s/o How often do you eat dessert after meals?

[creekland]

The ice cream thread and having been with my in-laws this past weekend got me wondering about dessert in general.

 

We almost never eat sweet desserts - only if there's a special celebration going on or a blue moon or similar.  They aren't a regular part of our lives at home or out.  We eat fruit often, but we serve it with meals as a side most of the time.  Once in a while we'll have it after a meal while watching a movie.  Once in a while we'll do that with ice cream too, but one sure can't count on it at our house.  Pies and cakes are only around on special occasions like birthdays.  We very, very rarely get a dessert after a restaurant meal unless it's at a buffet or otherwise included with the meal.  Even then, I've been known to skip it.

 

At my in-laws one MUST have dessert - even if it's a cookie or similar, but usually ice cream, cake, or pie after every meal.  Hubby grew up with it that way and assumed dessert is a must.  I grew up "our" way and see it as a special treat.  For "our" house, my way won.   :coolgleamA:   Hubby doesn't mind, though he still enjoys the treats when we visit the in-laws (and I often politely decline not really having the taste buds for such things and now not being able to eat much physically).

 

What's the Hive "typical?"

Edited September 7, 2016 by creekland

[hjffkj]

We eat at my mil's most Sundays and in her house dessert is an everyday occasion. So every Sunday we have a dessert. But if we didn't go there it would only be for special occasions in my house and rarely when eating out, like only when dh and I go on a date.

Edited September 7, 2016 by hjffkj

[creekland]

We eat at my mum's most Sundays and in her house dessert is an everyday occasion. So every Sunday we have a dessert. But if we didn't go there it would only be for special occasions in my house and rarely when eating out, like only when dh and I go on a date.

 

I voted for our house - our regular - not including when we visit my in-laws as that would definitely skew our answers, but that's because it's "their" regular at their house.

[happypamama]

Not often. Definitely not regularly.

 

If ice cream is on sale, I buy it, a couple of times a year. Then we will have it about once a day until it's gone, usually 3-4 days. I don't generally make dessert unless it's a birthday, Father's Day, or other special day (I have made pirate cakes for Talk Like a Pirate Day), and then the same thing goes; some every day until it's gone, and then it's gone.

 

Occasionally DH or I will bring home a little chocolate or something small, and that's a little snack once. Sometimes the kids talk me into cookies from Aldi, and they'll have some after lunch for a few days. That's not every week, though, and we probably have dessert less than once a week.

[hjffkj]

I voted for our house - our regular - not including when we visit my in-laws as that would definitely skew our answers, but that's because it's "their" regular at their house.

Yeah, I voted for what we do in our house but it didn't feel genuine enough since we do have dessert once a week, just at someone else's house. I could do without it though and usually wish we didn't have it at her house but the time together is more important than worrying about dessert once a week.

[Butter]

Almost never here.  My SIL grew up in a home where dessert was a big thing.  They often ate small meals with elaborate desserts.  This was an issue when they first got married since my brother grew up rarely having dessert.

[HomeAgain]

I offer dessert about 2-3 times a week, usually when the main meal has been very veggie/lean protein focused.  That way, the small scoop of ice cream satisfies the fat content that helps us feel full.  Or I'll make a pan of brownies in the winter and that'll last for at least 4 days.

We almost never get dessert when out at a restaurant, though.  Those meals are full of sugar and fat already - the body is sated.  There is no need to add to it.

[Pawz4me]

I don't really know how to respond because it sounds as if you're looking for data based on families as a whole and we're a total mixed bag here --  I have almost no sweet tooth so it never even occurs to me to eat a sweet following a meal. Oldest DS is extremely health/fitness conscious and so rarely eats sweets. DH and youngest DS have sweet tooths and will more often than not get a cookie after dinner. We get a dessert when eating out maybe a couple of times a year, almost always at DH's suggestion. They're usually split, with DH and youngest DS eating the majority and me and oldest DS just having a taste (if any).

[Zinnia]

I make dessert about once a week at home.

