There have been a few interesting studies published recently that address the subject of people’s attitudes about eating. You can read about how Obese Diners Choose Convenience And Overeating At Chinese Buffets, and How Children Choose Their Food Portions. These articles got me thinking about buffets and obesity, the herd mentality, and how they affect our eating habits.
“All you can eat” buffets have become common dining venues in many communities. I believe they are so popular because:
- Owners can charge a premium over plate dinners due to the variety.
- The food is already prepared, so service is fast.
- Patrons feel as if they’re getting more value for their dollar, because they can go back as many times as they want.
I should start off by saying that I enjoy eating at buffets. But I would like take a moment to examine the reason we eat at these places, and if it makes sense for us to frequent them. Why? Because some would say that “all you can eat” is a contributor to the rising rates of obesity. I’d have to agree with them.
Do Buffets Make Us Fat?
I try to avoid regularly “eating out” these days. Its tough to do, because where I work, the group lunch is strongly embedded in the culture. Why fight it? At most places, I find it nearly impossible to eat out without consuming at least 1,000 calories. To make it worse, the preferred venue is usually a buffet, which only worsens the situation. Even if I can manage to get out having consumed “just” 1,000 calories, that’s still between 1/3 and 1/2 of the total calories most people should have in a day.
Eating buffet also applies a financial pressure. And its one I find hard to resist. If I pay $10.00 for a meal, I feel compelled to “get my money’s worth.” Don’t you? And, since I’m with a group, there’s an unspoken pressure to make multiple trips as well. It’s very difficult for me to make only one trip to the buffet, eat what’s on my plate, and just sit there while everyone else makes a second, third, or even fourth trips! Taking that route leaves me sitting at the table with nothing to do except talk and watch other people eat for 20-30 minutes. That’s fun, right?
What possesses me to eat like this?
How many times, when you were a kid growing up, did your parents tell you to “clean your plate?” Its a common theme from most people’s childhood, and probably a hold-over from a time when the U.S. economy was less prone to excess. If what you read is true, the compulsion to eat everything that’s been put before you is also deeply rooted in our evolutionary history. A throwback from a time when our ancestors didn’t know when their next meal would be available. Of course, for many of us, that is no longer the case. So the evolutionary tools that served our predecessors so well become a hindrance to modern day life. So how can we fight those urges?
I’ve chosen avoidance. I eat out less frequently these days, and particularly try to avoid buffets. I guess its unfortunate, because the truth is that I truly enjoy eating. I’ve just come to realize that I can’t trust myself when it comes to portion control in the presence of limitless amounts of food.
