9.
REASONS FOR NOT HAVING POTATOES INSTEAD OF SECOND HELPINGS OF OTHER FOOD
21% said they followed the advice to refuse second helpings of other food, and
7%
have more potatoes instead. Investigators reported that they had the feeling that most informants who said “yes” to the question did so even though they actually never had potatoes for a second helping. Of the 21%, about one-fifth said they had got the idea from the Ministry of Food publicity.
Those who say they do not carry out the suggestion give the following reasons:-
Table 11
% of those who don’t follow suggestion
First helpings are big enough.
45
Not keen on potatoes, tired of them, prefers other things.
18
What is left over after first helping is cooked up again.
4
Never thought about it.
2
We are already eating a lot of potatoes.
4
Others.
4
No answer
23
SAMPLE
1577
Reading the actual words of the informants who do not serve potatoes for a second helping, gives one the feeling that the Ministry of Food’s advice is rather unreal, in the face of actual serving habits, In the great majority of cases all the food is given round when it is first served; or if anything is left over after the first helping, the housewife usually tries to make her family eat up the rest.
