Why are US meal portions so big??

Mr_Knight

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.

It's to make up for the calorie labels they put on food in grocery stores. So far this week I've seen the nutritional content of a package of hot dogs expressed in "1/3 of a hot dog" serving size and hamburgers buns expressed in "2/5 of a bun" serving size.

What brands expressed serving sizes in those ludicrous servings?

Don't remember the bun vendor, but the hot dogs were "Harvest Bavarian Sausages".

I'm assuming that they were one of those large ring sausages, correct?

Nope. They were hot dogs. Individually plastic wrapped, even. No idea why they were called "sausages" on the package.

I called the 800 number on the package to complain.

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.

It's to make up for the calorie labels they put on food in grocery stores. So far this week I've seen the nutritional content of a package of hot dogs expressed in "1/3 of a hot dog" serving size and hamburgers buns expressed in "2/5 of a bun" serving size.

What brands expressed serving sizes in those ludicrous servings?

Don't remember the bun vendor, but the hot dogs were "Harvest Bavarian Sausages".

I'm assuming that they were one of those large ring sausages, correct?

Nope. They were hot dogs. Individually plastic wrapped, even. No idea why they were called "sausages" on the package.

I called the 800 number on the package to complain.

That is insane. Definitely not how most things are packaged.

Mr_Knight

That is insane. Definitely not how most things are packaged.

Yeah, for sure.

My next food fight is going to be against cereal companies that have one serving size on the nutrition label and a completely different serving size on their TV ads.

Fullsterkur_woman

I don't know about you, but I cannot use two bathrooms at once. I do, however, do number 1 in one bathroom, and number 2 in the other.

:laugh: I don't live alone, and it only takes one time of everybody needing the toilet at once to say "never again"!

I dunno... I bet if the bathrooms were right across the hall from each other and the toilets were situated just so, a dude *might* just be able to use them both at once! :embarassed:

lharri0209

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.

NonnyMary

its still up to us - personal responsibility what we shove into our mouth.

danasings

i'll bet a Big Mac in the UK is exactly the same size as a Big Mac in the USA, but of course that'll just be dismissed as the exception that proves the rule... :facepalm:

Nope. US (and Canada) Big Macs have about 50 calories more than UK Big Macs, according to Mcdonald's website(s). Curiously, the UK Big Mac has twice(!) the sodium.

Clearly, the products are somewhat customized for local preferences.

calorie counts =/= portion sizes

1 cup of 1% milk has fewer calories than 1 cup of 2% milk. identical portion sizes.

let's see some data about the bun diameters of Big Macs between the USA and UK!

Cadbury's Creme Eggs are smaller in the US.

Random fact!

Well, then now I HAVE to go to the UK!!

Just buy two!

I buy the four pack. You know, because I am a fat, gluttonous American.

BeachIron

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.

I'm not sure that I can make sense of this argument as McDonald's provides low cal options and puts their calorie content right there on the menu board. Not to defend any particular restaurant, but the vitriol directed at McDonald's seems a bit out of proportion.

Some_Watery_Tart

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.

How do you figure that Whierd is a troll? Because he states the truth without any sugar-coating? And, FWIW, I think he's a darn good-lookin' guy--although I'd vote for him to bring back the beard. :flowerforyou:

Belinda658

go to an expensive foo-foo restaurant in NYC and you'll find much smaller (and more expensive portions).

Just went to NYC recently and ate at a lot of fine dining places and was thinking that exactly when I saw this thread

smantha32

This is what gets me. I'm old enough to remember when restaurant meals were the same size as some of today's appetizer plates. I mean really, you can get a plate of "appetizers" costing $9.00 and it will fill you up.

What also gets me is the restaurants that "supersize" ,,, 5 dollar footlong Subway for $5.00 and the 6 inch for $4.75 but if i eat the footlong it will be too much. I dont care about the 25 cents savings to buy a whole bunch of other food i dont need.

