Francophonie· medium
avoir les yeux plus gros que le ventre
“to have eyes bigger than the stomach”
Meaning
To take on more than one can handle
Explanation
This expression means to overestimate one's capacity, typically when taking more food than one can eat, but also applies to taking on tasks beyond one's abilities. The English equivalent is 'eyes bigger than one's stomach' or 'to bite off more than one can chew'.
Example
J'ai commandé trois plats mais je n'ai pas tout fini, j'avais les yeux plus gros que le ventre.
I ordered three dishes but didn't finish them all, my eyes were bigger than my stomach.
Origin
Montaigne used a version of this in the 16th century ('avoir plus grands yeux que grande panse').
Source