We went to a Buffet today.  The experience was very nice.  Did I pig out?  Did I try to get my monies worth?  What is Buffet etiquette?

The array of food, vegetables, salad fixens, pickled veggies, potato salad, mashed potatoes, noodles, stuffing, and meats galore, whom wouldn’t want to occasionally enjoy a buffet?.  Why pig out?  I can make healthful delicious selections knowing I will likely have another meal in about four hours.  Knowing this is not my last meal I realize I do not want to make myself sick over it.  Have you ever heard someone say they got sick after going to a buffet, that always causes me to wonder, Did they eat how many plates of food? Did they wash their hands? How fast did they consume all this food?. These are all factors in how we will feel after consuming a meal at a buffet.

I had one plate of food, a dish of coleslaw, and a 1″ x 1″ brownie, and a cup of tea.  This was great.  I just did not feel like cooking.  I believe I more than got my monies worth.  A couple hours later I had an afternoon snack.  I am content.

Although I am not a doctor, nurse or nutritionist, I still like to consider the physiology of a person.  Our esophagus is only so big around and so long.  Our stomach is said to be about the size of our fist.  How much expanding do we expect our stomachs to do?  Do we pack in so much food that the mechanics between the stomach and upper intestines are not able to function correctly.  Does our food sit and stay compacted in our esophagus?  When we eat a high volume of food, and many eat too fast, our digestive fluids roll up into our throat doing damage to both our esophagus and throat?  For years I have had to have my stomach stretched open, and my throat stretched.  It is a painful experience.  Yet, it helps a lot, because my food will just sit in my esophagus, and the digestive juices make me feel so sick.  Sometimes I get very sick.  It is time for me to go get stretched again.  Eating smaller meals and being sure not to stuff myself is important.  Recently I read, and I do not remember where I read it, that more people are getting cirrhosis of the liver, and it is not from alcohol.  When we eat a lot and a variety, our poor liver has to send out a lot to process all that is coming thru our system.  Our livers are getting worked to death.  Poor liver, let’s give it a break.  No wonder the bible talks about overeating and gluttony being a sin.

Buffet, in the dictionary also means to fight or force.  So are we fighting against the way we were designed to function.  Do we force our bodies to the point of long term injury.  Something to consider.  The other matter of getting our monies worth, the cost of a visit to the buffet for a dinner compared to a decent restaurant it may cost about the same and we are being served our salad, entrée, and a dessert we order from a menu.  The menus have the same germs that the serving utensils at the buffet contain because most people do not wash their hands before handling a menu.  After ordering from a menu I go to the bathroom and wash my hands.

Buffet etiquette, by exercising self respect, respect for others and the world hunger situation we would not want to just pile our plates up.  We can go up and get another plate of food.  This prevents wastefulness or forcing ourselves to clean our plate because we piled it up and we are of the clean plate society.  Washing our hands before, and then again after serving ourselves is considerate.  Most important, it is crucial to wash our hands after, there are so many that do not wash their hands.  When you pick up your roll to eat it, it is like a dozen people already picked it up, because their germs are on the serving utensils.  I leave my plate at the table with loved ones and I go wash my hands.  If for some odd reason I cannot leave to go wash up, I will use a lemon across my fingers and hands and dry with my napkin.  With the many flues and other epidemics, and the fungal infections people carry, I really want to wash my hands.

Skinny people are on to something big, being selective, small portions and eating slow.  Let’s not talk about the disgusting skinny people that pig out and never gain a pound.  It all catches up, maybe not in pounds, but digestive issues can plague anyone.  It can turn a person off to a buffet considering all these topics.  I hope all will benefit from considering our physiology.

Many love the convenience of a buffet, just walk in, serve up, and enjoy friends without taking the whole afternoon.      Enjoy the experience safely, and with dignity.