fbpx

How Buffets Could Actually Make You Slimmer
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

QR77 radioListen to my monthly radio program with Angela Kokott, host of Calgary Today for our segment, “You are what you eat” to get the goods on healthy eating.

Listen to Episode 51 Here: How Buffets Could Actually Make You Slimmer 

Exploring the “First Food Most” Principle

Often when we think about buffets we think of heaps of food, big full plates and leaving a restaurant stuffed.  New research suggests how a buffet line is set up may actually help improve the success of eating healthy foods and help those that are struggling with their weight.

Can you tell me about this new research study and how buffet lines actually improved consumption of healthy choices?

buffetLeading food psychology researcher, Dr. Brain Wansink, and post-doctoral associate, Andrew Hanks, just released a study that explored the order in which you offer foods in a buffet line shifts what and how much you eat.

The study compared two breakfast buffet lines of seven different foods displayed from so called “healthiest” to least healthy and vice versa.  Food order drastically influences what diners take in several ways.

Firstly, over 75% of diners took the first food offered.  Secondly, the first three foods displayed comprised 66% of all the food diners served themselves. Thirdly the first food chosen biased what they chose next because diners chose complementary food choices that traditionally went together when it came to higher-fat foods. Those that chose cheesy eggs also chose bacon and potatoes since they are often traditional paired together.  They also chose a higher number of food choices in general.  Interestingly those that chose fruit first were not influenced in the same way potentially because fruit is not associated with a complimentary choice.  The researchers reported that choosing fruit first may act as a healthy trigger for an overall healthy meal.

Although the study did have limitations and further research is needed, it does show that the order in which food is served known as the “first food most” principle can influence our eating patterns.

How can we use this research to help us at the buffet line when they may not have displayed things in a healthy order?

The best thing to do before you fill your plate with anything is to scan the entire buffet line and see what choices are available.  Think about what you really truly love and what might be unique to the event that would be interesting to try.   Using the “first food most” principle start with veggies and fruit which for adults we are hoping will compile half of your plate.  Next find the yummiest looking protein option to fill one-quarter of your plate along with your top choice for a grain/starch for the remaining one-quarter of your plate.

Also keep in mind another principle known as “sensory specific satiety” which states that our senses (such as taste, smell and even sight) get numbed and overwhelmed if they continually experience the same stimulus. This is why we eat more when there is variety.  Chances are you will eat more overall if you put six different foods on your plate than if you choose only three.

How does this research on buffets potentially apply to our homes and feeding picky eaters?

This research may also help you think about changing the order of how you serve meals in your home if you have a family member that is either overweight or underweight or struggles with picky eating.  If you have a family member or child that is underweight or suffering with a medical condition that is negatively influencing appetite think about offering the most calorically dense options as a first course.  If you are overweight do the opposite and offer veggies and fruit first such as a salad at the beginning of the meal.  If you are feeding a picky eater think about offering least favorite foods first when appetite is high and favorite foods as a second course.

How does this research on buffets potentially apply to the restaurant industry?

This research may also have applications for restaurants looking to save on cost and help support the large percentage of Canadians that are overweight or have health issues and need to make better choices.   If there are certain excess items that need to be used first for inventory management placing these on the buffet first may be consumed in greater amounts.  Restaurants looking to target weight and health conscious consumers and create a beautiful visual display may do best by placing attractive fruit and veggie dishes and salads first.

