My boyfriend always eats his least favorite foods first. He starts with the carrots. Then the salad. And then finally, when everything else has been consumed (and when he’s already a bit full), he indulges in the burger that he wanted from the get-go.
Why does he do it? Well, he’s saving the best for last – of course. Saving the best for last is a saying that we’ve all heard. But who started it? And, really, what were they thinking?
As best as I can tell, the saying has a military origin. As advancing armies approached, archers were urged to save their best arrows for closer combat.
Though “save the best for last” may be good advice for medieval archers, I think it’s anything but sound for you and me. What if my boyfriend chokes on a carrot and never gets to enjoy his juicy burger? Or, more realistically – why fill up on the food you don’t like and risk having no room for the food you do like? Our futures are not promised, and holding out is risky business.
In a much broader sense, life is very short. Don’t put off the things that you want to do – or else you may run out of time to do them. You are so worth the indulgence of whatever it is that you want right now – be it a new career, a long overdue phone call, or even a burger.
Save the best for last is a rule that is meant to be broken. All you have is the here and now; enjoy it.
June 28, 2010 at 8:00 am
My eleven yearold cousin tried coming out for pride week but insted of getting called names they just didnt belibe him what world do we live in
June 28, 2010 at 8:00 am
You make a good point Davey, but honestly, I’d prefer to have the taste of burger lingering in my mouth than that of carrots or salad.
Hell, why don’t we just cut out the carrots and salad and only have the burger, that’ll fix the issue ;P
June 28, 2010 at 8:07 am
Very true! I know alot of people who would do good by reading this.
love ya’ Davey <3
June 28, 2010 at 8:30 am
In regards to food… i do the same as your BF LOL, i have no idea why lol, but my mother tells me during the war my great great grandmother would eat her favorite food first because they never knew if a bomb would drop on their house lol, yay for war references lol, so i guess that further illustrates your point of you don’t know what will happen and how unpredictable and short life is =P
June 28, 2010 at 9:26 am
this ma perhaps be the ONLY post i have ever disagreed with. i find whatever it is MUCH more satisfying in the long run if i waited fro the right moment to indulge.
June 28, 2010 at 9:35 am
Don’t understand this concept of ‘best for last’ when it comes to food. Food is meant not only for its nutrients but to be savored. The palette should be titillated with a combination of flavors to excite the palette and to make the experience more enjoyable. So I agree this concept may work for military endeavors but not for food consumption. Completely saving one portion of the entrée for last is bad Karma. Does it say something about the person who does it and does it mean they have a fear driven persona; somewhat like a hoarder? My mom would say that maybe when they were a child they were denied something so they are somewhat damaged.
June 28, 2010 at 9:54 am
What ever happened to just eating everything at the same time. Why put an order on what you eat when.
June 28, 2010 at 10:06 am
How can you know something is truly the best less you try everything else? You’re argument is solid and true but there are always many other options to go through. What if the burger your bf has is not prepared right? What if that damn salad tastes so darn good and he’d rather have another salad? Then again, what if soup is an option? What if after enjoying hiis burger, he realizes chicken tacos would’ve been better? Or maybe he just has to reassure himself that the burger IS the BEST! Obviously I’m speaking in metaphor in regards to your analogy.
If I, voluntarily, went out for my favorite dish, I would take a bite here and there as I enjoy my salad (ixnay the carrots). Meaning, I enjoy the good, even when everything else is not so good.
So does your bf drink a coke or pepsi?
.
June 28, 2010 at 10:17 am
I don’t think you can use arrows in close combat. Rather they would all fire up in the air at once so that the arrows would rain down on their enemies
June 28, 2010 at 10:45 am
BRAVO!!
June 28, 2010 at 10:53 am
Of heated food on my plate, I always eat first the things that taste “yuckiest” (least appealing) when they have cooled down, hence I usually eat the vegetables first. Then I eat the things that lose their fullest appeal after getting too cool, hence I would eat that hamburger next. I don’t mind saving the salad for last, ’cause I rather like salads, though I would not save cole slaw (or something less tasty than the mixed salad or potato salad) like that for last, since it would make a sour conclusion to the meal.
