Portion sizes (rant)

[Kimmyt]

OK, so this is a bit inspired by the Fish thread, because I was reading it the other day and I just got to craving tilapia. So yesterday I went to the store to get some for dinner.

I was cooking for myself since the house is all mine for the next 6 mos while the Boy is in CO for work. I really wanted a nice healthy meal, so I was planning on making some fish, rice and a bunch of asparagus.

So I went to the store and bought just one tilapia filet. The guy behind the counter was like, 'well, these are pretty small, so maybe you want more than that'. I told him it was ok, one was fine. Since it was just me I was cooking for I didn't need multiple filets (and I'm not very big to begin with). OK, so they were on the small side of all the filets for sale, but to my eyes they were perfect for a serving size (and a lovely $1.30 in price!), and plus I would be eating lots of yummy asparagus and rice.

Then as I was leaving the counter person was like, 'well thats a nice alternative to a meal'. I was so pissed off.

Because I felt like he was calling me anorexic or something, and here I am just eating healthy. I just feel like, especially in some regions of America, there is just this huge focus on quantity of food. If you eat less than a pound of meat in a sitting or something, people look at you like you're crazy.

I mean, most restaurants.... don't get me started! I enjoy to eat out as much as the next person, in fact I love it. And if I'm at a good restaurant, I'll get appys and entrees and desserts and probably go home stuffed when I shouldn't, but what normal person needs to eat a 20 oz. steak? I mean, even after I had my dinner I was flipping through channels and got caught by The Biggest Loser on tv and my mind kind of made the connection between all these obese people in America, and these huge serving sizes at our restaurants. Because when I was little we had a 'clean your plate' mentality, and now as an adult I find it hard to leave leftovers (especially those I've paid for) on my plate, though mostly I will take them home if they will be good for lunch the next day.

It's very frustrating, you know?

K.

[CyclChyk]

See, this is where I usually get myself in trouble cuz I would have said something to the fellow to put him in his place. Who the heck does he think he is?? His job is to get you what you ask for and nothing else.

I think your rant is justified.

[limewave]

Kimm--totally understand. It is frustrating, like its illegal to try and eat healthy. For lunch the other day I had an apple with cheddar cheese slice and some trail mix. It was really good, but my cubicle neighbors made comments about how I was eating like a squirrel. And, when I go to restaurants and I only eat 1/3 or 1/2 of what's on the plate, I always get asked if there was something wrong with it. Yes, it was a TON of food. Of course I don't say that, I always feel like I have to overly compliment the chef to assuage them "really, it was great! Loved it! . . . just not that hungry" I say sheepishly. And I wonder if I get these compliments because I'm not so small and they are surprised I haven't scarfed the plate.

[jobob]

um.... fish is perishable and perhaps he was just hoping to sell more if it? That's his job, after all. Just sayin'.

[Geonz]

"Too bad healthy thinking is so "alternative' around here... Maybe I need to find a nicer alternative for shopping."

[mimitabby]

I buy the bigger cut of fish and then eat the leftovers for lunch.
the same at a restaurant.
they feed me enough for 3 meals, I take it home with me and have 2 lunches out of it.

At work, i am trapped for 8 hours and can't leave. I need a good lunch of leftovers 5 days a week.


I can't stand the portion sizes either, but no one can guilt trip me into eating
more than i want!

[snapdragen]

I find the guys at the meat/fish counter usually think a serving size is anywhere from 10 to 16 ounces of meat. I really caused a problem when I made him cut me tenderloin fillets an inch thick. He couldn't understand why I didn't want the 3" thick, 12 oz each fillets.

[Kimmyt]

True enough. And he was a bigger guy, so maybe he just couldn't fathom getting full off of a little filet of fish.

I mostly filled up on asparagus anyway (mmm leftovers for lunch).

There's something I really just don't enjoy about reheated fish though, so I usually won't take it as a leftover....

[DarcyInOregon]

K, you posted about my favorite topic, which is being heart healthy and portion control.

I am not tiny. I am 5'9" and I have about 40-50 pounds of too much body fat. I've been working on my weight loss for many years, and I lost quite a bit of weight already, slowly, over time, with permanent behavior changes. Every day my focus is portion control and choosing my foods carefully, and so I've noticed the same things you have.

