Like everyone else in this near
GTKY-node, I was taught that
wasting food was a bad thing. At school, I felt bad for throwing away what my
mom had so carefully prepared for me, so I ate it, regardless of
hunger. My traditional
Bavarian grandmother literally stuffed me from an early age, causing me to be
obese as a child. This caused me to be picked on, and eventually I turned
anorexic. Another four years, and I'm somewhere near 'normal.'
Parents need to realize the disservice they're doing to their children. Face it. Whether you eat that last bit of food or throw it away, it doesn't make a difference. Either way, the food is gone afterwards and doesn't do anyone any good.