Is Home Cooking Truly Healthier Than Restaurant Meals?

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Home-cooked meals are generally considered the healthiest option, followed by casual fine dining, casual restaurants, and fast food being the least healthy. A significant issue with restaurant meals is their oversized portions, which often lead to overeating and confusion between feeling full and being stuffed. While fine dining may offer leaner cuts of meat, the sauces and preparation methods can add unhealthy fats and calories. The psychological aspect of dining out, particularly in American restaurants, encourages larger servings, contributing to obesity rates. Ultimately, controlling portion sizes and opting for healthier ingredients is key to maintaining a balanced diet.
  • #31
It's called hyperoble......:rolleyes:
 
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  • #32
Pengwuino said:
At 4th of July, maybe 2 or 3 people will be able to have that 2nd burger or 2nd or 3rd hot dog.

You missed the point, or perhaps I'm not clear. I'm not necessarily saying everyone eats four hot dogs every 4th of July. What I'm saying is that, for many people, many holiday celebrations center around some gluttonous binge-eating event.

- Warren
 
  • #33
AHAHAHAH I just remembered. There was this thing on MTV, I am a power eater. They had this Japanese kid. He at 22lbs! of food in one sitting. He ate 3 HUGE plates of noodles, and one ice shave snow cone that was literally 6 inches in diameter and 2 feet tall. All covered in chili liquid sauce.
 
  • #34
chroot said:
You missed the point, or perhaps I'm not clear. I'm not necessarily saying everyone eats four hot dogs every 4th of July. What I'm saying is that, for many people, many holiday celebrations center around some gluttonous binge-eating event.

- Warren

I missed your point but i actually don't think your point is very true either. Thanksgiving sure, 4th of july maybe... other then that i can't really see holidays being centered around eating. Theres dozens of holidays (celebrated federally and not)... and i personally don't see a large majority (90%+) of them having anything to do with eating. Sure we eat on Easter, for example, but it's really centered around the easter egg hunt. 4th of july, we don't even have food but i do know most people have bbqs and all that other stuff which is the center of their 4th of july.
 
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  • #35
Pengwuino said:
Well i KNOW of people who will eat like that (although I've never actually seen anyone button their pants for thanksgiving...)... but as far as it being part of the culture, it is a bit overboard.

Everyone knows people who eat that way, and, hence, it is a part of our culture. Many people use almost any excuse they can find to binge, and then explain the binge as being an expected, obligatory part of celebration. Fat people will use almost any excuse to justify such binge eating: holidays, football games, weddings, vacations, you name it. If you're so inclined, you can probably find a "good reason" to go on a binge almost every week.

American kids grow up among families where the big, visible message is: You can eat an obscene amount of food on certain days, in certain social settings, or when you have some other good excuse. Even if the subtext message is but you should eat better on every other day, it gets lost in the noise. Americans celebrate eating. Specifically, they celebrate binge eating.

- Warren
 
  • #36
You forgot binge drinking themselves too. It's not fun until your stupid drunk.
 
  • #37
Although you are making a hyperbole, i agree it is true that food takes on an importance in life that is above the norm of other countries and is an important part of many events in life where it isn't in other countries.
 
  • #38
cyrusabdollahi said:
You forgot binge drinking themselves too. It's not fun until your stupid drunk.

Yah what about binge drinking? That's even worse. It's like your expected to get drunk before your 18... in a society where the legal limit is 21... At least eating isn't against the law
 
  • #39
Pengwuino said:
Sure we eat on Easter, for example, but it's really centered around the easter egg hunt.

Is it? What about when the kids are all grown up, and the family just gets together for another gut-busting binge?

4th of july, we don't even have food but i do know most people have bbqs and all that other stuff which is the center of their 4th of july.

I'm not talking about you, Pengwuino, but I'm glad your family has some sense.

- Warren
 
  • #40
I agree that I'm being a little sensational -- but I'm trying to bring attention to something that is often sidelined in this country:

Our culture practically revolves around food.

For some reason, many people just seem so reluctant to admit it, but it's painfully true.

- Warren
 
  • #41
chroot said:
Is it? What about when the kids are all grown up, and the family just gets together for another gut-busting binge?

Actually there was a gap when most of the kids were too old for the egg hunt and the rest were too young for it. I THINK we did actually have a bbq come to think of it those 2 years.
 
