In the United States, one of the most important things that many look for in a restaurant is portion size. We have all heard people say, when critiquing a new eatery, "It was a good place, they had excellent portions." This is typically uttered by people over the age of sixty. (Mary, dad, don't even start!) This need for a good "portion" has led to much of the obesity in the nation. Restaurants have run amok with this idea and have therefore bulked up the amount of french fries, noodles, or some other inexpensive starch to bulk up the size as well as the price. If there is enough food on the plate, a lot of places can get away with serving terrible food for outrageous prices.
Most American restaurants seem to serve two meals on one plate. To control waist lines, many have taken the habit of filling up on salads and bread, then taking the remainder home in a doggie bag. Two meals for the price of one. Thus justifying the price of eating out. Imagine a world where doggie bags don't exist.
In Australia, this devotion to the portion has not caught on. A dinner at an average restaurant seems to have just enough food to fill the belly comfortably; just skip the bread and salad. The drawback to this is that eating out is about $5 a plate more expensive on average (after conversion change, minus tip). More food for less money.
Growing up in the portion happy world of the United States, it is very easy to look at the plate and ask if that is all I get. Then I think of Europe. They serve even less food for even more money.
Basically, it all comes down to what a person values when they go out to eat. One can eat at the OCB for eight dollars and eat as much mashed potatoes and jello he/she can stomach. Each bite shoveled in for the sole purpose of getting to the next plate. Or one can go to a nice place, pay $35 dollars for four meat medallions over a thimbleful of angel hair pasta. Each bite savored, thinking it may be the last.
I tend to enjoy Indian food the best. The portions are just enough to get me pleasantly full, but the flavors are so rich that I am forced to admire each bite. The prices are typically reasonable. If I can resist licking the plate, I have just enough left over for a midnight snack.
Australia almost has it perfect. Just give me a doggie bag.
2 comments:
I wonder if not giving out doggie bags goes hand in hand with not providing big meal portions. People won't complain about not being able to take their food home as much if the food they are served fills their immediate cravings; leaving nothing behind and enjoying the complete meal experience at that particular eatery. Does Australia frown against taking any food away from the restaurants, or does it only pertain to meat?
You would have to imagine that if Australia provided the same sized portions as most American dining outfits the rate of obesity would be higher there, since its frowned upon to take food home with you.
Also, by offering doggie bags--assuming what one commenter said about most people forgetting about leftovers--people would be skinnier on average than they currently are in the states. This is not true.
Doggie bags aside, portions are not the problem. Americans do nothing with their feet. We do little work. I give you two kids right in the neighborhood. The little girl does nothing. Sits in the shade with grandpa. She's about 160 at age 10. Her little brother is always running, biking, shooting hoops. Same food. Same genes. Different exercise. He's a normal looking, skinny little lad. Most European, and likely Aussies (although I don't know any that fit this argument) are incredibly active. Biking places a train doesn't take them. Walking, walking, walking. We do nothing but drive our cars. Argument closed!
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