What’s whack?
The fact that I’m able to do a separate LUNCH post today, which I haven’t done in ages!
I kept it easy peasy – leftover 7 Bean & Barley Soup with rosemary bread toast.
Oops, that photo’s whack! Apparently some blonde forgot that the little blinking battery symbol means your battery needs to be re-charged or else you’ll have to use a point and shoot. No idea who that blonde may be…
What else is whack?
PORTION SIZES are whack! (In capital letters to parallel the growing sizes our portions have been experiencing!)
I read some crazy stats this morning:
- “Normal” chocolate chip cookie sizes today are seven times the USDA standards!
- “Normal” steaks are twice the size of USDA standards!
- Restaurant servings of pasta are five times the USDA standards!
- Twenty years ago a bagel was about 3-inches in diameter, and about 140 calories. Today, bagels are around 6-inches in diameter and around 350 calories.
- An eight-ounce coffee with a splash of whole milk and sugar for a snack used to run about 45 calories. Today, coffee snacks are much high in calories, with drinks like a 16-ounce mocha beverage ringing in at 350 calories.
Crazy stuff! It was particularly interesting to reflect on the bagel portion sizes, considering I ate a bagel for breakfast today. My particular bagel was right smack in the middle of the twenty years ago and today bagels. I do know, though, that I have seen bagels for 350 calories, and even much higher, especially at bagel chains! Isn’t it interesting to think that we have to have things like “mini” bagels and “bagel thins” today to get us back to the portion sizes (that are much more accurate) from a couple decades ago? No wonder there are issues with weight! Take these huge bagels and add in someone trying to make it a more balanced breakfast with eggs or turkey bacon (or peanut butter on the bagel) and some fresh fruit and a crazy souped-up coffee, and you have an enormous meal!
If you’re interested in learning a bit more about portion sizes and testing your knowledge on them, check out the Portion Distortion 1 and Portion Distortion 2 Quizzes at those links. 
What are your thoughts on portion sizes?
Portion sizes ARE whack! I’m usually stuffed from apps in a restaurant!
That bean and barley soup looks delicious!
I’m surprised to hear that the pasta sizes are ONLY 5 times bigger!! I’ve seen them bring out over a pound of pasta for some dishes at Italian restaurants. When we do eat out I’m trying to get in the habit of putting half of it aside right away to bring home, but I”m probably STILL eating too much.
Courtney
adventures in tri-ing
I knew that pasta at restaurants was WAY more than a serving, but not 5!
Oh my! That soup looks heavenly.
Portion size is completely out of control. I really wish restaurants were start serving much smaller portions. The thing that really gets me is that some restaurants have special sections of their menu devoted to smaller portions, but those entrees usually end up costing the same or even *more* than the obscenely large portions.
I think what frustrates me most about portion sizes isn’t just that I’m getting served a bigger portion, but that my mind/stomach actually *desires* that bigger portion now! It’s like, that’s what I think is the norm now, so anything less doesn’t seem as satisfying.
That is crazy! Our country will never get healthy if the portions remain that large.
I would love to have that recipe. I clicked on the link but didn’t see it in the post it was linked to. Could you send me the link?
Isn’t it just crazy?! That’s why I like making my own food so much because I know the portions are going to be a lot healthier and smaller!