We never get it after eating out.  If we are getting something extra with the meal, we are much more prone to get an appetizer.  The exception is the "fried" ice cream at the local Mexican place on birthdays.  My children are suckers for a rousing rendition of Cumpleanos Feliz and getting to wear the sombrero.   :)

Edited September 7, 2016 by Zinnia

[Kassia]

I have a terrible sweet tooth and *need* something sweet after meals even though I didn't grow up that way.  DH grew up with regular desserts and he always has something.  My kids grew up having small desserts, but now they are all very health conscious and only eat desserts on special occasions or if they are out.  It's kind of funny that DH and I need our sweets, but our kids don't.  

 

 

[Guest]

Dessert is a special occasion treat: I pretty much only bake cakes on birthdays, pies when I have a lot of fruit and am canning or freezing most of it, and cookies when we have leftovers or an easy dinner and I'm feeling particularly June Cleaverish.

 

It makes me kind of sad, because my mom ALWAYS served a fruit course after lunch and dinner, which she called "dessert", followed by a homemade baked good, which she called "after-dessert".

 

Of course the she didn't homeschool until high school and considered herself more of a "housewife" than a SAHM and I get enough flak from modern moms about my bread, muffins, scones, and other breakfast baked goods. We prefer low sugar homemade jam to butter or margarine.

 

The poll wouldn't let me vote unless I checked something on the restaurant options. We're not big restaurant people so I just said "rarely".

Edited September 7, 2016 by Guest

[barnwife]

I make desserts for birthdays or other occasions.  If my parents come to visit, I make something. They expect it.  I make cookies solely for Christmas. (And this year, with baby due days after Christmas, that's not high on my priority list.)

So basically, in our house we never eat dessert.

I grew up in a "two cookies after lunch" house, along with dessert after dinner a handful of times a week. When my parents are here, my kids are stunned to get 2 desserts in a day. That's a completely foreign concept to them. (Although, oldest has a major sweet tooth and no ability to ration. If it's in the house, he will (try to) sneak it. Even if it's just chocolate chips. Hence why we rarely have sweets in the house.)
 

[kewb]

At home dessert is a treat.  I don't consider the piece of fruit I may eat after a meal dessert.  I am talking about cake, ice cream cookies.  At home special occasions mostly with the occasional just because we want to go out for ice cream.

 

In a restaurant we may or may not get dessert.  If it is included in the price, yes, everyone gets a dessert.  Otherwise it is more of a how full am I moment.

[regentrude]

Hard to answer. At home, we don't have dessert after each meal - but we always have a freezer full of ice cream which is eaten on a pretty much daily basis, just not typically immediately following a meal.

If we go out to eat, we usually split a desert or two. An entire desert per person is typically too much.

Edited September 7, 2016 by regentrude

[Bluegoat]

Probably about half the time, but it isn't necessarily regular.  Some times of year it's more likely, or when I am feeling more interested in cooking we'll have desserts for a while and then I will get busy and we won't.

 

Also, sometimes desserts are just a bit "extra" but other times they are more integrated into the meal.  So, if I feel like a meal is too light on fruit and veg I will do a fruit based dessert, or if I find the meal is probably not going to be quite filling enough, I'll do something that will add a little bulk.

 

ETA - I often find I want a sweet later if there is nothing after supper, so I might have something like a bit of chocolate.  For eating out, it really depends.  I'm often too full because I'll want to have an appetizer but if it is a place with really nice desserts I'll make a point of eating a lighter meal.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Bluegoat

[Pam in CT]

I cook almost every night, but I don't bake except birthdays and holidays.  We keep dark chocolate stocked, and the kids will generally have a bit after dinner.

 

At restaurants, I scan ahead on the menu and if there's particularly scrumptious sounding dessert, I plan the rest of my meal accordingly (forgoing an appetizer, or ordering something light) so I'll have enough room.  If I'm full I'll skip it.

At other people's house, if they've actually baked something (as opposed to ice cream sundaes or something) I will certainly take a bit.  

