I'd like the "I have no willpower" size, Please. :)

  • Today I went to Chipotle for lunch and really wanted a child's sized bag of chips to go with my burrito bowl. As I drove over, I fretted that they wouldn't sell the child's size to me and that I couldn't really be trusted with the full size bag at the moment. I didn't want to be disappointed.

    But alas- I was NOT disappointed! HOORAY! This chipotle calls them "baby chips," which endeared them to me even more. Have you seen the little bag? It is the size of your hand. Adorable and satisfying.

    However, it made me think of the many establishments that won't sell people small sizes or child sizes (unless you are a child)- and I know that I can half my portion and take it home, but sometimes I don't want the leftovers in my home. It was a splurge and I've moved on. And it makes me sad to waste food.

    ::sigh:: Just like yesterday and my post about being "assaulted by sugar"- this reminded me about how much our culture doesn't really set us up to succeed.

    Does anyone feel the same way? Like you are swimming upstream?
  • Quote: Today I went to Chipotle for lunch and really wanted a child's sized bag of chips to go with my burrito bowl. As I drove over, I fretted that they wouldn't sell the child's size to me and that I couldn't really be trusted with the full size bag at the moment. I didn't want to be disappointed.

    But alas- I was NOT disappointed! HOORAY! This chipotle calls them "baby chips," which endeared them to me even more. Have you seen the little bag? It is the size of your hand. Adorable and satisfying.

    However, it made me think of the many establishments that won't sell people small sizes or child sizes (unless you are a child)- and I know that I can half my portion and take it home, but sometimes I don't want the leftovers in my home. It was a splurge and I've moved on. And it makes me sad to waste food.

    ::sigh:: Just like yesterday and my post about being "assaulted by sugar"- this reminded me about how much our culture doesn't really set us up to succeed.

    Does anyone feel the same way? Like you are swimming upstream?
    I have twice told restaurant servers that I am on a physician-directed small portion eating plan and to please ask the manager if they can make an exception and allow me to order the kids size. Both time it's been granted.

    Has a doctor ever told you to lose weight? If so, you, too, are on a physician-directed eating plan
  • That's awesome, Lunar!! I just yelled out to the kitchen to tell my husband since I was so excited! I can't be trusted around chips, no matter what kind. But if I get the child's size, when they are gone they are gone!

    I think a lot of restaurants (chains and otherwise) are really helpful with customizing your order (i.e. ordering kid's meals for an adult, making sure no butter or oil if you ask, etc.) but the responsibility is still on the consumer to order it their way. I actually want it that way. These states that say you can't have a Coke bigger than 12 oz (or whatever the law is) drive me nuts, we don't live in a communist country! And if you limit my Coke to 12oz, I'll take 3 please just because there is a limit.
  • Last night I was talking about how portion sizes have been growing, the most obvious example being the fries at McDonald's. back in the day they only had one size . . . today that same size is called a "small."

    When I do choose to get a value meal they'll ask me "medium or large" and I'll answer with "small!" Always throws them for a loop.
  • Ella, I looked at your picture. Please tell me the child's size is NOT bigger then the small. It looked like it was bigger, which would be awful!!
  • For all you know you could have a child at home you're buying for, right?

    I don't really order kid's portions unless it's good food though. Most places it's chicken wings, fries, etc. Luckily if I'm out it's pretty easy to find something I can eat since a lot of places serve healthy food now

    Quote:
    However, it made me think of the many establishments that won't sell people small sizes or child sizes (unless you are a child)- and I know that I can half my portion and take it home, but sometimes I don't want the leftovers in my home. It was a splurge and I've moved on. And it makes me sad to waste food.
    I think it's really important to move away from this mentality of wasting food = bad. Yes, we should strive not to waste food—but we shouldn't let it cause us to overeat! How is the food better in us than it is in the garbage if it's just going to cause issues?

    I throw out things now. Baked goods, usually. Much better that they end up in the garbage where I can't reach them anyway.
  • Quote: Ella, I looked at your picture. Please tell me the child's size is NOT bigger then the small. It looked like it was bigger, which would be awful!!
    It's hard to tell from the photo and even the containers since they're different types, but the child size is definitely the smaller serving. The small is 230 calories and the kid size is only 100.

    ETA: While I'm here, the medium is 380 calories, the large is 500.
  • I didn't see photos? But I can vouch that the Happy Meal fries are a pretty small size. So fortunately, I don't feel guilty throwing them away if my son gets a happy meal. He is one of those bizarre "naturally thin" creatures who gobbles up the apple slices and eats maybe 3 or 4 fries - assuming he eats them at all, since that takes away time from playing in the tubes! lol!
  • I have become much stronger about ordering without starchy sides. Don't even bring htem to the table. Or ordering a la carte, even if they don't have that option on the menu.

    Say they have a buffalo burger meal with fries. And a fish meal with sauteed squash. And an omelet with spinach. I might order a buffalo burger, no bun, with sides of squash and spinach. If they have it in the kitchen for other meals, the cook should be able to cook up some sauteed spinach for me. I'm willing to spend a bit more for exactly what I want. So I look through the menu and then pick and choose the parts that I want from various offerings. Most places are pretty flexible with that sort of thing nowadays.
  • synger -

    that's what I do too. I'm going out with friends to Maggiano's and getting "balsamic glazed salmon-don't-put-the-orzo-on-the-plate with a side of broccolini-hold-the-oil"
  • I'm still at the point where I'm too shy to make waves at the restaurant so I usually just order what seems to be the least evil or create room for the meal out in my plan.

    However, I totally believe in ordering the I-have-no-will-power/kid's meal if there's an opportunity for that. I'm not really a burger person so that's not a problem but fries... I dream of fries! I need the control of a kiddie portion.
  • Quote: I think it's really important to move away from this mentality of wasting food = bad. Yes, we should strive not to waste food—but we shouldn't let it cause us to overeat! How is the food better in us than it is in the garbage if it's just going to cause issues?
    I completely agree--they're wasted if I eat them when they don't fit my plan and they're wasted if I throw them out. There are enough foods I try to eat before I go bad--fresh fruits and vegetables. I try to eat cooked meat before it goes bad.

    Mashed potatos? Stove stop stuffing? That sort of thing? I figure I made a meal's worth--now that DH and I are both dieting, they get served as leftovers once and then anything left after those servings is tossed.

    For meals out, I only take something home if it fits in my plan. And if it's too big of a serving, I ask for a box and put the rest away right away. I am going to lose weight this time.

    But it's easier to have willpower over something not on my plate than items that are there waiting to be eaten!
  • A little trick that helps me is to ask for the left-over container when my food is first brought to the table so I can put half in it right away. I realize it's still at the table, but it's not on my plate. I've had servers ask me if I'd like the chef to simply box up half and hold it in the kitchen until I leave and just put half on my plate.

    Lin