Why are US meal portions so big??
Options
Replies
-
I personally like it. If i go out with my Mom, we bring home leftovers for ourselves and our hubbies. :P0
-
It's not a requirement to eat all the food on your plate or in the bowl. Cheesecake is the exception because it is amazing!0
-
If all your meals were huge portion sizes, my guess is that you were eating at cheaper chain type restaurants where the quality of the ingredients is generally sub-par (IMO).
Nicer restaurants that care about the quality of the food typically have more manageable sizes.
But regardless, people don't usually eat three meals out per day? Most people I know might eat out once or twice a month. Often will split meals as well. Even on vacation, three meals out a day is just overkill.0 -
Hooray! Thank you! I 'm the original poster and I have been dismayed by the venom in some of the replies to my post. But perhaps it has made people think!
Just another post by a little traveled xenophobe making generalizations about an entire nation from eating in tourist traps and high-volume troughs.
It's OK, I've seen Americans do the same thing.
We have xenophobes too.
No worries. :flowerforyou:
what were people saying before about nasty name calling...? I'm pretty sure this would fall into that category. 'little traveled xenophobe... eating in high-volume troughs' -- completely uncalled for nasty assumptions. She's probably travelled more than you, pet.
but hey if we put an emoticon in that makes everything a-ok right?
0 -
This topic just made me hungry for a burger the size of a plate and slathered in mayo with a wheel barrow of fries on the side.......0
-
One of the reasons why I want to holiday in America - the food!
Resturant food in New Zealand is quite pricey, although delicious and nutritious.
I would love to spend $10 on a meal and get a days worth (or mutliple) of food out of it. Sounds heavenly.
$10 in NZ would barely get you an appetiser, though it depends where you go and in what town.
Im hungry.0 -
In some American chain restaurants in Hong Kong, there's a sign on the menu that says "WARNING: we serve American portions".
Image is cropped, but full image can be seen here:
http://chamorrochica.com/2011/05/warning-we-serve-american-portions/0 -
Prepare to be disappointed - watch Gordon Ramsay's US TV shows.One of the reasons why I want to holiday in America - the food!
You'll get quantity, but may be better off where you are.0 -
I tried to ignore this but yes I've travelled far and wide, at least 8 countries in Africa, including Ethiopia, Namibia, Ghana; Asia including China, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand x 2 and Kazakhstan; South America including Argentina and Ecuador; Costa Rica x 2 and all over Europe of course. Haven't reached Australia and New Zealand yet but they're on my list. On all my travels I've never seen portions as large as the US and it wasn't a criticism, I was more worried about the waste but this has been explained to me, ie doggy bags to take home, not easy for me when I was travelling and staying in hotels!Hooray! Thank you! I 'm the original poster and I have been dismayed by the venom in some of the replies to my post. But perhaps it has made people think!
Just another post by a little traveled xenophobe making generalizations about an entire nation from eating in tourist traps and high-volume troughs.
It's OK, I've seen Americans do the same thing.
We have xenophobes too.
No worries. :flowerforyou:
what were people saying before about nasty name calling...? I'm pretty sure this would fall into that category. 'little traveled xenophobe... eating in high-volume troughs' -- completely uncalled for nasty assumptions. She's probably travelled more than you, pet.
but hey if we put an emoticon in that makes everything a-ok right?0 -
the real issue is that the West overeats & the East controls intake,
more than half the populations in the West are now overweight, & the obesity numbers are climbing, translate that how you want
http://www.oecd.org/health/49716427.pdf0 -
I tried to ignore this but yes I've travelled far and wide, at least 8 countries in Africa, including Ethiopia, Namibia, Ghana; Asia including China, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand x 2 and Kazakhstan; South America including Argentina and Ecuador; Costa Rica x 2 and all over Europe of course. Haven't reached Australia and New Zealand yet but they're on my list. On all my travels I've never seen portions as large as the US and it wasn't a criticism, I was more worried about the waste but this has been explained to me, ie doggy bags to take home, not easy for me when I was travelling and staying in hotels!Hooray! Thank you! I 'm the original poster and I have been dismayed by the venom in some of the replies to my post. But perhaps it has made people think!
Just another post by a little traveled xenophobe making generalizations about an entire nation from eating in tourist traps and high-volume troughs.
It's OK, I've seen Americans do the same thing.
We have xenophobes too.
No worries. :flowerforyou:
what were people saying before about nasty name calling...? I'm pretty sure this would fall into that category. 'little traveled xenophobe... eating in high-volume troughs' -- completely uncalled for nasty assumptions. She's probably travelled more than you, pet.
but hey if we put an emoticon in that makes everything a-ok right?
But I'm happy this morning, the 2lb I put on whilst visiting the US has gone this morning as I'm doing the 5:2 diet. I expect now I 'll be criticized for that too!
:laugh:0 -
I have travelled a lot for work and spent a fair bit of time in the US, and yes the portions are big. One time, a male colleague and I shared an appetizer as our main meal and we still didn't finish it....
One of the things I struggled with when in the US, was just getting a meal with regular plain old veg i.e. not creamed corn/spinach etc.
I think the portions are big when you go to the chain type restaurants. The independently owned restaurants seem to offer a more realistic portion size (IMO).