Click here for a printer-friendly PDF

Reference: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0077055

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

As seen in

  •  

Success stories

"I am a psychologist in private practice and it is very important to me that my clients have the best care with other health care professionals. For that reason Health Stand Nutrition is my only source for exceptional Dietitians. Andrea and her team provide highly knowledgeable, compassionate, and real world support to my clients who require assistance with food lifestyle. I trust my clients to them and you would be in excellent hands making them part of your health care team."
Adele Fox, Psychologist
“This is the first time I feel satisfied; my cravings have diminished dramatically and I have a whole new relationship with food. I am eating guilt-free for the first time in my life. My energy has also dramatically increased and I feel great!
Rhonda Jenkins, Nutrition Counseling Client
“The Dieticians at Health Stand Nutrition help you to take action on the science behind eating well by making it practical, understandable, and fun. Their office is cozy and not at all clinical or intimidating. I felt like I was sitting down with a really smart, caring friend who wanted to help me make the best choices for my lifestyle and food preferences. They really are the best in the business.”
Marty Avery, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I have come to think of the program as a one stop shopping excursion for everything one needs to know about creating a joyous relationship with food and our bodies. In a single word, the course has gifted me with freedom from the punishing rigidity of disordered eating, old stories that never were true, and body dysmorphia that did nothing but make me lose sight of a body that has done everything I've asked, despite my careless dismissal of her needs. Now when I look in the mirror I find myself shifting from harsh criticism to gentle gratitude.”
Lynn Haley, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“I spent 3 hours when first diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. I learned more from my Dietitian about food in those 3 hours than I had learned in all the years of my life. I also love the newsletter, there is always something to learn.”
Peter Whitehead, Nutrition Counseling Client
“I didn’t realize how strong my “diet mentality” was, and all the rules I had in my head about food. I was in a cycle of reward/punish/binge/cringe. I booked with your business very reluctantly, on the repeated advice of my doctor, to get my slowly rising cholesterol levels in check. I thought I knew everything about food, and my behaviour with food, but I was definitely re-schooled. My weight is creeping down, I feel good about my diet, exercise, body image, and lifestyle.”
Amy Floyd, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Thanks Andrea for an amazing presentation, I have heard all positive remarks from attendees and the evaluations show the same sentiment. It is really gratifying when a speaker does their “homework” and weaves in our profession’s day to day challenges within their content, you did an awesome job of this! You truly took the “die” out of Dietician! Your information on healthy eating and simplifying how we can work towards this as we are all so busy really hit the mark. Andrea connects very well with her audience; she is energetic, funny, and very approachable.”
Carole Ann LaGrange, Transfusion Medicine Safety Officer

Event Planner for Laboratory Diagnostic Imaging Annual Event

I am a family physician who sees patients with a myriad of eating concerns – from wanting to know how to plan healthy meals for active families, to weight loss, to eating disorders, and so on. I cannot recommend the Health Stand team highly enough. I have worked with (and been to!) other Dieticians in the past and too often find that they just ask for food logs and make suggestions that are easily obtained online or in books. The Dieticians at Health Stand offer much more than just telling clients what they “should be eating.” In contrast, the team really does more of a counselling practice, and they work hard to help their clients learn more about why their eating habits may be off track and not optimal for them, as well as helping people to effect change at a deep level that, most importantly, is sustainable for lifetime health.”
Dr. Deb Putnam, Family Physician

Nutrition Counseling Client & Referring Physician

“I am a busy mom, with kids in high level sports, working full-time downtown, and running our home acreage outside the City. I now have the knowledge and tools I need to plan for and manage the chaos of meal planning.”
Gillian Gray, Pursuit of Healthiness Online Course Participant
“As a construction company, we select speakers who can relate to our industry and its employees. Andrea’s message was delivered with humor and empathy. She makes people feel as though they can make changes without leaving behind every favorite food. Andrea focused her presentation on healthy eating as a way to keep energy high throughout the day. This message and the way it was delivered resonated with our predominantly male, blue collar culture. I would highly recommend Andrea as a speaker for groups such as ours. She will get your message across without alienating anyone in your audience – which is a huge hurdle when trying to introduce a wellness program in the workplace!”
Stephanie Wood, HR and Safety Manager

Fisher Construction Group, Burlington, WA

I found my Dietitian warm, funny, and skilled at teaching nutrition concepts without the overwhelm. The general approach of each session was to mix science with emotion, which was exceedingly effective in helping me shift my perspective on food from one of anxiety to one of joy and curiosity.”
Erin Kronstedt, Nutrition Counseling Client
“Excellent presentation! What a refreshing change to have a speaker inspire rather than “lecture” about nutrition. Your captivating stories, tips and overall approach to healthy eating uplifts and puts people at ease. It was great to hear we don’t need to strive to be perfect eaters, and that small changes really can make a difference in how we feel and in our health. Thanks to Andrea, we have solutions to our everyday nutrition challenges that can actually work in real life!”
Tina Tamagi, Human Resources

ARC Resources Ltd.

“Had I not joined this course I would have struggled with no focus, low energy, and mindless eating. Excellent teaching and motivation. This is not just a course, it is a nutrition club with mentorship, support, and connections with other people with similar situations.”
Lorri Lawrence, Pursuit of Healthiness online course participant

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This