There’s a new food trend sweeping New York, and no, it’s not kale in disguise or coffee with feelings. It’s something far simpler, far saner, and frankly far more appealing: smaller portions. Yes, the age of the mini meal has arrived — and it’s strutting down Manhattan like a well-tailored jacket that doesn’t strain at the buttons.
An article in The Citizen (24 December 2025) titled “A bite for those reducing costs and waistline” reports on how New York restaurants are adapting to changing appetites. With weight-loss drugs like Ozempic turning once-hearty eaters into polite nibblers, restaurants such as Manhattan’s Le Petit Village are offering scaled-down meals. Hunger, it seems, has been downsized.
But these mini meals aren’t only for those chasing a smaller waistline. They’re also for the financially fleet-footed — the diners dodging inflation. With rent soaring and food prices climbing faster than a New York walk-up staircase, smaller portions make delicious economic sense. As the restaurant owner points out, this is about belts tightening — literally and figuratively.
And honestly? This trend would be a smash hit in South Africa.
Here at home, portion sizes often arrive at the table looking less like a meal and more like a dare. Breakfasts that could feed a small rugby team. Lunches that require strategy. Suppers that whisper, “You’ll be taking me home.” Sometimes it’s just too much for one sitting — whether it’s calamari, burgers, steaks or hake and chips.
It’s a trend that makes you wonder the day after a traditional South African Christmas feast — meat galore, salads competing for bowl space, and rich puddings. You don’t want dessert; you want a duvet. It’s wonderful, yes, but by hour three you’re shaped like a beach ball and contemplating an early night at 6pm.
Dining in 2025 has been tough on the wallet and purse. Prices have rocketed everywhere. Ordering from the kiddies’ menu is forbidden unless you arrive with crayons and homework. So couples have become creative. One plate. Two forks. Burger or calamari and chips shared like a diplomatic treaty. Just enough food, no leftovers, no doggy bag guilt.
Because let’s be honest: reheated restaurant food is a tragic sequel. It’s never as good the next day. Chips go limp, steaks sulk, and salads lose the will to live.
Imagine instead a menu that offers choice, not just abundance. Smaller burgers. Modest steaks. Reasonable portions of chips, rice and potatoes that don’t spill over like a starch avalanche. Even salads — light, fresh, and not the size of a garden bed.
This isn’t only about dieting. Yes, we’ve all heard the advice about using smaller plates to trick your brain into feeling full. But sometimes — especially in summer — you don’t want a meal that leaves you bloated, sluggish.
Of course, discipline helps. But discipline melts faster than ice cream when a plate of delicious food lands in front of you. The fork has a mind of its own.
And here’s the real trouble: affordability. These days, finding a restaurant meal under R100 is like spotting a unicorn at ant restaurant. Even sports clubs — once the bastion of cheap chips and cheerful prices — now charge R140 and upwards for fish, chips or pizza.
Mini meals could be the answer. Smaller portions at smaller prices. Less waste, less guilt, less strain on wallets and waistlines alike.
So here’s hoping South African restaurants take a cue. Because sometimes, less really is more. More manageable. More affordable. More enjoyable.
After all, a good meal should leave you satisfied — not shopping for elasticated trousers or planning a strategic nap.
Bring on the mini meals.
