SILVER SPRING, Md. — New data compiled by the General Conference Office of Archives, Statistics and Research shows that Seventh-day Adventists feel guiltiest after overeating at Sabbath potlucks.
GC spokesperson Hara Hachibu said that although Adventists as a whole reported going into church fellowship halls with the best of intentions, “their resolve typically crumbled as soon as they got to the front of the potluck line.”
Hachibu said that there were many reasons for potluck overconsumption, not the least of which is much-touted Adventist lore about Sabbath calories not counting. He added that this particular falsehood is disseminated most fervently right after the call for seconds and/or dessert goes out to the potluck crowd.
Adventist also seem to overeat because they think it’s OK to over-indulge on vegetarian food, said Hachibu. “This is a one-way ticket to feeling super guilty when you are hit by the realization that half a tray of vegetarian lasagna is not exactly slimming.”
Hachibu said Adventist potluck overconsumption is often made worse by potluck politics driven by guilt: the need to eat a little of each dish so as not to offend whoever made them.
Given the huge variety of dishes at most Adventist potluck, Hachibu said the “just a little of everything approach” ensures that the average potluck-goer’s plate sags under the burden of food after just the preliminary round. “It’s practically impossible to escape from potluck without your Sabbath outfit feeling significantly snugger than it did mere hours before,” he said.
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