I guess the sexual parallel would be having sex with the appealing guy that you know will not become a boyfriend (i.e. f**k him while you can!) and save the potentially lasting boyfriend till later. However, that is decided ly NOT good advice, for sure! So, keep the culinary advice but junk that sexual parallel!
June 28, 2010 at 12:06 pm
perhaps, but the analogy with food is a bad one. we actually happen to live in a culture where it is difficult to live in anything but the present moment of impulse and indulgence. why fill up on carrots first? perhaps because we all indulge a little too much on meat and it takes a toll on our health and environment. the desire to “treat onself” seems perfectly sound in theory, except when “treat” becomes an everyday expectation in practice, as it has with regard to food in the USA.
June 28, 2010 at 12:21 pm
Yes, but some things are worth the wait. What`s the big rush! My hubby always eats his fav food last.
June 28, 2010 at 12:48 pm
“this may perhaps be the ONLY post i have ever disagreed with. i find whatever it is MUCH more satisfying in the long run if i waited fro the right moment to indulge”
Yes, life should be about both “living in the moment” which I believe misguided people are taught to treat as gospel, and “planning for your future”. You cannot be satisfied if you don’t enjoy the here and now. But if you don’t think about the totality of your life, you are tempted to make a lot of mistakes. Saving for the future and denying yourself are important concepts in planning for your future.
June 28, 2010 at 1:03 pm
i agree.
June 28, 2010 at 2:42 pm
DW-do you ever get the feeling you are misunderstood? That no matters what you say someone always busting your balls? Yup guilty as charged-but at least I admit it-and most of the time I understand what you are talking about. Funny to see some guys think you are talking about food-when the moral of the story has nothing to do with food. Maybe they only read part of your post-or maybe they hungry. Most of us do have a desenting voice at one time or another-but this is what’s do great isn’t it? What other gay website offers what you offer? An open forum for us homosexuals and the hetrosexuals that pass through. I do wish you get dressed-crap there I go again–oops
June 28, 2010 at 6:29 pm
Eat what I like first because I’m afraid I won’t live long enough to eat it ?
Who wants to live their life in constant fear that they won’t be around in 15 minutes ? None of us is promised tomorrow, but that is hardly a reason to live your life as if each bite might be your last.
Live in the moment ? Sure. But it should most certainly not be to the exclusion of there being a tomorrow.
One can choose to live their life where there is always something to look forward to or consume it now and hope there is more down the road. Neither perspective is right or wrong just a different approach toward living.
June 28, 2010 at 9:08 pm
I love you DW but this is a lame topic. you could better and dig deeper.
June 28, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Those of us who are wine snobs might agree with you. One always serves the best wine first. It’s the one that people will actually taste in the right frame of mind.
Think about it in terms of sex though. Would you keep going if the orgasm came first? LOL
I say do what you want when you want to. It really doesn’t make a difference as long as it’s what you really want.
June 28, 2010 at 9:52 pm
Which boyfriend are you talking about? The one from Australia, Canada, or the other 60 you are stringing along?
June 28, 2010 at 11:15 pm
LMAO
June 29, 2010 at 1:45 am
ouch. :/
June 29, 2010 at 1:49 am
this concept is useful is some areas, but not in most. In life, we were always taught to study before playing, to work before retirement. There are people who can apply this to their lives, surely. But that doesn’t mean what we were taught as kids isn’t useless.
June 29, 2010 at 6:26 am
Are the carrots cooked? It seems a weird combination of foods. The carrots should not be included in the meal unless they are uncooked and in the salad. Anyone else agree?
June 29, 2010 at 6:45 am
A young couple together for the last 14 years went through a strange ordeal. The mother of the gal died of cancer and the gal deciced that she had too much pain- she spent a hidden double life of 11 month having multiple affaires on the slide with low lives guys, and getting heavily drunk and screwed with them or more. She probably would have hidden it to her fiance had she not been caught by the police trying to use stolen pins on atms with the latest lowlife discovery.
