A Call for Smaller Plates | Food Trends 2009

I continue on my report of Food trends for 2009 with a topic dear to my heart because it influenced our well-being. A return to home cooking done with affordable ingredients and smaller plates should materialize in 2009.

The home cooking trend is not just about money saving. It is also triggered by our desire to control what and how much is in our plate.

Many experts in the food industry predict a return to smaller plates for 2009. The sooner will be the better if you ask me. Almost everyone complain about excessive portions in US restaurants. It is a fact that we do not feel great after we ate too much. Small plates may be a way for restaurant owners to stay profitable and keep up quality in a harder economic time.

I hope the calories on menu boards regulations imposed In New York and California to tackle the obesity spread will swell this trend further. Even at home, I feel that we are eating too large portions. It seems like the right time to rectify that bad habit.

Changing Our Eating Habits

On our last trip, my husband and I adapted how we ordered in restaurants. One thing we did was to order each an appetizer and then, share an entrée. We have more than plenty of food each time.

This means that we must coordinate what we eat which defies the purpose of eating out. Other times, we checked the portions before entering the restaurants and opted for restaurants that served smaller portions.

I had lunch at a small French bistro restaurant last Monday with a girlfriend, the blogger behind En direct des Iles. The food at Bistro Justine was delicious with reasonable portions. We had too much fun talking that I forgot to take pictures on our meal.

What are your thoughts on the small plate issue?

CREDITS:
+ Images from Bistro Justine – get” directions=”directions”>p 514.277.2728
1268 Avenue Van Horne, Outremont, QC, Canada, H2V 1K6