A restaurant rant..
What is the deal with people constantly only wanting to go out to eat?? Don't get me wrong, I enjoy having good food with my friends and family at a restaurant now and then, but seriously, everybody I know wants to go out for food at least 3 or 4 days a week! Does anybody else find that excessive? I know it's a big part of our (American) culture, but I also think it's a huge part of America's weight problem. Cause like, you go out to eat and the waiter brings you the bread and the next thing you know, your non calorie conscious friend orders and appetizer and maybe a bottle of wine to share, then there's the massive amount of hidden calories and sodium in the main course and you end up feeling like a balloon for the next 3 days afterwards. I feel silly ordering salads as my main course at restaurants too so that's not really a solution for me because if I'm going to go out and spend the money, I want something that I don't normally make at home. What happened to the days where going to a restaurant was a bit more of a big deal? Is anybody with me on this one?
Nope. I like going out to eat with my friends. But I usually have salad.
I actually agree. I live in the UK and the general standard of restaurants over here is ABYSMAL. If you go out and your food is ok or average, you're lucky. I resent spending a load of money when I can make tastier food at home for a fraction of the price.
I go out to eat all the time... probably around 5x per week. Yes, it is a lot, but where I live (Malaysia) eating out doesn't cost you any more than eating at home would. I also enjoy the social aspect of eating out, eating a meal I didn't have to cook, and just eating a meal somewhere other than home. Eating out is supposed to be fun!
Portion sizes here are the same as what you would eat at home. Local restaurants don't do breadbaskets and most aren't licensed. If I'm eating local food, that also means one course only; the 3 course meal isn't big here. So really, eating out doesn't change my weight or eating habits in any way.
When I do eat at 'Western' restaurants, the portions are still the same as at home. It would be the same deal in my home country, New Zealand. Not every country has supersized portions...
And if I feel like a salad, I'll order one. What's silly about that? I would have thought it was sillier to order something you didn't really want to eat. 
My Australian husband gained a lot of weight when he moved here. I know other foreigners who had the same issues. Americans are gluttons, news at 11.
I don't put much thought into things such as this. I don't care if other people go out to eat.
I stand outside restaurants and yell "FATTIE" as people go in
Original Post by spirochete:
I stand outside restaurants and yell "FATTIE" as people go in
I throw my leftovers at people who do this.
I've been in the restaurant/food business for about 4 years now... going out to eat, isn't very thrilling for me.
I know what goes on in the back... I never eat at my work, and I get VERY nervous about other people preparing my food. I don't know what they are putting on it, cooking it it, how old it is, how good quality it is.. etc.
I'd much rather buy and prepare my own food, that way I have a better idea of what I am putting in my body.
So much of the food these days is pre-packaged and mass produced. The companys don't care how good it is for you, all they care about is making money.
I'm getting good at intuitively even at restaurants - i just avoid heavy sauces and I do stick to small portions or meat or salads. If you are going out to eat alot, why not eat a salad LOL? I actually love salads in general so I don't mind :) I like vegetables!
I used to be abit weary of going to restaurants but I think I'm ok now - i can make good choices. Also I like cooking at home usually to save money and I know what goes in it :) lol
okay first off I'm 52yrs old, growing up we didnt' have fast food, that start about my mid teens. Our family went out to dinner once a year - yes once a year. My family worked harder and we had fresh veg and fruits and weights were pretty healthy. Yes we used lard but I dont' think that comes closed to the fat that is in what we eat daily. I stay about from fast foods, when I have had to have a hamburger at a fast food place all I taste is salt. I see parents bring lunch to kids at school (some 3-4 times a week) and they are all mcdonalds. The school offers a healthy lunch and pretty good to be honest, salads are also included. I just wonder how bad there little hearts are going to be by 25yrs old. My moms heart doctor said the same thing. Mom is 73 no blocked arteries and doing great for her age if she hadn't smoked for 58 yrs. My goal this year to cut way back on the eating out, it's seems to be the social meeting place, I go acouple times a month.
Original Post by tini87:
What happened to the days where going to a restaurant was a bit more of a big deal?
For me and hubby, going out to a restaurant is still a big deal, but it's more because it's not very often we're willing to go to the trouble of arranging a babysitter.
If you're going out that much, there are ways to not be a victim of the restaurant industry.
Although I have no problem whatsoever with requests ("no bread please", no butter, etc), I believe in limited indulgence, and unless hubby and I are going someplace immediately afterwards so leftovers can be put away, I always get a to go box for what's left when I'm full. Otherwise, since we don't do it that often, I just eat half and have them take the plate.