FWIW, this isn't just a US issue, I have seen the same in pretty much every European city I have visited (Stockholm, Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Dublin to name a few). However, whilst the portion sizes may be huge, you control the portion you eat 0 -
come to CANADA, where we are healthy0
-
I tried to ignore this but yes I've travelled far and wide, at least 8 countries in Africa, including Ethiopia, Namibia, Ghana; Asia including China, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand x 2 and Kazakhstan; South America including Argentina and Ecuador; Costa Rica x 2 and all over Europe of course. Haven't reached Australia and New Zealand yet but they're on my list. On all my travels I've never seen portions as large as the US and it wasn't a criticism, I was more worried about the waste but this has been explained to me, ie doggy bags to take home, not easy for me when I was travelling and staying in hotels!Hooray! Thank you! I 'm the original poster and I have been dismayed by the venom in some of the replies to my post. But perhaps it has made people think!
Just another post by a little traveled xenophobe making generalizations about an entire nation from eating in tourist traps and high-volume troughs.
It's OK, I've seen Americans do the same thing.
We have xenophobes too.
No worries. :flowerforyou:
what were people saying before about nasty name calling...? I'm pretty sure this would fall into that category. 'little traveled xenophobe... eating in high-volume troughs' -- completely uncalled for nasty assumptions. She's probably travelled more than you, pet.
but hey if we put an emoticon in that makes everything a-ok right?
So you're a "reasonably" traveled xenophobe. That's just dandy.
Look, I get it. I've worked with my share of British xenophobes, and in several countries. Trust me. You're not the only one. Of course, we have had our own brilliant travelers write about Europe and Asia too. I can't tell you how many times I've had friends come back from the U.K. to tell me how absolutely inedible the food was. :flowerforyou:
If you can't learn to stop taking limited experiences and writing them large, then there is little anyone else can do to change your attitudes. I have eaten at those type of places a handful of times. The food is usually awful, the portions huge, and they are decidedly aimed at a certain market. If you want to leave the cheap and fake "Italian" places, the TGIF Fridays, and the "Chinese" buffets and go to real restaurants, you will have a different experience. But, meh . . .0 -
If I go to the US I expect big food! It's one of the best things about the country - $7 for a pizza that would cost me £15 here in the UK, it's awesome. A 'starter' plate of nachos as big as me. I can't find these things where I am, they are delicious, and they are amazing. If it's wasted then of course that's a shame, but I'm certain your average american isn't eating giant pizza at the pool hall every night, just like I don't go to the local Indian for a giant curry, naan bread, fried samosas every night.
Now, one thing I didn't understand and maybe someone could clarify - I went to a conference and there didn't seem to be any milk to be found with tea/coffee, it was always labelled 'cream'. Is this usual?0 -
When I started my diet to lose weight I noticed the same thing. Portions are way too big, and packed with calories and fat. Alot of restaurants just don't offer light meals either. It's hard to go out and eat. I mainly picked out a few restaurants that I know have healthy choices and try to just stick with them.0
-
If I go to the US I expect big food! It's one of the best things about the country - $7 for a pizza that would cost me £15 here in the UK, it's awesome. A 'starter' plate of nachos as big as me. I can't find these things where I am, they are delicious, and they are amazing. If it's wasted then of course that's a shame, but I'm certain your average american isn't eating giant pizza at the pool hall every night, just like I don't go to the local Indian for a giant curry, naan bread, fried samosas every night.
Now, one thing I didn't understand and maybe someone could clarify - I went to a conference and there didn't seem to be any milk to be found with tea/coffee, it was always labelled 'cream'. Is this usual?
The cream is for the coffee. Tea in the States is more often drank black with honey or lemon, or iced. 'Two with moo' is uncommon here (and most places I've been outside of the UK, now I think of it). In a restaurant they'll give you some milk if you ask for it. I find that the water served with the tea is rarely hot enough to brew a decent cuppa, though.
On a general note about traveling and cultural differences -
Problems with portions and tea, etc... Are just classic examples of culture shock - viewing another culture through your own cultural expectations. We'd all do well to remember a quote I once saw - "Other cultures are not failed attempts to be you".0 -
A few years ago I worked for Bread Garden ( Vancouver Canada) and helped open their first US location - First one in Denver. I was shocked with the fact that our company had to increase all the recipes to yield HUGE single portion meals because that is what the expectation for portion size was in the US. Ridiculous portions!
Also, I do find it is apparent that there is certainly a weight issue going on south of the border when I'm down there...so many large, overweight people as compared to what I see in other countries...including my own.0 -
I'm a Brit who has lived in North Carolina and Texas for a year each. US meal sizes ARE big. It was much more noticeable when I was there in the early '90s. It was especially the all you can eat breakfasts with muffins and maple syrup that stunned me...I soon got used to it though. Now I think that our UK portion sizes are expanding too and there are more 'all you can eat' places around. However, I felt that it was cheaper to eat out in US and the differential between cooking at home and eating out was less so I ate out more often. Great for if you're on holiday but self control has to be practiced more carefully I think if you're living with that temptation. Now I want a pancake stack with all the sides
0 -
The cream is for the coffee. Tea in the States is more often drank black with honey or lemon, or iced. 'Two with moo' is uncommon here (and most places I've been outside of the UK, now I think of it). In a restaurant they'll give you some milk if you ask for it. I find that the water served with the tea is rarely hot enough to brew a decent cuppa, though.
Makes sense - reminds me of an old advert we had here about british stereotypes (can't remember what company) - 'You take a delicious oriental infusion and dump cow juice in it!'0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 390 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 922 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions