Food Portions: Then vs. Now

[Sefton]

I found this interesting site that has a fun quiz that illustrates how food portions have dramatically increased over the last 20 years. It would have been even more interesting if they tracked back a bit farther than only 20 years,but it is still eye opening....http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/portion/:hamburger

 

[Twitch]

Is that why many of us are XL that used to be M?

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Even with smaller portions, I wonder how people kept trim eating so much mayonnaise and fat! I have some retro cook books and everything is drenched in lard or mayo.

I was looking for some treasures this weekend and came across a couple of hostess "snack service" sets- crystal plates with a built in place holder for a cup. I'm thinking of buying a set to snack in style! Maybe host a snack party.

 

[GraveRobberGreg]

WooHoo! What time does the party start :cheers1:

 

[Baron Kurtz]

It'd be interesting to go back to the 50s. If one were to believe Better Homes and Gardens, you would think that people dined on nothing besides jello and cup cakes. And of course the ubiquitous "ring of meat" that appeared as a centre spread in almost every issue.

But bigger servings just means we're getting better value for money, right?

On the lard issue. There's nothing wrong with fat and lard, in moderation - the same with all other food stuffs. Except perhaps artificial flavours and high fructose corn syrup. d*mn you, Earl Butz :rage:

bk

 

[LaMedicine]

Even with smaller portions, I wonder how people kept trim eating so much mayonnaise and fat! I have some retro cook books and everything is drenched in lard or mayo.

Along with the change in food portions, lifestyle change in general has a lot to do with M to XL. After all, how sedentary has our life become? These days, if we want to do some research, all we have to do is click a few times and let our fingertips dance, instead of hopping off to the library, going thru files, walking the rows and rows of bookshelves, and struggling with an armful of heavy books..and since when has the streets have become so unsafe for the kids to run around and play until dark? So, everyone stays at home and watch the sitcom, instead of playing tag football in the yard....Do you keep your home ship-shape and shining in person, or do you have a cleaning service? Do you hang out the laundry, or let your washing machine and dryer do everything...or worse yet, send everything to the laundry? I mean, now, esp. if you live in the city, you have to pay money to get enough exercise that you got for free, doing housework and all in the Golden Era.

Just don't get me started on all this:rage: , I deal with it daily, and have for the past nearly 30 years, being a diabetologist/general internist.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Along with the change in food portions, lifestyle change in general has a lot to do with M to XL. After all, how sedentary has our life become? These days, if we want to do some research, all we have to do is click a few times and let our fingertips dance, instead of hopping off to the library, going thru files, walking the rows and rows of bookshelves, and struggling with an armful of heavy books..and since when has the streets have become so unsafe for the kids to run around and play until dark? So, everyone stays at home and watch the sitcom, instead of playing tag football in the yard....Do you keep your home ship-shape and shining in person, or do you have a cleaning service? Do you hang out the laundry, or let your washing machine and dryer do everything...or worse yet, send everything to the laundry? I mean, now, esp. if you live in the city, you have to pay money to get enough exercise that you got for free, doing housework and all in the Golden Era.

Just don't get me started on all this:rage: , I deal with it daily, and have for the past nearly 30 years, being a diabetologist/general internist.

Oh, I want you to get started! You go! Great insights!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

It'd be interesting to go back to the 50s. If one were to believe Better Homes and Gardens, you would think that people dined on nothing besides jello and cup cakes. And of course the ubiquitous "ring of meat" that appeared as a centre spread in almost every issue.

But bigger servings just means we're getting better value for money, right?

On the lard issue. There's nothing wrong with fat and lard, in moderation - the same with all other food stuffs. Except perhaps artificial flavours and high fructose corn syrup. d*mn you, Earl Butz :rage:

bk

Hee that's funny. As for lard, I wanted to follow a recipe and could not find a place that sells it! Crisco, yes, but not pure lard. I live in the Northeast, though. I think lard is banned here. *giggle*

 

[PrettySquareGal]

WooHoo! What time does the party start :cheers1:

You are all invited to my place for finger sandwiches and milk...as soon as I can buy enough snack service sets!

 

[IndianaGuybrush]

PrettySquareGirl,
Not sure what part of the northeast you live in, but you can find lard in latin markets under the name "Manteca" (mahn-TECH-ah). Lard away!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I'll have to look into it!

(I never thought of lard as a verb but I like it!)

 

[scotrace]

You are all invited to my place for finger sandwiches and milk...as soon as I can buy enough snack service sets!

I can bring about a dozen.
At one time, one got premiums with gasoline fillups. My mother got a set of the crystal snack sets several times at the local gas station. They're in my basement now. Can't give 'em away on Ebay!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I can bring about a dozen.
At one time, one got premiums with gasoline fillups. My mother got a set of the crystal snack sets several times at the local gas station. They're in my basement now. Can't give 'em away on Ebay!

Oh my gosh. Crystal snack sets for a fill up?! I love it.

 

[scotrace]

Oh my gosh. Crystal snack sets for a fill up?! I love it.

AND gas for 60 cents. AND they wiped the windows and checked the oil level.
At Christmastime, you got a record album of holiday music with the fuel. I still have one of those too. Ha!

Makes me sound old, but it wasn't that long ago.

Really.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

AND gas for 60 cents. AND they wiped the windows and checked the oil level.
At Christmastime, you got a record album of holiday music with the fuel. I still have one of those too. Ha!

Makes me sound old, but it wasn't that long ago.

Really.

Oh please, I want to go back! The most I've gotten from a fill-up is a candy bar with 'tude.

 

[boomerchop]

It goes on...

Along with the change in food portions, lifestyle change in general has a lot to do with M to XL. After all, how sedentary has our life become? These days, if we want to do some research, all we have to do is click a few times and let our fingertips dance, instead of hopping off to the library, going thru files, walking the rows and rows of bookshelves, and struggling with an armful of heavy books..and since when has the streets have become so unsafe for the kids to run around and play until dark? So, everyone stays at home and watch the sitcom, instead of playing tag football in the yard....Do you keep your home ship-shape and shining in person, or do you have a cleaning service? Do you hang out the laundry, or let your washing machine and dryer do everything...or worse yet, send everything to the laundry? I mean, now, esp. if you live in the city, you have to pay money to get enough exercise that you got for free, doing housework and all in the Golden Era.

One of my favorites is the proliferation of lawn services, and if you do cut your own lawn, most people have a ride mower, even on very small yards!

Just saw the other day that home decorating services are available for the holidays so you don't have to haul out the ladder, etc.

And then, since we're getting so little exercise, we pay to go off to the gym!

I just lost 25 pounds, (180 to 155) and am still headed down doing it the old fashioned way, eat less and exercise more. Eating less for me has mostly been about portion control. I still eat most of the same foods I always have. It just finally occurred to me that I seem to have an efficient body, it doesn't take a lot of calories to keep it going, (maybe LAMedicine can shed some light on this, is this what people refer to as metabolism?) and all of the extra calories I eat just become fat.

 

[Sefton]

One of my favorites is the proliferation of lawn services, and if you do cut your own lawn, most people have a ride mower, even on very small yards!

Just saw the other day that home decorating services are available for the holidays so you don't have to haul out the ladder, etc.

And then, since we're getting so little exercise, we pay to go off to the gym!

I just lost 25 pounds, (180 to 155) and am still headed down doing it the old fashioned way, eat less and exercise more. Eating less for me has mostly been about portion control. I still eat most of the same foods I always have. It just finally occurred to me that I seem to have an efficient body, it doesn't take a lot of calories to keep it going, (maybe LAMedicine can shed some light on this, is this what people refer to as metabolism?) and all of the extra calories I eat just become fat.

I'm doing the same thing myself. I'm 179 now trying to be 165 lbs. so I can get back into my size 32in. waist trousers. It helps also in my pursuit of vintage clothes to be more in line with what was average back then. Over the years my portions have grown without any (seemingly) concious effort.

Boomerchop, good luck with your goal. I'm off to Japan in two days and don't plan on denying myself any of the wonderful food. Fortunately it's mostly all healthy stuff (even my favorite Japanese fast food restaurant MosBurger has pretty healthy stuff. Small sized -like 20 years ago-portions too).

 

[PrettySquareGal]

I'm doing the same thing myself. I'm 179 now trying to be 165 lbs. so I can get back into my size 32in. waist trousers. It helps also in my pursuit of vintage clothes to be more in line with what was average back then. Over the years my portions have grown without any (seemingly) concious effort.

I would like to go down to a size four, where I was all through my twenties. I'm a size six right now. This thread inspired me to do some aerobic housekeeping instead of wasting my money at a gym. It's very difficult for me to get out an exercise during the next few months being so cold and icy. I put on about seven pounds after I turned 30. I became less active and got lax in my eating habits by eating after 8:00 p.m. Snacking before bed is a habit I'd like to break!

 

[LaMedicine]

Oh, I want you to get started! You go! Great insights!

Well, since you say so...better keep myself in check, though, 'cause, otherwise, y'all are gonna get an eyeful...

Anway, since there were some questions asked.
Yep, some people can keep their weight off better than others, part genetics, part body fitness, as in having more muscle volume, because it's mainly muscles that burn the calories--metabolism at work.
You also gain weight with the years, even though your lifestyle and eating habits haven't changed, because, with the onset of middle age, your basal metabolism decreases....the turn over of your body, making new cells, growth rate decreases with age, so your calorie requirement goes down as well. To keep your metabolism up, the way life is now, you'll have to be conscientious about exercising and food balance, meal habits, as in keeping regular meal hours, as well as food portions.
Yes, I watch what I eat (to some extent--physically, I'm at what is medically considered fit), I take tennis lessons once a week, and workout at the gym twice a week...just to keep my present figure

 

[jamespowers]

I dunno about most people but when my family put dinner on the table at family functions the portions were Supersized and you didn't have a choice.
"You want ice cream with your cake Sid?"
"Uh"
Plunk, plunk
"There you go."
That is really what happened. They just didn't go back far enough in that study. The 1970s was a time of turmoil and gas lines. Lets not forget about that. People probably ate less because they had less money after gas and the poor economy. Remember wage and price controls? It was tough.
Before that was different. There was a general prosperity and plenty---especially food. Go back to the 1950s and look at what they considered a portion in the cook books of the era. Make the recipe and see how many people it actually serves.

Regards to all,

J