I am not a big person. As such, I can't usually eat a full restaurant-sized portion, and nearly every meal that I eat out will actually end up as two. That's why the Unemployment Diet worked so well for me. I just made a conscious decision not to force myself to finish my meals out, and voila! My food budget was cut in half, and all I had to do was be willing to take home a doggie bag and eat the leftovers later.

Of course, sometimes, you don't want the doggie bag. Say you're leaving town in a few days and don't think you'll finish the leftovers in time. Or you just know that your meal won't keep or reheat well. What do you do then? Well, if you're with me, you can always split a meal, even if it means passing up an aluminum foil swan. With Mamaist (who is even smaller than I) in town over the weekend, I did my share of meal-splitting: pizza and a salad at Pietro's, a burger and fries at Good Dog, dessert at Naked Chocolate, even Swedish meatbals and mac and cheese at Ikea (Mamaist bought me a bookcase). Mommy flew back to Texas in the wee small hours of this morning, leaving my tummy full and my fridge empty of leftovers that would be completely incompatible with my current diet. (Didn't you know? The calories don't count when you're sharing – you cut the burger in half and they fly right out!)

I've gotten out of the habit of sharing meals recently, but Ma Phillyist's visit reminded me what a good idea it is. Not only is meal-splitting cost-effective (even when the restaurant charges you for the second plate), but it means you don't have to carry your leftovers all around the city while you go from the restaurant to a movie to a bar. Plus, you might have room for dessert. I think I'm going to make meal-sharing a regular habit – now I just need to know where else to go for bigger-than-my-appetite portions. Leave a comment with your suggestions. And hey, if you want to, I don't know, split some fondue at Ten Stone or one of those big salads at Marathon Grill, we just might be able to start a Phillyist foodshare group!

Image via Flickr user littlerottenrobin.