Word Spy - grazing

pp. 1. Eating a number of small meals throughout the day. 2. Eating a selection of appetizers as your main meal.

Example Citation:

'Grazing was the way our body was designed to eat,' says nutritionist Antony Haynes. 'Large meals burden the digestive system, often causing bloating and lowered energy while the body struggles to digest them.'
—Helen Foster, "Good grazing guide," Daily Mail, June 12, 2001
Grazing fare — tacos, taco burgers and taco salads, nachos, chilaquiles (chips mixed with various ingredients), burritos, quesadillas and variations of these — dominate the menu.
—Rochelle Koff, "San Loco is a fun, funky and frugal taco joint," The Miami Herald, June 8, 2001

Notes:

Here are the earliest citations for both senses of this term:

A new trend in eating habits, grazing bears little resemblance to the old-fashioned three-course meal or three-meals-a-day routine. Grazing means eating when the mood strikes, often in small amounts — poking through freezer, refrigerator, and cupboards and pulling together different foods that may not traditionally go together.
—Phyllis Hanews, "Grazing," Christian Science Monitor, May 30, 1984

Customers said they preferred some sociability along with the sea fare, an atmosphere conducive to drinks, appetizers, and finger food to share instead of Red Lobster's massive platters — fried Atlantic seaboard plus a choice of bread, side dish, and potato. Restaurateurs call this talk-and-eat behavior "grazing."
—Bill Saporito, "When business got so good it got dangerous," Fortune, April 2, 1984

Related Word:

sleep-eater

Category:

Food and Drink

Posted on May 16, 1996
Updated on January 16, 2002