I don't get it either. I consider it bad manners to not finish what's on your plate, but then again, I have a hearty appetite most of the time.

I was taught not to waste food...

I was taught not to waste food, but I'm not going to eat all my food if I'm full. That's why I don't order big meals.

Grreat Q! We were taught to eat everything on our plate! My Dad would give the same ol spill, "there are kids starving who would love to have what you have". And although i do have compassion for the hungry, I dont believe, by eating everything on your plate, actually helps the starving. As i got older, i started challenging my father(in a loving way). Because he always ate whatever was left-over from our plates, saying "well here, I'll eat it, I'm not goin to let it go to waste"! And one day I finally said to him, "how is wasting it in your stomach any better then wasting in the garbage"?? To over-indulge was just as bad!!:)

Take a serving of only what you can eat completely and leave the plates clean once you finish eating.

You take it, you eat it. You may have seconds if you want. If in a restaurant, take home what you don't eat and eat it at home. Don't waste food.

Clean your plate! There are kids starving in Africa! It is a sin to waste food. Respect having food as others don't.

In some cultures it is considered impolite to eat everything on your plate because that means you didn't have enough. Whereas, if you leave a little something, it means that you have plenty. This is especially true in areas where they don't have an abundance.

I was taught not to waste... anything.

It's nothing but Too much etiquette following stupid act!

We, too, were reminded about starving children all over the world. We kids had to eat everything on our plates, and drink our milk, before we would be given permission to leave the table and go back out to play with the other neighborhood kids "until the street lights come on". Oh, and yes, we had to ask "May I be excused?" before even thinking of leaving the table. And somehow I don't remember my Mom ever having pizza for dinner, either. I guess my childhood was hell...but, then again, I never wanted to hurt or kill anyone, either...and I'm very charitable and giving.

Along time ago,Mom called everyone for supper.I come in sit down,and my food is already on the plate and I notice the dreaded brussel sprouts.I eat the rest of my meal and keep pushing the sprouts around hoping they will magically disappear,because I have no desire to eat them.My mom seeing this says "You need to eat those,there are children in this world that are starving for food like that". Being 13 and a young smartass know it all I responded," Why don't you put in a box and send it to them?" MOTHER OF GOD!Something hit me on the left side of my head and knocked me from the chair! Slowly I picked myself up while putting my on glasses and looking for collateral damage from the sudden and violent impact of the nuclear device that had just detonated beside me.All I saw to my left was my father sitting in his chair looking at me over his glasses,with one of 'those' looks that could kill a child at 100 yds. I waited for the verbal aftershocks that I knew would be forthcoming,but all I heard in a soft but stern voice saying "Don't you ever let me hear you talk to your mother like that again". With an almost inaudible "Yessssir",I ravenously devoured all of the remaining brussel sprouts,while hearing my 2 younger sisters,trying to hide their giggling between bites of food . That was 41 yrs ago.I have yet to eat another brussel sprout.