Small Portions Conquer the Netherlands
The website kleineporties.nl is three years old and continues to grow! ‘In principle, around 5 million people in the Netherlands are interested in restaurants where smaller or half portions are on the menu,’ says initiator Sandra de Blaeij.
For medical reasons, Sandra de Blaeij can no longer eat as much. As a result, eating out was no fun, she says. ‘When I explained in a restaurant that I could only eat a little, I was lucky if I was allowed to order a children’s menu. Otherwise, yet another starter. But I’m not going to a restaurant for fries with a croquette, am I?’
She went looking for restaurants that served modest portions, and fortunately managed to find them. ‘The first time I was able to eat out “normally” with my husband again, we looked forward to it for days. I was so happy that I could simply choose from the entire menu and didn’t have to explain anything to the staff.’
Gigantic Plates Piled High
That is how her website began. Because Sandra is not the only one who struggles with the gigantic portions served by some restaurants. ‘People with stomach or intestinal problems really can’t eat that much,’ says Sandra. ‘And many children want something other than that eternal children’s menu, but an adult portion is too much for them. Add to that the growing group of seniors with small appetites, people who want to eat less to stay healthy, and guests who would rather sample several small dishes instead of one plate piled high, and I arrive at a target group of nearly five million Dutch people. My website makes that visible and shows where small eaters can enjoy a good meal.’
In the Bin
Those smaller portions are also good for preventing food waste. Because if Sandra or one of those five million other modest eaters doesn’t finish their plate, the rest goes straight into the bin. What a waste! ‘Various studies show that the equivalent of 83 million plates of food are thrown away every year. And that’s while, in 2019, a panel of chefs said that controlling costs and achieving higher returns were precisely what was needed to maintain a healthy hospitality industry. You’re supposed to prepare food and then throw it away!’
Enthusiasts
Sandra’s website is a huge success and now has thousands of visitors every day. ‘The restaurants are recommended by our fans, forming a network of more than ten thousand enthusiasts. I check their tips and add the recommended restaurants to the website. More and more restaurants want to promote themselves through the website and sign up as partners. Our followers also regularly share the participating restaurants widely on social media, for example on Facebook. This really makes a lot of people happy.’
Delicious, Dessert!
More and more restaurants are welcoming guests with smaller appetites with open arms. ‘They see that it simply works. Portions are now more than twice as large as they were in 1970, and most people were raised with the idea that “you have to clear your plate.” With such lavish quantities, an average diner really can’t manage a three-course meal anymore. If a restaurant makes the portions smaller, the calculation per portion looks much more favorable, and there is a good chance that guests will still have room for dessert after a smaller portion. And, very importantly, a target group that otherwise wouldn’t go out to eat now does come to a restaurant to enjoy a wonderful evening. That’s what I do it for.’
