The Old-School Dinner 'Club' Your Grandparents Probably Still Remember

What if I told you there's a 99 percent chance your grandparents belonged to one of the most prestigious, yet inclusive, clubs in the country? Yes, the esteemed "clean plate club" welcomed — and even encouraged — every American to join. An informal club describing people who ate everything on their plate at mealtime, the "clean plate club" has a historic origin with messages that still persist today.

The idea goes back to the World War I era. In 1917, then-President Woodrow Wilson created the Food and Fuel Control Act due to the shortage of food for U.S. troops in Europe. This act gave Wilson total control over food in the country, aiming to ship as much food as possible to the frontline soldiers. Wilson appointed Herbert Hoover as America's first Food Administrator to oversee this process. Hoover used advertising campaigns and household pledges to evoke such emotional reactions from Americans that they would not waste any food. Famously, WWI propaganda posters had messages such as "food will win the war", and household pledge cards read, "At the table I'll not leave a scrap of food upon my plate. And I'll not eat between meals, but for suppertime I'll wait." The ideals of this time persisted into the post-World War II era, where houses and schools formed "clean plate clubs" that lessened food waste and maximized food shipments to famished Europeans (under the Marshall Plan).

Future generations inherited these heavily ingrained principles and still promote these messages today. The messages have had harsh repercussions, as many well-intended parents and guardians have toxically incentivised children to join the unofficial club. The downsides of being a club "member," such as misunderstanding your body's needs', make this one club you may want to reject.

Has your parent or grandparent ever commanded you to "finish your vegetables or you don't get dessert," or shamed you for wasting food when "there are starving kids in other countries"? These are messages the "clean plate club" instilled in older generations that have trickled down to newer generations. Other origins of joining the "clean plate club" include mindless eating, food insecurity, and habitualization. Seemingly innocuous in nature, joining the "clean plate club" may have long-lasting, harmful side effects for both children and adult "members."

Overeating, lethargy, digestive issues, and disordered eating behaviors are just some negative results of being a "member." Most notably, however, being detached from internal indicators and relying on the external cue of a clean plate to communicate fullness poorly affects people of all ages. This leads to distrusting one's body when it comes to mealtime, which could gradually spill over to other times of day with other bodily sensations.

While the ideals of the "clean plate club" are heavily entrenched in many families, there are ways to revoke your family's membership as well as your own. Eating more slowly and pausing to check in with yourself can help you become more in touch with what your body is signaling to you in terms of fullness. If you reach a point in the meal where your body is telling you to stop, save the excess food for leftovers and serve a smaller portion next time. There's never a downside to honoring your body.