 

When we have dinner guests here, I usually do berries, whipped fresh cream and vanilla ice cream.  That and its winter variation of baked fruit with cream / ice cream are hands-down the most common after-dinner treat served at dinner gatherings in may area.  Dessert or fruit?

 

 

I'd guess it works out to a couple times a month; more if we're traveling somewhere new and I want to sample.

 

 

[HRAAB]

That's rather hard to answer.  It depends.  For instance, right now I have several boxes of peaches I'm trying to use: fresh peach pie, peach crisp, peach cobbler, peach ice cream, peaches and cream, peach milkshakes.  During the rest of the year I will have some type of dessert around like a crisp (using up the frozen fruit), gingerbread, cookies.  I don't serve it, but it's there for whoever wants some.  The twins and I have tea time on Tues. and Thurs. and usually have some type sweet thing.  That's the only time I eat desserts unless it's a special occasion.  Both my dh and one of the twins has a sweet tooth.  I find if I have something sweet around occasionally, they don't over indulge.

[Annie G]

Dessert out- rarely. 

 

But at home, I really like to end dinner with a little sweetness. I don't snack after dinner so that little sweet is my signal that eating is done. Many times it's three Hershey kisses or a small handful of m and ms. But a few nights a week I have a little individual cup of rainbow sherbet.  I only eat that sweet after dinner- not after lunch. 

 

I make a real dessert less than once a month.  

[HRAAB]

I cook almost every night, but I don't bake except birthdays and holidays.  We keep dark chocolate stocked, and the kids will generally have a bit after dinner.

 

 

 

Don't tell me dark chocolate counts as dessert.  That is medicinal.  I keep mine in the drawer of my nightstand.  Fortunately my twins don't like dark chocolate.

[Wabi Sabi]

About 50/50 here. 

 

However, we rarely have baked goods in the house. Pies and cakes are treats for holidays, birthdays, and other special occasions. Our version of dessert is typically some fruit or a very small bowl (single scoop) of ice cream, which we almost always have in the freezer. As far as my 12  year old is concerned, canned peach halves are the most delectable dessert ever. Sliced strawberries with a little bit of sugar and balsamic vinegar are another favorite. 

[Farrar]

We have at least a little something sweet pretty much every day, even if it's just a couple of squares of chocolate, though we do something bigger like a couple of homemade cookies or a little bowl of ice cream with chocolate sauce or something pretty regularly too. It's nearly always after the main meal. We all have bad sweet tooths.

 

We're actually less likely to eat dessert out though. When you go out, the meal is already usually large. The desserts are huge. It's already a bunch of money and usually everyone is pretty full. We're more likely to go home and have that square of chocolate a couple of hours later for a little finishing something.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Farrar

[marbel]

I chose 50/50 at home but it's probably closer to 75/25 that we have dessert.   That can be as simple as one oatmeal cookie to a summer berry crisp to a more elaborate baked thing.  When I was a kid, applesauce with cinnamon was considered dessert but I don't really go along with that anymore. :-)   Sometimes it's just a bit of dark chocolate.  I don't serve dessert except for special dinners: guests, birthdays, celebration of some achievement, etc.  But there are things around. 

 

When out, we are usually either too full or too cheap to buy dessert. More likely if we are out at a restaurant for dinner, we'll skip dessert there; figuring we'll find something later.  When we travel we often bring snacks and cookies, so dessert could be a cookie back at the hotel, or maybe a stop at an ice cream place.   We like going to cafes when we travel, so sometimes we'll have dessert in the afternoon... but on those occasions I  usually have to remind my family that they already had dessert.  "Yes, I do mean to say that the chocolate croissant you had with your mocha was dessert."

[Guest]

This is tough to answer only because we each do something different. I answered for my kids, who eat dessert maybe a few days a week (usually 1-3) and on a special occasion out may have dessert.

 

Hubby eats ice cream every night.

 

I eat dessert pretty much never, except on things like a birthday dinner. I'll have a square of dark chocolate a few days a week but that's usually in the middle of the day and not dessert, per se.

