Opulence in Restaurant Food

[drummerboy]

So I was stuck in the waiting room for an oil change, and was watching Food Network (better than gas HGTV at least).  But I couldn't help being taken aback at the sizes of some of these meals.  It was some BBQ/burger joint show, and some of these meals had to have been 2 or more pounds of meat on a massive serving platter, or several meats.  One place served loaded nachos from a 2 gallon trash bucket (although that was for several people).  And the burgers were so massive it was the size of the plate and it was a job just getting it their mouth.  Am I the only one that finds this scandalous or overly excessive?

[LausTibiChriste]

So I was stuck in the waiting room for an oil change, and was watching Food Network (better than gas HGTV at least).  But I couldn't help being taken aback at the sizes of some of these meals.  It was some BBQ/burger joint show, and some of these meals had to have been 2 or more pounds of meat on a massive serving platter, or several meats.  One place served loaded nachos from a 2 gallon trash bucket (although that was for several people).  And the burgers were so massive it was the size of the plate and it was a job just getting it their mouth.  Am I the only one that finds this scandalous or overly excessive?

I can promise you everyone outside your fat-ass country is indeed finding it scandalous and excessive.

[Mirantus]

So I was stuck in the waiting room for an oil change, and was watching Food Network (better than gas HGTV at least).  But I couldn't help being taken aback at the sizes of some of these meals.  It was some BBQ/burger joint show, and some of these meals had to have been 2 or more pounds of meat on a massive serving platter, or several meats.  One place served loaded nachos from a 2 gallon trash bucket (although that was for several people).  And the burgers were so massive it was the size of the plate and it was a job just getting it their mouth.  Am I the only one that finds this scandalous or overly excessive?

I can promise you everyone outside your fat-ass country is indeed finding it scandalous and excessive.

I wouldn't phrase it like that.. but yes indeed American portions are outrageously big for us in Europe.

[Kaesekopf]

I dunno.  I kinda dig leftovers.

[maryslittlegarden]

So I was stuck in the waiting room for an oil change, and was watching Food Network (better than gas HGTV at least).  But I couldn't help being taken aback at the sizes of some of these meals.  It was some BBQ/burger joint show, and some of these meals had to have been 2 or more pounds of meat on a massive serving platter, or several meats.  One place served loaded nachos from a 2 gallon trash bucket (although that was for several people).  And the burgers were so massive it was the size of the plate and it was a job just getting it their mouth.  Am I the only one that finds this scandalous or overly excessive?

I can promise you everyone outside your fat-ass country is indeed finding it scandalous and excessive.

Pretty much. I can get at least three meals out of one restaurant meal. And I am not exactly a light weight (although trying to get rid of said weight.)

[ChairmanJoeAintMyPrez]

It is a sure sign that a restaurant is probably not worth your money when they attempt to stand out by increasing portion sizes.

[drummerboy]

It is a sure sign that a restaurant is probably not worth your money when they attempt to stand out by increasing portion sizes.

After awhile you do notice the lack of genuine creativity.  I love a good BBQ myself, but eventually its just dumping more of ____ on a plate. 

[The Curt Jester]

You can always eat half of it (or less) and keep the rest for another meal.  Or you can order one meal and share it.  Nothing says you have to make it scandalous by glomming the whole thing by yourself.

[Mushroom]

My husband and I have shared food if it is alot (not really the case). Or like someone else mentioned, refrigerate it for tomorrow. I might eat that burger myself if I haven't eaten anything all day and it was one of those days where you are travelling/driving alot.

[Michael Wilson]

Somebody mentioned the problem of large backsides in the U.S. Yes, gluttony is a big problem in the U.S. Adding to this is the generally unhealthy eating habits of a great deal of the population. Apart from the over the top consumption of soda pop, there is a problem of too much fast food, which is very high in calories, and especially in the form of carbohydrates. I recently had to visit a dialysis center at a clinic, and I was struck by the almost totality of over-weight/obese patients. Most of these people are probably people that ate themselves into a type-2 diabetes, and then into a type I. I knew two friends who did this to themselves; neither one was obese, but both of them had unhealthy diets; and instead of changing their diets, after they were counseled by their respective doctors, that the Type 2 diabetes could be controlled by diet and exercise, they "cheated" their way into type 1.
How sad. 

[Joseph_3]

The historic reason we have larger portions in America is because of our grand excess of food and land. In the old days when men actually labored these portions were only sustaining. It was with the rise of sedentary work that Americans began fattening up on a noticeable scale. It was not until relatively recently (80's, 90's), with the ubiquitous addition of hormone altering chemicals, sugars, salts, and plant oils, that America really became fat. 

I do not eat any food with chemicals in them. I won't even touch citric acid (which is actually derived from a black mold: Aspergillus Niger). I live on milk, meat, potatoes, unleavened bread, fish, and the occasional fruit. I usually eat huge quantities of food that impress even the fat people. I go to the gym and work hard labor and maintain 190 lbs at 6'0 with low fat.

When Europe had more land and less people I suspect that the Europeans ate higher quantities as well.

[ChairmanJoeAintMyPrez]

I won't even touch citric acid (which is actually derived from a black mold: Aspergillus Niger).

In fairness, it's still pretty good for cleaning one's kitchen implements, at high enough concentrations.

[Joseph_3]

I won't even touch citric acid (which is actually derived from a black mold: Aspergillus Niger).

In fairness, it's still pretty good for cleaning one's kitchen implements, at high enough concentrations.

Xanthan gum is good for cleaning factory floors. The d3 in your milk (Cholecalciferol) is coincidently toxic to nearly every other mammal on the planet EXCEPT humans! How coincidental! But if you look further into it "Cholecalciferol has a very narrow margin of safety, which means that even small ingestion of this poison can result in severe clinical signs or death."

"Generally safe for human consumption" they say.

To be fair, cholecalciferol is "generally safe" in the controlled dosage that they use in A SINGLE serving size. The effects of long term ingestion are not considered however.

[Michael Wilson]

Joseph,
in my time spent in Europe, especially Spain, I would say that Europeans eat as much as Americans in amounts. For example, the Spaniards eat breakfast, snack at around 10:00; snack around 11:30; Lunch; snack around 3:30; snack around 6-7 P.M. Supper. But the quality of their intake is much better.

[Mushroom]

I won't even touch citric acid (which is actually derived from a black mold: Aspergillus Niger).

In fairness, it's still pretty good for cleaning one's kitchen implements, at high enough concentrations.

And it's used in cheese-making.