Make the most of your appetite and money at all-you-can-eat buffet!

I actually came up with this theory (yeah right!) when I had to dine alone one day.  Since I was eating alone, I wanted to make the most of my appetite and get more value for money at this all-you-can-eat buffet.  I came up with some ways that I can apply at the salad bar restaurants, such as Sweet Tomatoes, Souper Salad, Fresh Choice, or Sizzlers.  You may try these at other kinds of restaurants or buffets and see if it works!   Since I don't eat meat, this list is limited to vegetarians.

1.  Going for lunch is the best time if you want to pig out - you can start eating from noon and go on until 3-4 in the afternoon, almost making up for dinner too.

2.  In case you're going for dinner, don't stay hungry all day just for the buffet in the evening.  Not only will you be more prone to gastric problems or stomach ulcers if your bile is unable to find food, your stomach will get satisfied easily after little amount of food that goes in.  If your aim is to eat more, four hours of no-food before going to the buffet is good enough.

3.  Don't start with raw carrots or spinach, pasta or the likes.  Once the mouth gets tired of chewing such vegetables, you won't be able to gobble up more.  Boiled green peas, corn kernels, or the likes are a good start.

4.  All the fruits, vegetables, pasta & salad - whether as a mound or placed separately on a plate, bring one plate at a time to your table.  If you stock up too much food on the table all at once, trust me you will be able to eat only half of it.  Also check #6.

(at Sweet Tomatoes, Texas)

5.  Are you the type who pours a Ranch, a Thousand Island, a Vinaigrette, a Honey Dijon, a Southwest Chipotle, a Caesar, and all the other dressings together on your salad?  Then you are bound to fill up your tummy much faster because these dressings are heavy-bodied, even if they're low-fat/low-calorie.  Bring each of the dressing separately on the table, then mix in small amounts or dip.

(at Sizzler, Bangkok) 

6.  Sit far away from the salad bar.  When you go back and forth with each plate, glass or bowl from the bar to your table, the little walk will help you to have a feast.

7.  Don't stuff yourself up within the first 30 minutes.  Go slow, relish each bite, enjoy the food, and take your own sweet time to eat as much as you want.

8.  You may know the fact that complex carbohydrates starch (such as, pasta) and simple carbohydrates sugar (such as, desserts) as well as fruits like banana fill your appetite faster.  Reserve them for later on.

9.  If you're more than one person it's always more fun, but if you're alone, take a novel or something else along to keep yourself occupied.  Eating alone and sitting all by yourself could get boring and might make you want to finish up fast and leave, no matter how tempting the food looks.

Well, this was a list I made for fun and for dining out only once in a while.  But I hope everyone understands that binge eating regularly is a disorder, not good for health, and causes obesity.  So eat smart, live happy.

Bon appetit!