Not the most sharpened knives of the cupboard, once confronted she became extremely violent and hit from the back her fiance with a dumbbell knocking one of his front teeth. The father-in-law to avaoid her being charged for agression, on top of the pending sentence for having been accomplice in attempting robbing bank accounts, will pay for the rooting of a tooth ($4000.)
As for the lady she is now taking pills and is depressed asking people not to judge her. The guy told me that as soon as the tooth is fixed he will dump her.
Nice eh? Indulge please indulge Davey, that was your advice, remember?
June 29, 2010 at 7:15 am
“saved the best for last” – People usually refer to the Bible. In the Gospel of John, Chapter 2, verse 10, at the marriage feast in Cana, Jesus, turned water into wine (his “first miracle”). The quote isn’t exact but usually gets reduced to this. Usually stated, “…saved the best for now.” I wonder how many gay people were there.
June 29, 2010 at 7:17 am
…good question.
June 29, 2010 at 9:09 am
Why are you eating burgers?
Sometimes I think the food you eat gets to your brain, then you get over it for a few moments of lucidity, until the next dose of junk.
I just indulged myself in a tad of bitching.
Oh well.
Be well,
June 29, 2010 at 10:28 am
Life is uncertain.
Eat dessert first.
June 29, 2010 at 10:29 am
Some eat desert first so that they are certain to have room for it.
On a recent post, I note that the current GQ mag has a piece on the terms used to shout out to gay folk. I strongly suggest checking it out.
June 29, 2010 at 11:26 am
Burgers so good…..especially with a huge glob of peanut-butter! (goober burgers)! Delicious!!! Ok off to Milan Italy ciao
June 29, 2010 at 11:32 am
Greg, we were writing much the same thing within a min. appart. I think the Pennsylvania Dutch were particularly partial to dessert first, often eating pieces of multiple pies for breakfast. But then, they put a full day’s work behind or in front of the plow!!
June 29, 2010 at 11:38 am
While reading the blog, it was something that I tried to apply to my own life, looking for examples. The only things that I wanted to suggest, is maybe looking at what really is “best”, sure the desert may taste the best (richest – depending on the desert), but I’ve found myself able to enjoy a “better than best” desert more often.
Instead of eating chocolate chunk chocolate ice-cream (for example) I found myself enjoying vanilla flavored frozen yogurt much more often, because there wasn’t the associated worry that I’d become overweight with overindulgence, knowing that my exercise of walking everywhere would compensate.
So while saving the “best” for first, maybe it’s about time what we evaluated the “best” to be for ourselves.
Cheers!
June 29, 2010 at 11:49 am
why do the best first? why not save the best for last? its not like ur gonna start planning a trip around the world at age 100… u wait a bit.. and even if u dont get to do what you wanted in this short life… you’d be dead. why the hell would u care anymore? :S plans and structures must b put in place… so that you’ll be able to achieve what you want to do most in your life later… for example.. a trip you’re saving up for.. you’re not gonna sell all your possessions and buy a round the world ticket.. you work hard.. and save up when you can.. eventually you’ll get there.. and you’ll be able to enjoy it more..
June 29, 2010 at 12:18 pm
There are reasons why we do not eat sweet first in the meal ordinance- sugarose fill up all our tastebuds and after that you cannot taste right and you are disgusted for less sweet stuff like soups meat or veggies.
June 29, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Davey,
Your boyfriend is actually being smart. “Saving the best for last” where food is concerned, usually means eating the healthy, but disliked foods first. By the time he gets to the tasty and unhealthy burger, he has most likely eaten the healthy foods and filled up on them. Carrots and a salad contain most of the natural vitamins and minerals. If he skips the fries in favor of the salad, so much the better. Saving the burger and fries, which contain most of the fats and salt means he will be eating less of the unhealthy stuff. Unless he is a bottomless pit pig. LOL.
