One, two or three

Usually just one at home. Two, or even three, if we are eating out, or if we have friends round for dinner.

I'm quite happy with one course at home, although DH expects to have some sort of afters (43 years and I still haven't broken him of it!)

For guests I would normally do three - or even four if we have cheese as well. Can't quite match up to the hotel we used to go to in Italy where they would serve a seven course lunch on Easter Sunday! Not as bad as it sounds as they were very small helpings, but the meal would last at least four hours. The last time we were there we were even able to come back down for dinner in the evening!!

One one course through the week, but Sunday Lunch we have a sweet, (not me don't do pudding) if we eat out I always miss the pudding but like a starter.

We only have one course when eating without family present and I serve what's been cooked in bowls which I put on the table and we take how much we want to eat. That way there are often leftovers which I freeze for when DH has a day out hiking.
I then eat 3 or 4 luscious dates to boost my potassium levels. I find I don't need anyother sweet or pudding after that.
I loved sticky condensed milk sandwiches as a child!

Most days one course. Plain yogurt and fruit if we want more!

I seem to remember buying condensed milk in France in a tube? Excellent!

Only one course during the week and a home-made pud on Sundays. Even if weight were not an issue, I'd find it a bit of a faff cooking two courses every day.

You can just stop your cream-pushing ways, Greatnan! It's a good job we didn't call in the patisserie. I would have lost controll!

Thanks, Mamie - I will remember for next time When visits me. I prefer real cream myself! And plenty of it.

Greatnan, evaporated milk is lait concentré non sucré and condensed is lait condensé sucré. It is in little tins and works fine.

Now she tells me (but I haven't seen it here anyway).

I bought some evap milk today! I make milk jelly with it for the children. Love Carnation on tinned peaches

No restaurants at the moment, When, I am saving hard for my tour of North Island!
When I was a child, we had 'pudding' only on a Sunday, usually rice done in the oven next to the coal fire, at the same time as the roast. When tinned peaches came in, we would have them with Carnation Milk. When I got to grammar school and found we had pudding every day, I was delighted. Some of the girls who had been to the prep school turned their noses up at some of them, so I just ate theirs as well as my own. Fortunately, at the time I was skinny so I could get away with it.

On our own at home it's usually one. He's doing his 'Italian pork chops' tonight and I'm doing some leeks in a mustard sauce.
When the DGCh come, it's always two courses so that I can get to do an old fashioned pudding for them.
If we have friends round I love to do three courses but try and keep the starter and pud fairly light.
I usually stick to two courses when we eat out but can easily be tempted to a dessert, depending on the restaurant and how much wine I've had.

Don't forget to visit your village restaurant, though, Greatnan. Their food is out of this world, and I'm sure I could have ploughed through 8 of their delicate courses!

Two in restaurant, usually main and ice-cream, and one at home, followed a couple of hours later by a small bowl of icecream and a piece of fruit.
According to the websites on walking, I need 2,300 calories on some days, but I couldn't possibly eat that much, especially as I don't normally eat 'empty' calories, such as cakes, biscuits or sweets, I never fry anything and there are no take-aways in the area! You could say healthy eating has been thrust upon me!

One course here; puddings only for special occasions and visitors.
The dinner party is very much alive with our French friends, but I try to combine nibbles / starter, otherwise it all gets too much. I also leave out the cheese course, though they are always a bit

Usually one course and then fruit, fresh or stewed. When we go out, it is a starter and main course. I do not have a sweet tooth, never did and I am rarely tempted to a dessert.

There was an exception a few weeks ago, described as a winter pudding - an individual 'summer' pudding filled with blackberries and then a tot of sloe gin poured over and a swirl of cream. Nice and tart, so I think it counts as fruit!

Usually two, with pudding being something fruit based with ice cream or yoghurt on offer. My husband needs about 3/4000 calories a day and when he's cycling long distances even more. His diet is a nutritionists dream though and his measurements have barely changed in thirty years. A few days ago I borrowed his 'bum bag' that he wears around his waist when he's cycling and was mortified when I had had to loosen it by several inches to get it around my own.

Just the one usually, occasionally I will have piece of fruit or yoghurt. DH some times has a craving for a choc ice. But I don't 'make' dessert.

One only.

One, but there is always something puddingey I have made in the fridge for people to help themselves to if they feel like it later, even if it's only stewed fruit and yoghourt. We make ice cream too. Desserts were the first caualty of advancing years and weight gain, my son complained bitterly at first but we always have lots of fresh fruit, which he likes, and he is the main consumer of the ice cream. Occasionally we will have a bar of chocolate between us. When I think of all the desserts I used to make I feel quite sad sometimes, because i enjoy making desserts and cakes most of all.

When I'm at home on my own, one main or two starter type meals suit me, like soup and a greek salad, then an hour or so later I might have a yogurt or some fruit.

When I have visitors, I do three courses which I tend to set out in the middle of the table and let them chose how little or how much they want. Sunday lunch is usually a starter of soup or pâté with French toast, which people can help themselves to. Then I put out a big serving dish wth the roast meat, potatoes and sausages, and lots of accompaniments. If anyone has space, there's usally an apple pie or crumble, and choice of cream, custard or ice cream. If I offer to make different meals on a Sunday, groans of 'no, let's have the usual' go up.

If I go out to eat, I choose light meals, so I've got room for three courses, but usually find most people only want two, as well.

Big plates of food put me off these days. I prefer little and often.

Just one course here too.

Tonight's dinner is sole with lemon and parsley butter, crushed new potatoes and green beans tossed with tomatoes and crushed garlic and lightly stir fried.