  • #42
chroot said:
I agree that I'm being a little sensational -- but I'm trying to bring attention to something that is often sidelined in this country:

Our culture practically revolves around food.

I've heard European countries do the same thing, except with drinking. I've always heard a lot of things we do in restaurants and cafes (meetings, social events, sitting and talking to friends), they do at bars and other alcohol-selling establishments. I keep hearing a lot of Europeans and Canadians saying that they're going out "to have a drink" with friends or family for no real reason other then to chat and hang out where Americans would say "we're going out to grab a bite" for no real reason.
 
  • #43
But when they have a 'drink,' they don't go out to get smashed.
 
  • #44
cyrusabdollahi said:
But when they have a 'drink,' they don't go out to get smashed.

I didn't say that. Not everyone goes out and eats a 18oz steak when they want to discuss business or whatever.
 
  • #45
Have you seen the size of drinks in Europe? Their 12 oz. is a large.
 
  • #46
cyrusabdollahi said:
Have you seen the size of drinks in Europe? Their 12 oz. is a large.

What, beer?
 
  • #47
Yeah, their drinks are tiny. I did not see many people with double super quadruple big gulps from 7-11.
 
  • #48
cyrusabdollahi said:
Yeah, their drinks are tiny.

Well the point is I'm wondering if they're culture's activities revolve around drinking like our culture revolves around eating (and not whether or not they binge drink like we binge eat)
 
  • #49
cyrusabdollahi said:
Yeah, their drinks are tiny. I did not see many people with double super quadruple big gulps from 7-11.
A 12 oz drink being called a large would be about right. Those are the portions restaurants had when I was a kid. The small in most fast food places is the size that used to be large, and the kiddie cup is what we used to call small (and they used to have "courtesy cups" that were a little bigger than a Dixie cup that you could get if you had kids and wanted to pour a little of your small drink into each cup for the kids). There's just no reason for the portions we have now.

I do think the portions are a little better when you go to a fine dining type restaurant, because they want you to enjoy the food, not walk out with your stomach hurting.

I'm trying to figure out how Chroot thinks weddings are an excuse to over eat though. I swear, they put the plates down, circle once around the table, and pick them back up again. Who ever gets to eat their meal at a wedding? You pretty much have to hope for good appetizers during the cocktail hour to sustain you through the evening.

Thanksgiving, yeah, but you don't unbutton your pants...you wear ones with an elastic waist or for the men, ones that are a little bit big so you can just undo your belt a notch! :rolleyes: We never had 4th of July parties where anyone got overstuffed though. At best, you get a burger and a hot dog, and some salads and chips. But, then you're usually off playing lawn games or swimming or stuff like that, so you're also active.
 
  • #50
chroot said:
Is it? What about when the kids are all grown up, and the family just gets together for another gut-busting binge?
Eating is a social event. People like social.

No wonder 2 out of 3 Americans are overweight. The medically obese population is growing steadily.
What exactly constitutes overweight? If overweight means over the average weight of the population, than that would mean about half of the population is overweight, and about half is underweight. Last time I saw a definition, overweight meant having 10% or more body fat.
 
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  • #51
Mk said:
Not many people have ever died of being too fat. I can't think of anyone immediatly. And no one I've ever met or heard of has been in the hospital for being too fat. Liposuction maybe...

I've heard of PLENTY of people who have been hospitalized for being too fat. Directly, you don't really die of being too fat... you die of the problems associated with being too fat. You die when you have a heart attack from overworking your heart, you die of diabetes, and I am sure there are other things.
 
  • #52
Pengwuino said:
hearing a lot of Europeans and Canadians saying that they're going out "to have a drink" with friends or family for no real reason other then to chat and hang out where Americans would say "we're going out to grab a bite" for no real reason.
Crumpets and tea anyone?
 
  • #53
Mk said:
Crumpets and tea anyone?

If the people i know are going out to get tea, I'm not associating myself with them anymore :-p
 
  • #54
Then don't talk to me. Tea is for the civilized gentleman.
 
  • #55
chroot said:
Everyone likes American restaurants.
Um, not really, I never liked them. Everytime that I went to an American restaurant, I came home with a doggy-bag that lasted me for two more meals. I did have to scrape all the solidified butter out of the bottom of the platter, where the food was swimming in. I don't know how they get away with it.
 
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  • #56
I just remembered something!