Also, if you want a medium soda, at the theatre, they say $3.00, but for 50 cents more you can get a humungous size. Again, the extra size is not wanted.

i was at a restaurant which gives large portions for the money..which is good if you want that.. however, I just wanted an appetizer of 3 shrimp and rissoto. The guy tried to talk me into getting a lunch plate which was better value. but it ended up too much. so he was trying to give me the "better value" but its not what i wanted... i wanted portion control.. with just the smaller items.

I can relate.. several times going to Burger King i ordered a cheeseburger and when I got to the window, found out they had upgraded me to a double cheeseburger because it was cheaper and they thought they were doing me a favor.

I always have to explain to them that I'm eating a set portion and I make them redo it.

faely

What is with all the jerks in here? Oh yeah, its the MFP forums.

Otter is awesome, and Whierd is sarcastic and funny as heIl. 3 of my favorite personalities :drinker:

Sarauk2sf

What is it with this thread and the catty rude people? Oh, and pro tip - read the forum rules.

whitecapwendy

I feel like I am not getting my money's worth..

This right here is key to why many restaurants serve huge portions. People demand it because they want to feel like they are getting their money's worth. I have a friend who examines every plate she is given in a restaurant and questions it every time she either feels like it is not enough, or feels that the portion is smaller than the last time she ordered that food. If people do not feel they are getting their moneys worth, they will not go to that restaurant again. Restaurants depend on people's business

Sarauk2sf

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.

Usual MFP thread. Poster has something disagreed with. Resorts to calling them a troll and personal insults. Tacky my dear, very tacky.

EvgeniZyntx

Being someone who is a dual national, with a transcontinental family, and who grew up in the UK but has lived in the US for the past 15 years, I feel that I should contribute to this thread...however, as I have not eaten in enough restaurants in the US or the UK to feel comfortable making blanket generalizations, I will limit it to *my* limited observations.

My personal experience in the limited sample that is me...*some* restaurants here seem to have larger portions than *some* restaurants in the UK. However, the fast food places and the higher end places are pretty much comparable in my experience.

However, this should be weighed with the fact that, again, in my limited experience, taking leftovers home is more common/acceptable/expected in the US, so when there are bigger portions, it does not necessarily mean that people are eating it all in one sitting.

Having lived in the US, Mexico, France, Germany and pretty much travelled to every country in the EU and most continents, I'm going to agree with Sara. I find that yes, a lot of US restaurants, especially some of the easy convenience chains do have larger portions than many EU restaurants. But I also found that a meal in France tends to be a bigger and longer affair and it happens that we have to explain to some American guests to take it easy on the apero/entree.
Most high end restaurants are pretty consistent in portion size more based on the plate/style of restaurant. Even so a nice tamipiquena, choucroute or turbot will certainly challenge the portion size of most American restaurants.

Now, to attempt to judge the eating habits of a people from restaurants is silly - I'd have to conclude that all the people of India eat 17 dishes at every meal and the English have roastbeef and pudding three times a week.

Edit: the catty comments and insults are truly disgusting.

cacklingcat

American size 10 for a lady is.. slim, here in UK you are 14-16 and overweight. It's a different world.

HAHAHAHAHA sry, I dont think I have ever in my life heard a girl or woman say look at me i'm a size 10 and so slim. I have heart a 0-5 is what most girls and women think of as slim. And I would think that the sizing is widely different per country (given that it seams to widely very from store to store in it self). But hay to me a 10 is half of my current size so I would be pretty dam happy lol,:laugh:

Some_Watery_Tart

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.

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.

:laugh: Wow, not only did you call me a troll but you insult my looks and body as well? That is pretty brave coming from someone who doesn't even have a picture of themselves up for the everyone else to judge.

Also, I'm the first to say that I'm fat and average looking, so that doesn't really bother me. Being intelligent is an excellent trade off.

Otterluv

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.

ETA: I just reread your comment. HOLY HELL! WTF are you doing insulting his appearance? He is a very good looking man, and at least put up a picture of himself. Is this thread just pulling the creeps out of the woodwork?!