When there is food on our plates or in our bowls, we tend to think that is the amount we need to eat. And, if there are things served along with it, we often think we need to eat that, too. When we’re at a restaurant and the food arrives, we think that portion on the plate is the appropriate portion for us to eat. Maybe this comes from when we were small and a parent would fix our plate for us.
At most restaurants, the food that arrives in front of us is more than a single portion. For example, at PeiWei the Honey Seared Chicken is 420 calories per serving. However, there are two servings on that plate that is brought to your table. And, that doesn’t include the rice that is also on the plate (which is 170 calories per serving if it is brown rice with two servings per portion on the plate). If you eat all of the Honey Seared Chicken and all of the brown rice, you’ll have eaten 1120 calories. So, one way to eat fewer calories is to eat half of most of the portions you are served when eating out. How about splitting with someone next time you go out? Or, get a to go container and put half in it before you start eating. That means you get two meals out of one order.
Another example is the new oatmeal at Starbucks. When you order it, you get the oatmeal (made with water) and three packets – brown sugar, nuts and dried fruit. However, just because you get those packets does not mean that you have to add them to your oatmeal. If we look at the calorie content, the oatmeal is 140 calories, the brown sugar is 50 calories, the nut medley is 100 calories, and the dried fruit is 100 calories. If you add all three packets, you’ve added more calories than the original food – the oatmeal. Rather than getting 140 calories, you’re getting 390 calories. Still, not a bad choice. But, it is important to think about how adding those packets change the calories you are eating. Yeah, it is only 100 calories or so if you don’t add the nuts or fruit, but all those “little” 100 calorie packets can add up.
So, next time you’re food arrives, or you sit down to eat, ask yourself “is this really how much I want to eat?” If the answer is “no” then get the extra off your plate. If there are add-ons to the food, ask if you really want it and the calories that go along with it.