There was a poll taken a while ago and I remember it was about views toward obesity. It turned out that like 60% of americans weren't concerned with obesity because they expected science to have an answer for diabetes when they become older.
 
  • #57
Pengwuino said:
It's a choice that people make. Everyone seems to forget that there is indeed tremendous satisfaction in good food. What's the compromise? 50 years of incredible food vs. 10 years off your life (and realistically, you could be taking 0 years off if you actually get off your butt and excercise). There doesn't HAVE to be a compromise, it all just needs to balance out.

Yes there is tremendous satisfaction in food. I love food more than anything. When cutting I look forward to my cheatdays like a kid for christmas. But just like with everything there has to be discipline and restrain. Its fun to drink alcohole but everyone knows you shouldn't drink everyday. The same goes for crap food.

Excercise can not make up for a horrible diet. You can not burn several thousands of kcal through exercise each day. Maby 600-700 if you are active. Thats still just a serving of fries and burgers. Excercise can not totaly negate the horrible effects of high gi food either and it can do nothing about trans fatty acid.

People today are used to eating hamburgers, french fries and **** like that as food. Not as treats. They have becomed seriously addicted to crap food. Now the adults they know wtf they are doing so I don't care one bit about that. If they want to sacrifice there health and lifespan for burgers and candy go ahead.

But the kids, that is where the problem is. We are forcing these bad habits on a entire generation.
Parents to fat kids needs to take a good look at themself in the mirror and ask themself how they can ruin there own childs life like that even when they damn well know they are doing it. But most parents to fat kids just blames genetics, the tooth fairy, the school food and alien conspiracies.
 
  • #58
If a mother eats a lot of vegetables during breast feeding a baby, the baby gets used to the taste and will like vegetables more than a baby that was fed on bottled milk. It's not genetics, it's upbringing.

If someone serves me a plate overflowing with food, I'll likely eat half the amount that I'd otherwise would have eaten: the sight of it just puts me off when I know I wouldn't be able to eat it all. I'd never choose a restaurant just because they serve full plates, I like good food.

There was a time I went to a 'proper' American restaurant and ordered potatoes with white fish. I was expecting spicy potatoes with a nice lean piece of fish. I'd never ever expected they would serve me DEEP-fried sliced potatoes and three DEEP-fried fish, enough to feed an orphanage I probably ate a single chip and a bite of fish, after having scraped off the breading, until I turned to the dish of my friend who had some kind of vegetarian stew.
 
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  • #59
Um, not really, I never liked them. Everytime that I went to an American restaurant, I came home with a doggy-bag that lasted me for two more meals. I did have to scrape all the solidified butter out of the bottom of the platter, where the food was swimming in. I don't know how they get away with it.
Mmmm, butter... I love American restaurants. I defiantly prefer them over European ones However, upper-class Thai restaurants, I likey.

If a mother eats a lot of vegetables during breast feeding a baby, the baby gets used to the taste and will like vegetables more than a baby that was fed on bottled milk. It's not genetics, it's upbringing.[
/quote]
It sounds like a myth to me. Maybe I'm wrong?

If someone serves me a plate overflowing with food, I'll likely eat half the amount that I'd otherwise would have eaten: the sight of it just puts me off when I know I wouldn't be able to eat it all.
Hey, the fatter tend to eat the whole thing, the thinner tend to eat part of it now, and save for leftovers. I like Red Lobster. :biggrin:

I'd never choose a restaurant just because they serve full plates, I like good food.
This is the way you should go... unless you aren't willing to spend more than a buck. At McDonald's you can get a lot of cheap, fatty food. Or on the same budget, you could get half of an appetizer at a Red Lobsters or Olive Garden. Some of us have different values, or less money or both. That is why McDonald's prospers in America.
 
  • #60
One restaurant meal will last me three days. I agree with Monique, the stuff is always swimming in butter. But I like butter. :redface:

Usually after eating the salad I'm full and can't even get to my entree, so I always end up eating it cold the next day. :eek:

The BEST food I've EVER eaten was in Sicily. Everything was to die for. Well, except that one pizza made out of cement. I could NOT cut into it, I tried hacking into it, tried chopping into it, I could not break the crust, then my boyfriend Antonio, native Sicilian, offers to help, he finally manages to break it and pieces go flying everywhere. He ended up sharing his with me. I really think the kitchen help heard I was American and did something to the crust.