Davey, I am also following you on Twitter now. Good stuff. Peace my gay brother!
June 29, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Sounds like OCD gone berserk.
June 29, 2010 at 4:55 pm
He writes nearly everyday. Give him a break once in awhile, will ya? Geeze.
June 29, 2010 at 5:03 pm
I eat in a cycle. Take a bite of this, a bite of that, a bite of something else and then start over again. If I do it right almost everything is gone at the same time.
June 29, 2010 at 5:53 pm
I once worked with someone who always started dinner with dessert. When I asked her why, she said she can always take vitamins or supplements to get the “good for you” stuff if she gets full on dessert!
June 29, 2010 at 7:51 pm
Davey, Davey, Davey, Davey,
Don’t you realize that not all people are the same? Sure, you might want to protect your boyfriend from people staring at him while he eats in reverse order from how you think everyone else should eat, but he isn’t hurting anyone and it isn’t doing him any permanent harm. But there are all sorts of eaters. Some smell each bite before they eat it. Some cannot have the different courses touching each other. Some eat in the European style. Some eat with their fingers foregoing any utensils at all. Some chew with their mouth open. Some talk with their mouth full of food and spit small particles across the table. Some make nummy noises when they like something. Some spit out stuff they don’t like.
So, unless it makes you uncomfortable to watch him eat in the manner he chooses, don’t criticize him, don’t change him, and don’t try to control him. Just let him masticate all he wants in any which way he wants. Remember, he may think your order of eating is weird.
Peace out (or is that F☺♥♫ you?)!
June 29, 2010 at 8:10 pm
Yeah, “treating oneself” too often sure can have some negative consequences all too quickly. This past week I forgot to buy potatos, which I really like and which help to keep me filled-feeling longer than most foods do. I had to snack constantly from the lack of that potato anchor in my gut! But I ran out of “sensible snacks” and just had to eat that appetite-quenching delight, ice cream, to keep my stomach under control. However, I gained all too visibly and sensibly some extra pounds, which I do not need. This week I bought all kinds of non-fattening snacks PLUS potatos. I hope the unwanted blubber vanishes—.
This is the kind of thing that sleek, gorgeous Davey does not have to worry much about! Neither did I when I was that young.
Pax, Jerry Parker
July 5, 2010 at 2:27 am
Hey Davey,
That post made me laugh so hard I used to be the same way when I was younger. My Father’s second-wife was a horrible cook and my Father was married to her for over 13 years, my Mother was an amazing cook however my Father had full-custody….. anyway. I realized after I met Clarissa and her Mother that the reason I did that was because I was used to eating crappy food…. hense no matter what, you cook meat or don’t it tastes great anyway…… I now usually eat all my food together… and realized when I was eating this Mennonite Farmer Sausage the other day and I said to Clarissa’s Mother, “Eating meat is like the best! You know how you just relax and it feels so good when you eat anything that’s meat?”. Clarissa’s Mother said oh that’s comfort food…. I never got what people called comfort food now I do!!!! I swear if it was possible I could eat red meat 24/7/365 for my whole life thank God I have some self control lmao
Kenneth R. Livingston
July 5, 2010 at 2:30 am
Hey Davey,
I think the save the best for last thing comes from parents who tell their children that because usually if you save the best for last then it’s all play kinda like lets get this work done before we head out to the bar or whatever your play thing is! Oh yah and if you finish with the burger you don’t feel like you have to immediately brush your teeth to get the taste of the gross food out you get to savour that meat/burger taste for a half hour or so!!!
Kenneth R. Livingston
Kenneth R. Livingston
July 18, 2010 at 3:07 pm
I totally agree with you on this one Davey. It’s a mistake I make very often. I wait to do something until it’s the right time and sometimes I end up not doing it at all. Insteed of waiting for sth I like, I should go for it, right then.
August 2, 2010 at 11:20 pm
In life it may be a good rule of thumb. In food however I would rather end with a pleasant taste than one I was not excited about.