My husband and I have one of those entertainment coupon books where you can go out to eat and try different restaurants ~ a buy one get one free sort of thing. I find that quite often, the meals are more than I can eat at one sitting. So, I bring what is left home and get a second meal from it. (I don't feel quite so bad if I have spent a little more than usual for a meal when I can get two servings out of it.) Any way, part of me wants to feel like if I eat the left overs at the next meal, that somehow I am being "bad". I guess because these meals out are usually something that I would not be fixing at home. Then another part of me wants to feel like I am not doing something bad because I am practicing portion control. (Sometimes I get a bonus out of it ~ I serve the left overs to my husband for supper and I don't have to cook again. LOL)

Share with me your thoughts on this.

Gayle

If you don't want to feel bad you can just drop the extra off at my house when you get done Come on seriously I live right down the road

Thanks Kim, I'll keep that in mind. Glad to see you pop in ~ how are you doing? Spring is on the way, I am looking forward to being able to get outside and walk and stuff.

Take care ~ Gayle

Don't feel bad! What you described is part of what I've been doing all of these months! In fact, I'll have the server bring me a box right when they bring me the food and go ahead and put half away for later.

Half portions are a great tool to have ~ it makes it so that you CAN have good tasting things to eat, just don't eat so much of it at a time. It's economical too, getting two meals off of one. You're doing the right thing!!!

i'm having real trouble seeing the downside of your plan here. let's say you order fettucine alfredo with chicken. [i chose that because it's probably the most fattening thing a person could possibly order]. and you eat half of it in one sitting. good for you!!!!

and then you take the rest home and eat it within the next day or so. again. just half of it. GOOD FOR YOU!!! and maybe even share it with hubby...

soooo, you've eaten about 1 cup of pasta and 2-3 oz of protein in a sauce that runs about 100 calories per tablespoon... what... no more than 3-4 tablespoons????

seems to me you've done VERY VERY VERY well here.

and if you're not ordering anything in an alfredo sauce, you've done even better!!!!!!

I agree with Jif - to me the fact that you restrained from polishing off the entire plate in a restaurant setting is cause for a true "portion control" celebration, no matter the food choice and somehow I figure you didn't order anything that was too "off plan". Combine that with having tasty leftovers already in the proper portion size, providing an economical meal without expending any time and energy in making it yourself and I'd say we have a pretty smart cookie who should be patting herself on the back!

Ok darnit I concede, yes these ladies are right, as long as you are dividing it up into a healthier portion then it's ok to go ahead and have the second portion for another meal. You can't live the rest of your life by not eating out ever again BUT I still like the idea of giving it to me better LOL!

Way to go Gayle..
it's very smart what you are doing! (I do it when we go to chichi's !) I am so thankful for the leftovers.

Gotta agree w/everyone here, you are doing the right thing. I always ask if I can have a half-portion, and if they say no (Twilight Diner in NYC, I am talking about you ) Then I conscientiously eat half the food & leave the rest.

By doing what you are doing, you're not depriving yourself of an activity you enjoy, and you are still staying OP--what could be better?

Okay, so I live in a big city and this may not be an option for you but:

I hardly EVER eat leftovers. They rot in my fridge (literally, sometimes I can't figure out was it was). So, when the Cute Boyfriend and I go out to eat, we box up the leftovers and give it to a homeless guy. If we don't see one on the way to the car (if we're in downtown, we will) then, on my way to work the next day I will usually see one on a exit ramp with a sign for money and I'll take it with me to work just because I know I'll see him.

Again, this is a big city thing but I never have to worry about leftovers taunting me in the fridge.

Thank you all for your responses. I feel better now. Funny how your head gets these funky ideas sometimes. I guess I was feeling like eating restaurant stuff a second time was like cheating somehow.

Goddess Jessica, I like your idea ~ I think my husband would gladly let me give it away if it was a big piece of fish. At the next corner if possible so the "fishy" smell wouldn't polute his car. LOL.

This is funny ~ I had shrimp marinara the other night. There was way too much to eat so I brought it home. I wasn't going to be there for supper last night, so I fixed it up for my husband (he doesn't like seafood). I was on my way home from a class, and got a call on my cell phone. It was DH asking about his plate of supper ~ it looks like what you had last night he said. I said it is ~ I used all the shrimp out of there. Are you sure he wanted to know. I assured him that I searched through the pasta and there was no shrimp left. (Doesn't sound as funny when I re-read it ~ guess you had to be there.)

Gayle