Regarding the huge portions in restaurants - it is unbelievable. Not only that, it seems to me that restaurants are looking for ways to make food more fattening. For example, a local restaurant chain added hash browns filled with different cheeses and sour cream to their menu. Menu items that used to have ordinary hash browns, maybe 150 to 300 calories, now have hash browns that are probably around 1500-2500 calories because there are two layers of potatoes, not just the one, and between the layers are gobs of cheese and sour cream. And I look around, and people are eating it!

Then how about sitting down and watching t.v. and up pops the fast food commercials. I refuse to eat at fast food restaurants because they are so unhealthy; indeed I've eaten at fast food restaurants fewer than one dozen times in my life and I am 52. I think the Kentucky Fried Chicken commercial is the worse. The commercial shows the mother bringing home fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, cole slaw and biscuits and putting it down on the dining room table and announcing it is dinner time. What mother in her right mind would feed her family that high-fat, high-sodium, low-nutrition, high-calorie food? Yet Americans see those commericals on t.v. and they think it is how everyone eats, and so children grow up fat. Not only that, young children now have hypertension and high cholesterol, meaning before too much longer they will be diabetics with heart disease. How sad is that?

I can go on and on. This is my favorite topic. But I better shut up before I offend a whole bunch of people.

Darcy

[roshelleuop]

I agree about the reheating fish thing and I also hate when people look at you weird for not eating all your food at a restaurant.

Whenever I eat out (which I LOVE to do) I always get my food and ask for a togo box right away. I put 1/2 (sometimes more) in it right away so I only allow myself to actually eat one serving. 99.99% of the time, I am MORE than full after eating the one serving so it works for me! But them I get the question, was everything ok??? I've even had waitresses take my meal off the bill becuase they thought I was trying to be nice and lying about not eating it all

Roshelle from Milwaukee

[chickwhorips]

i can't believe he said that to you. i would've done the same thing as CyclChyk and would've gotten myself in some big trouble.

i have some sockeye salmon in my freezer that is portioned small, but has two portions in it. (this is one reason why i like processing the fish instead of BF doing it) so you don't have to put up with this dumb@ss again would you like me to send you some?

[snapdragen]

Darcy - have you seen the ads for TGIFridays?

Deep Fried Macaroni and Cheese I kid you not......

[oxysback]

Darcy - have you seen the ads for TGIFridays?

Deep Fried Macaroni and Cheese I kid you not......

I'm not Darcy, but I don't live very far from her. They show that commercial regularly in our area....and...AND...to top it off, they have fried green beans, too!!! (sorry for overdoing the elipses)

Poor green beans, you taste wonderful just the way you are.

[mimitabby]

K, you posted about my favorite topic, which is being heart healthy and portion control.

Yet Americans see those commericals on t.v. and they think it is how everyone eats, and so children grow up fat. Not only that, young children now have hypertension and high cholesterol, meaning before too much longer they will be diabetics with heart disease. How sad is that?

I can go on and on. This is my favorite topic. But I better shut up before I offend a whole bunch of people.

Darcy

Mine too! I am very concerned about the next generation; kids that don't move around like they should and then eat horrible fatty diets!! I can go on and on. Watch the children trudging home from school (the few whose mothers don't pick them up in their cars) it makes me sick!
then they go home, do homework and watchtv playonthecomputer.

[cherinyc]

For example, a local restaurant chain added hash browns filled with different cheeses and sour cream to their menu. Menu items that used to have ordinary hash browns, maybe 150 to 300 calories, now have hash browns that are probably around 1500-2500 calories because there are two layers of potatoes, not just the one, and between the layers are gobs of cheese and sour cream. And I look around, and people are eating it!
Darcy

I think the same thing about IHOP. I actually like their omelettes (egg-white) and their multi-grain pancakes (though I can barely finish 1, and they give me 3 WITH my huge omelette).
But the big promotion there will be something like "Rolled-battered-stuffed-puffed-caramel...double dipped-stuffed and smothered in whipped cream- French Toast.
What in the world is up with that? How could anyone in their right mind consume something like that for breakfast?