[QueenCat]

Planned dessert? Special occasions or company but there is always gelato in the house if someone wants it but it's not usually right after dinner. And I always have chocolate in the house.

[Ali in OR]

We like our ice cream here. I don't think of it as a planned dessert, but if it's in the house, most of us will have some at some point during the day or evening. In summer we have popsicles a lot too. In the winter, I had some success getting my sweet tooth under control by limiting sweets to Sundays. Sometimes I would make a nice dessert for Sunday, sometimes just ice cream. If I baked at all, I saved it for the weekend. Summer is a little bit harder to stay in control, but I'm trying to get back to that once-a-week habit now.

 

We almost never eat desserts in restaurants.

Edited September 7, 2016 by Ali in OR

[SKL]

At home, we don't really do "dessert."  Sometimes we have some pastry for whatever reason and we may eat it after dinner, but it isn't like people are thinking, "dessert time."

 

When we go out to a nice restaurant, it could go either way.  I think it's less than 50/50 though.

[Night Elf]

I answered always because I do have something sweet every night, but we don't eat dessert right after the meal. We wait an hour or two.

 

Ds is the exception. He has a popsicle every night directly after dinner. He doesn't like the cake or pie that DH and I eat every night.

[redsquirrel]

I like to bake, but we generally don't have it for dessert, more like a snack. Or it might be after dinner but is just as likely that they will have peanut butter and apple slices instead. I don't really make a big deal about sweets or treats. My kids are naturally self limiting, so I don't have to be.  I often have to toss out cake or cookies because they get stale.

 

I usually don't get dessert in a restaurant, but the kids will.  I can have a alcoholic drink (wine or a cocktail) or a dessert, but not both. I usually chose to have wine with my meal. I like that better, lol. Either way I am loading up on the carbs.

[AmandaVT]

I voted for 50/50 - I keep dark chocolates in the house, usually Bug Bites (70% cocoa happiness......). The dark chocolate mint are delicious too. I tend to have 1 (or two) after dinner a few nights a week. In the summer, we get ice cream once a week at our neighbor's ice cream stand. Winter, I'm more likely to have a cup of tea after dinner. 

 

Restaurants - rarely. If we go for a special family dinner on someone's birthday, we'll share a piece of cake for the table. I don't typically order, unless we go to this one restaurant that carries amazing sorbets. Then I'll get a scoop. :-)

[creekland]

All interesting to see how our "normals" are.  It didn't really occur to me that different family members would choose different options.  We tend to be an "all or none" family here and both of our sets of parents were the same way.  We generally eat the same things (allowing for a few taste differences), so if dessert is happening, everyone is involved.  If not, then not.  Same with ice cream.  We do very little "snacking," dessert or otherwise.

[JFSinIL]

Had to vote "never" as eating after a meal - bah! Here, ice cream (etc) IS the meal :-)   or is a between meal snack.

[redsquirrel]

All interesting to see how our "normals" are.  It didn't really occur to me that different family members would choose different options.  We tend to be an "all or none" family here and both of our sets of parents were the same way.  We generally eat the same things (allowing for a few taste differences), so if dessert is happening, everyone is involved.  If not, then not.  Same with ice cream.  We do very little "snacking," dessert or otherwise.

 

If I ate the same things that my teenage ballet dancing boys ate, or my long distance running husband ate, I would be even fatter than I already am, lol.  Maybe if I were taller, I could get away with it, but, sadly I am hardly 5'. 

[Kassia]

Had to vote "never" as eating after a meal - bah! Here, ice cream (etc) IS the meal :-)   or is a between meal snack.

 

My people!  :)

[Arcadia]

My side of the family is used to appetizers,main meals, desserts whether at home or eating out. My hubby's side of the family is used to main meals only if at home but appetizers, main meals and desserts if eating out.

 

When we (extended family) go out, we order appetizers and eat those while choosing our main course. When everyone is done with their main course, we order desserts.

