America. The land of the free. The place where options are endless and confusingly so.
I’ve just visited New York for the first time and boy I found myself bamboozled food-wise at every turn. Endless options in the United States are touted as a great thing, just like opportunity. However for me, it is the opposite. Choice, New York-style is just confounding. It has got to be the British or European culture ingrained in me, as given the conversations had with my various travelling companions, I know I’m not alone in my feelings.
I like things simple and straight to the point. Give me three to five options and I’m happy – any more than ten and I begin to feel overwhelmed. Far from my usual stance of trying new things, I’ve found myself opting for the safety net of the tried and tested. Something that I correlate directly to having too much choice.
And then there are the portions. Wow – never have I experienced such enormity. No wonder it’s so easy to put on weight in the US. What we would normally have for two to three people, they have for one. And that is the small size. I have no idea how people regularly get thorough a large.
The lunch-time eateries are more like large cafeteria-style places. There are sections dedicated to make-your-own salads, pasta dishes or sandwiches. Faced with a menu of over twenty different combinations for each section I dread to think how much food waste is generated from these numerous places that, no matter what time of day, always seem to be brimming with food.
I’m someone who grew up with the ethos of eating everything on their plate, and definitely has eyes much bigger than her belly. When faced with the smorgasbord of food that is on offer in New York, it is hard to make the ‘right’ choice, especially when in holiday mode. In an ideal world each place would have their own tasting menu for tourists, but unfortunately restaurants such as L’Escina who serve small plates are few and far between.
Carbohydrate Overload
I can see why the Americans have increased their portions sizes so dramatically over the years as it goes hand in hand with their service orientated culture. My take on the ideology is: More volume equals better value which translates into more tips. But taking a closer look at the portions ratios, it is obvious to me that the staple foundations of the meals are cheap, filling white carbohydrates such as bread and pasta whose increased volume are negligible to the net cost of a meal.
When we increase our portion sizes on a regular basis we can actually stretch our stomachs – this doesn’t mean we need more fuel to keep our bodies moving, just that there is more space to fill. Think about how different you feel if you’ve been sick and not eaten much for a few days. It becomes difficult to eat what you think are normal portions because your stomach has shrunk.
My question is – has your stomach actually shrunk or has it reverted to its natural size?
World of Abundance
In this world where food is not restricted we see and therefore think about food more often than every before. If we are not eating it, we are shopping for it, talking about it or consuming adverts showcasing it… never before has the brain been so desensitized to something that is so essential to life.
To be honest, it is hard to suggest a solution as there is so much money wrapped up in the food industry and associated business. Instead we have to educate ourselves about the foods we are presented with, keep our will power in check and live the 80:20 (good:bad) rule. And when we give ourselves the 20% enjoy it!!
My top tips for surviving NYC:
- Always, always always choose the small option
- Share main meals with your friends or family
- Check and see if the restaurants do half portions
- Eat starters instead of mains
- Ask for a doggy bag for the leftovers
Image by Tomas Fano
