The Drinks You Should Avoid At An All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

The all-you-can-eat buffet: An American culinary innovation that draws inspiration from some not-so-American traditions. Offering a nearly endless menu, buffets are the perfect place to eat as much as your heart desires without breaking the bank — so long as you don't get too full, too fast. When eating at an all-you-can-eat buffet, getting the most bang for your buck is essential. There are several foods you should never get at a buffet such as the cheap, filling items at the front of the buffet or foods high in carbs. While it's important to choose your foods wisely at an all-you-can-eat buffet, your choice of beverage can also make or break your dining experience. 

When at an all-you-can-eat buffet, your first instinct might be to grab a soda with your meal, especially given the large selection of fountain drinks with unlimited refills. But believe it or not, sodas and seltzers can make you feel full faster. This is because the carbonation can cause food to stay in your stomach longer, making you feel full with less food. In addition, a study by the University of Southern California showed that sucrose, commonly found in sodas, could potentially impact the body's hunger-suppressing hormones. While this might sound like you'll be able to eat more at the buffet, sucrose can also make you crave foods high in carbohydrates, which are often the cheapest (and most filling) foods at the buffet.

Just like with food, all-you-can-eat buffets typically have a large selection of beverages to choose from. You can always opt for a diet or zero-sugar soda (our favorite is Diet Dr. Pepper). But given that zero-sugar soft drinks still contain carbonation, they will still fill you up prematurely. Because of this, we recommend drinking non-caffeinated beverages without high sucrose content.

The all-around best drink to consume at the all-you-can-eat buffet is water. This is because it's hydrating, contains zero calories, and provides a nice balance to the heavy, gluttonous foods we all eat and love at the buffet. But, for a more flavorful beverage at the buffet, you can go for fruit-infused water, sports drinks, or unsweetened iced tea. Of course, what you consume at an all-you-can-eat buffet is entirely up to you. After all, half the fun of going to a buffet is chowing down on your favorite foods and drinks. While some drinks may fill you up fast or cause cravings if you want a soda, drink one!