 

For Chinese meals out, there are so many appetizers and desserts to choose from.

[SparklyUnicorn]

Never. 

 

When we visited my MIL, after every meal.  I kid you not.  It was too much.

 

 

Edited September 7, 2016 by SparklyUnicorn

[creekland]

If I ate the same things that my teenage ballet dancing boys ate, or my long distance running husband ate, I would be even fatter than I already am, lol.  Maybe if I were taller, I could get away with it, but, sadly I am hardly 5'. 

 

My guys all eat far more than I do, especially now, but we still eat mostly the same foods, again, allowing for some taste differences.  The only time we don't (usually) is breakfast when we each are on our own.  Every now and then everyone has "helpie thyselfie" for other meals too, but we still all eat at the same time (if we're home) - and it's not dessert types of foods.

 

My in-laws were so ingrained with "dessert at every (non-breakfast) meal" that hubby had a slice of cake packed in his lunches every day.  I think that may have been typical (at least for some) in that time period.  I seem to recall Archie Bunker wanting his Twinkie every day and I know both my grandparents served baked desserts almost all the time if not all the time.

 

"My" family tradition appears to have changed with my parents.  We rarely ate dessert anywhere, at home or out.  I kept that.  Hubby is the one who adapted.

 

With the results of this poll, I'm now wondering if "typical" changed during these later generations and it's not just my family.

 

All pure curiosity spurred initially from the ice cream thread.

 

I suppose that shows I should be doing more with my life, but it's 91 degrees out in Sept, so...  I did put a little over an hour in out in the gym fields this morning, and I've gotten some laundry done and assorted other chores inside, but mostly?  Nothin', except brain wandering.  :tongue_smilie:

Edited September 7, 2016 by creekland

[creekland]

dp 

 

Edited September 7, 2016 by creekland

[Lady Marmalade]

I offer dessert about 2-3 times a week, usually when the main meal has been very veggie/lean protein focused.  That way, the small scoop of ice cream satisfies the fat content that helps us feel full.  Or I'll make a pan of brownies in the winter and that'll last for at least 4 days.

We almost never get dessert when out at a restaurant, though.  Those meals are full of sugar and fat already - the body is sated.  There is no need to add to it.

 

This.  Though we don't always all eat the dessert.  If dessert is ice cream, I usually pass on it.  This time of year dessert is often a fruit pie or crumble while fresh fruit is in season and delicious. 

 

Eating out we never eat dessert.  Unless we're at Cheesecake Factory.  We will stop eating our main meal early and take leftovers home so that we have room for cheesecake.  Two slices of different flavors is a lot of cheesecake for four people. 

[Guest]

I answered Maybe once per week, but this is not entirely accurate, either. I am not a big fan of eating a dessert *directly* after a meal, though DH grew up that way. In that case, it would be only special ocassions or once in a blue moon. But we do often have some ice cream around, or cookies or brownies, so one or more family members might nosh on that within an hour or two of dinner. In the past week, DH and the boys have been making banana milkshakes and have had those after dinner, but not immediately after.

 

At a restaurant, it's uncommon because restaurants usually serve huge portions and I am too full to eat the meal let alone more food.

[Guest]

Never, anywhere.

[Guest]

If I'm going to have something sweet, it needs to be sandwiched between meals so that I can move around, drink water, etc before sleeping!

[FaithManor]

Not very often. Holiday meals and when we have out of towners, we do the ice xream place.

 

We did have a nice celebration when the rocket team got 2nd at TARC. When I have a headache, I eat a small amount of dark chocolate for the comfort and magnesium.

[marbel]

I answered Maybe once per week, but this is not entirely accurate, either. I am not a big fan of eating a dessert *directly* after a meal, though DH grew up that way. In that case, it would be only special ocassions or once in a blue moon. But we do often have some ice cream around, or cookies or brownies, so one or more family members might nosh on that within an hour or two of dinner. In the past week, DH and the boys have been making banana milkshakes and have had those after dinner, but not immediately after.

