierd. I guess after a while, even we don't see how we look anymore.

You're really something. Again, making disparaging remarks about another poster's photo is not cool. You know that, though, don't you?

whierd

I kinda want multiple plates of Mexican food now.

I know, I'm feeling really shortchanged here. We've obviously been going to the wrong Mexican restaurants.

The sad part is that I was in Texas for a few months last year, ate Mexican food several times, and still didn't get it on multiple plates. :grumble:

smantha32

1. The US government subsidizes food production, making food crazy cheap (but not of good quality).
2. Americans have been conditioned to think that bigger is better. Bigger and cheaper is best.
3. To get smaller portions we have to pay more. For instance, if you want your meal split with half in a box to go, or wish to share your meal with your dinner mate, there is a surcharge of $1 or more at most establishments.
4. At fast food places the surcharge for smaller portions can double the price of the meal due to the increased labor cost in a custom order. Just try getting a half-sized banana split at Dairy Queen. It'll cost you nearly $9 to buy the individual ingredients.
5. We kind of like it this way.

I'm in Texas, and I almost always go splits on food with friends and I've never been charged a buck to do it. Maybe that's specific to certain regions.

There are a couple places here though where you have to bring your own wine if you want wine and they charge you a few bucks to open it and that chaps me a little. lol

spoiledpuppies

I think it's because the actual food is probably the smallest factor in the restaurant's operating expenses. Most of the costs come from rent/mortgage, salaries, insurance, etc. So if they can throw more food on a plate so people think they're getting a "great deal," they do it at little additional cost. Then, yes, some people will throw it away, some will take it to go, and some will eat all of it.

joshdann

I kinda want multiple plates of Mexican food now.

I know, I'm feeling really shortchanged here. We've obviously been going to the wrong Mexican restaurants.

The sad part is that I was in Texas for a few months last year, ate Mexican food several times, and still didn't get it on multiple plates. :grumble:

I live in TX, have for my whole life... and yes, you can get mexican entrees on multiple plates. They usually bring the tortillas separately from the fajita meat, which is separate from the "fixin's" (cheese, veggies, etc). pretty common practice here in TX for the fajita meat to be on its own cast iron (very hot) serving skillet, sizzling as it arrives... ok, dinner plans made. cheers!

whierd

I kinda want multiple plates of Mexican food now.

I know, I'm feeling really shortchanged here. We've obviously been going to the wrong Mexican restaurants.

The sad part is that I was in Texas for a few months last year, ate Mexican food several times, and still didn't get it on multiple plates. :grumble:

I live in TX, have for my whole life... and yes, you can get mexican entrees on multiple plates. They usually bring the tortillas separately from the fajita meat, which is separate from the "fixin's" (cheese, veggies, etc). pretty common practice here in TX for the fajita meat to be on its own cast iron (very hot) serving skillet, sizzling as it arrives... ok, dinner plans made. cheers!

Yup, that's normally how I receive fajitas as well. Man I love to hear that sizzle...