Or you could just ask your friends/family if they would be up for a themed potluck as a get together. (A lot more sharing and control over what you eat.)
I know there are ways to get around it.. but I'd rather everybody just go out less frequently so instead I can fully enjoy everything at the restaurant without being all calorie conscious. Better yet, I'd rather restaurants just served human sized portions so I don't have to cut my meal in half and box it up.
Original Post by rosieblue:
Original Post by spirochete:
I stand outside restaurants and yell "FATTIE" as people go in
I throw my leftovers at people who do this.
we should have a meet-up.
Original Post by tini87:
Better yet, I'd rather restaurants just served human sized portions so I don't have to cut my meal in half and box it up.
Ask them to do it for you. Whenever the server does this without pausing or looking at me like a freak they get a bigger tip.
Boxing up leftovers is really hard, man, you gotta scoop it up and put it in a box. That is a really difficult task.
Original Post by tini87:
I know there are ways to get around it.. but I'd rather everybody just go out less frequently so instead I can fully enjoy everything at the restaurant without being all calorie conscious. Better yet, I'd rather restaurants just served human sized portions so I don't have to cut my meal in half and box it up.
so...if only everyone else would change, everything would be perfect for you? your feet, hand, your fork, your mouth.
Original Post by torigypsierose:
okay first off I'm 52yrs old, growing up we didnt' have fast food, that start about my mid teens. Our family went out to dinner once a year - yes once a year. My family worked harder and we had fresh veg and fruits and weights were pretty healthy. Yes we used lard but I dont' think that comes closed to the fat that is in what we eat daily. I stay about from fast foods, when I have had to have a hamburger at a fast food place all I taste is salt. I see parents bring lunch to kids at school (some 3-4 times a week) and they are all mcdonalds. The school offers a healthy lunch and pretty good to be honest, salads are also included. I just wonder how bad there little hearts are going to be by 25yrs old. My moms heart doctor said the same thing. Mom is 73 no blocked arteries and doing great for her age if she hadn't smoked for 58 yrs. My goal this year to cut way back on the eating out, it's seems to be the social meeting place, I go acouple times a month.
Hey, I'm 53, and we usually went out about 3 times a week. Mom worked full time and it was easier sometimes than cooking just to go out. We weren't fat, and I'm not fat now, and hey, my mom is 79, walks everyday, and hits the gym a few times a week too. She's not fat either, but my sis is a bit of a chunk because her hub makes her delicious meals :)
When I look around for a place to eat I avoid the chains. They usually heap tons of cheese on everything, make the food look good on the menu, then serve up some disgusting slop. It definitely doesn't look healthy. As for salad, unless ordered otherwise it usually comes awash in dressing and cheese. I agree with the OP that eating out is a big part of American culture and also a huge part of the weight issue.
I definitely put on the pounds if I eat out too often.
Original Post by pgeorgian:
Original Post by tini87:
I know there are ways to get around it.. but I'd rather everybody just go out less frequently so instead I can fully enjoy everything at the restaurant without being all calorie conscious. Better yet, I'd rather restaurants just served human sized portions so I don't have to cut my meal in half and box it up.
so...if only everyone else would change, everything would be perfect for you? your feet, hand, your fork, your mouth.
Awwwwww dammit! I'm responsible for what I put in my mouth? Way to blow my day PG.
Original Post by pgeorgian:
Original Post by tini87:
I know there are ways to get around it.. but I'd rather everybody just go out less frequently so instead I can fully enjoy everything at the restaurant without being all calorie conscious. Better yet, I'd rather restaurants just served human sized portions so I don't have to cut my meal in half and box it up.
so...if only everyone else would change, everything would be perfect for you? your feet, hand, your fork, your mouth.
I'm well aware of the fact that I'm in control of when I eat out. Like I said, I do it all the time, and I'm maintaining w/ a bmi of 20.5 so that's not really the issue. It was more or less a rant of the fact that this was the case. You shouldn't HAVE to have things boxed because American portion sizes are ridiculous and I was complaining about all my friends wanting to go out to eat because it'd be way more awesome if people got together and cooked with real food instead.
The size of portions was born out of the need to give the customer a sense of value, while controlling costs. Like everything else manufactured, COG and set up are the biggest expenses.
Larger portions only cost the company pennies more and give the customer the perception of value. Reducing portion sizes by half would prompt lower sales for the same cost.
If you feel really strongly about portion size, investigate high-end restaurants as a once in a while treat. The portion sizes are quite small, highly priced, but the quality of the food is extraodinary.
