SMALL ACTS OF DIETARY REBELLION. Part of the pleasure of splurging is that it is an act of rebellion against constraints, including self-imposed strictures. I think this plays some part in college binge drinking. After eating what your parents put in front of you, you can now eat and drink whatever you want.
When I was a freshman in college, I was going through the cafeteria line. The meal of the day was meat and mashed potatoes smothered in gravy. I saw the student ahead of me say to the lady who was scooping out vanilla ice cream “a la mode”. And he pointed to the mashed potatoes. The memory has stayed with me for 50 years.