And Another Revelation Was Made....

So this must be the week of me having epiphanies because I noticed something else about my eating habits that was profound today. The volume of food I eat serving a meal "family style" vs. "restaurant style".

I made a big pot of spaghetti (because really, can you make a small pot?) and set it in the center of the table, set the table with empty plates, and everyone dug in. I had a smallish portion and a salad. Finished that and went back for seconds on the spaghetti. Was I hungry? Probably not. It was there, it tasted good, and I told myself I'd only had a little the first time.

vs.

Today I had leftover terriyaki steak, brown rice (there's a funny anecdote never having cooked any kind but instant), and broccoli. I made a plate, nuked it, and dug in. When it was gone. I was done. It was the same amount of food as the first serving of spaghetti the night before. I could've heated up more and made another plate, but I didn't.

Is it the effort involved of heating up more food that deters me? Or is it that it's not sitting right in front of my face beckoning me to have "just a little more"? I'm thinking it's probably a little of the first one -- who wants to go through all the effort of getting another plate ready, having to get back into all the left over containers, and then having to wait for it to heat up. And a whole lot of the second one -- it's right there, looking at me, whispering promises of how delicious it is and I'm looking at it, believing.

So from now on food that isn't leftovers will be served "buffet style" at my house. The food will be left on the counters (far, far away from the table) and we will dish up from there and take it back to the table. And it will not be an excuse to have all-you-can-eat. One trip through the conga food line is all I get.