With every empty plate (completely empty) you receive a lottery style card or raffle ticket. At the end of the week the raffle is drawn and you may be the winner of a cash prize. If at school this is funded by the local council, which will encouage students to eat their food. If funded by the works canteen this would be suplemented by the boss to stop wasted food.
-- gizmo, Jul 04 2002

Actually, eating all the food on your plate is a very bad habit that leads to obesity in older life (especially in America). The correct thing to do is to eat only as much as you need.
-- DrCurry, Jul 04 2002


In Thailand it is considered terrible manners to eat everything on your plate, because it suggests that the host did not give you enough to eat.
-- [ sctld ], Jul 04 2002


When I was in grade school they made a big fuss about cleaning your plate of that rubber chicken and plastic potato. However, I usually found ways to subtly deceive the monitors. Some of the food served to children is much too high in calories for some kids, and is actually meant to supplement the diets of kids who can't get enough to eat at home. I think that making *everyone* clean their plates equally is getting to be an anachronism.
-- polartomato, Jul 04 2002


edible plates - no nasty washing up, shirley? whoops sorry.
-- po, Jul 04 2002


all you have to do is wipe the food off your plate into the garbage can. or onto the floor.
-- andrewm, Mar 06 2003


Gee, little [gizmo] was just a wee sprout when he was here. Now I fear he is old and infirm, not allowed by his nurse to visit us.
-- snarfyguy, Mar 06 2003


I never understood that favourite saying of mothers everywhere: "Eat up! There's starving children in Africa!". Well, if I left some on my plate, I could sent it to them!
-- Cedar Park, Mar 06 2003



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