Mom's "clean plate" rule turned me into a human garbage can

Growing up in Pittsburgh, we had a hard rule: you didn't leave the table until your plate was clean, no exceptions. That meant choking down cold peas and rubbery chicken at 7pm, even if I wasn't hungry. Now at 32, I still physically can't stop myself from finishing every bite at restaurants, even when the food is bad or I'm stuffed. Last month I ate a whole mediocre burrito bowl from a gas station just because I paid $9 for it. Did anyone else get this rule and now have zero ability to listen to their own hunger cues?

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gonzalez.reese22d ago

Used to think the clean plate thing was just good manners and not a big deal, but then I watched my husband do the same thing with a plate of terrible wedding food he didn't even like. Like he literally couldn't leave two bites behind. Made me realize it's not about being polite at all, it's just guilt wired into you as a kid. Sorry you're dealing with that, a $9 gas station burrito is a rough way to find out.

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