 

At a restaurant, it's uncommon because restaurants usually serve huge portions and I am too full to eat the meal let alone more food.

 

Yeah, I don't think of dessert as something that must be eaten immediately after a meal.  One of the many things that bother me when we visit our inlaws is that they eat do dessert immediately after dinner.  The coffee gets turned on when dinner starts and the cookie tins come out immediately after the plates are taken away.  Sometimes there aren't even new plates, which makes me a little ill.   But I grew up with a grandma who thought nothing of putting a piece of birthday cake onto a plate that still had sauerkraut juice on it, so I have baggage that way.  

 

For a family celebration at home, we would eat dinner, then clear up a bit, start coffee, fiddle around some, and then come back and eat.   It's still dinner dessert, but not consumed the second we finish the meal. 

 

This is getting a little complicated for me, as I've found if I don't stop eating/drinking anything but water after about 7pm, I have gastrointestinal distress at night (GERD).  So for a special thing we'll try to get it going earlier.  Or, I'll stay upright later than normal.  :-)

[Guest]

Usually once a week...might be fruit based such as peach cobbler, or strawberry shortcake but could be anything in the fruit or sweet category. Raw fruit is available daily, in season and frozen out of season.

[foxbridgeacademy]

Dessert after a meal only on super rare occasions but that doesn't mean we don't have dessert type food around occasionally, instead it's a snack. We buy a tub of ice cream about once a month and I'll make brownies or cookies about that often too.  We used to have sweets more often (still just for snacks) but I'm diabetic and it's easier for me to avoid sweets if they're just not here.

[Guest]

If I'm going to have something sweet, it needs to be sandwiched between meals so that I can move around, drink water, etc before sleeping!

Yup. That's why I eat my dark chocolate, if I have it, earlier in the day.

 

Dh can eat icecream ten minutes before going to bed and lay down to sleep without any adieu - it's so messed up :p

[creekland]

Dessert after a meal only on super rare occasions but that doesn't mean we don't have dessert type food around occasionally, instead it's a snack. We buy a tub of ice cream about once a month and I'll make brownies or cookies about that often too.  We used to have sweets more often (still just for snacks) but I'm diabetic and it's easier for me to avoid sweets if they're just not here.

 

My mom had Type II Diabetes for my whole life too.  I suspect that had a lot to do with the "change" in my family, but with only 10% having dessert fairly often at home, and less at restaurants, a huge section of our country has also changed somewhere along the line - unless, of course, my grandparents were unusual for their generation.

[DawnM]

It depends on what you call dessert.  We may have two oreos with some milk, or a fig bar, just a touch of sweet.  But we have it later than the meal, like 2 hours later.  I just need a little taste.

 

We don't have full blown slices of pie with ice cream or anything.

[creekland]

It depends on what you call dessert.  We may have two oreos with some milk, or a fig bar, just a touch of sweet.  But we have it later than the meal, like 2 hours later.  I just need a little taste.

 

We don't have full blown slices of pie with ice cream or anything.

 

My in-laws always have dessert right after the meal, even if it is just a cookie.  But other than that, I've no idea what the official meaning of "dessert" is.  Is there a time limit or not?  I never thought about it prior to this thread.

[marbel]

My in-laws always have dessert right after the meal, even if it is just a cookie.  But other than that, I've no idea what the official meaning of "dessert" is.  Is there a time limit or not?  I never thought about it prior to this thread.

 

the dictionary definition is "the sweet course eaten at the end of a meal."    Of course it doesn't say how long after.  

 

So I guess technically a sweet eaten later than the end of a meal would be a snack.   

 

To me:

 

If we have a sweet right after lunch, it's lunch dessert.

 

If we have a sweet anytime after dinner, it's dessert.

 

If we have a sweet sometime between those meals, but not close to lunch, it's a snack.   Though sometimes I will remind my people that it "counts" as dessert for dinner - it depends; if it's a cookie, no big deal, but if it's a big ice cream treat, then it's dessert and they can expect no more later.