How do restaurants manage to pack in so many calories and so much sodium????

atypicalsmith
atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I don't get it. At IHOP, a two egg breakfast without meat is 860 calories and 2,060 mg of sodium. Look at other chains - Chili's meal with the least calories is a salad at almost 700 (without the dressing). Does anyone here work at a restaurant and can explain just what is done to make eating out nearly impossible for someone trying to lose weight?
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Replies

  • Cortelli
    Cortelli Posts: 1,369 Member
    Not a restaurant worker, but I will say butter, oil, and salt.

    If you want to eat out frequently, you'll likely have to make compromises around what you choose from the menu, and how big the portions are that you'll allow yourself.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Deep fried, fatty, salty, cheesy and sweet. We'll leap tall buildings. This they know. They prepare foods not readily available at home. When these become less attractive, the restaurants will adjust. I see the low carb trend creeping in to the menus. One can order a burger wrapped in lettuce for instance.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    Deep fried, fatty, salty, cheesy and sweet. We'll leap tall buildings. This they know. They prepare foods not readily available at home. When these become less attractive, the restaurants will adjust. I see the low carb trend creeping in to the menus. One can order a burger wrapped in lettuce for instance.

    Yep, a couple of places offer lettuce wraps instead of bread, but still have a ton of sodium!
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,030 Member
    Salt = cheap flavour. Same with fat.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Salt enhances the flavor. Have you ever seen/tried salt-free cheese? :neutral_face:
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    The same way I could manage to. Trust me, if I didn't have to think about calories/weight my meal would have had a lot more butter and salt in it tonight.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    edited March 2015
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and fat tastes better. How is that?
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,030 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    The same way I could manage to. Trust me, if I didn't have to think about calories/weight my meal would have had a lot more butter and salt in it tonight.

    OhmygoshYes. When I'm cooking for company, there is butter and salt and cheese EVERYWHERE.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and fat tastes better. How is that?

    Personal preference.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    You mentioned Chili's and IHOP...
  • Tubbs216
    Tubbs216 Posts: 6,597 Member
    There is or was a Food Network show called "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef" which I caught a couple of times. Definitely LOTS and LOTS of salt and fat seemed to be a major part of the secret.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    You mentioned Chili's and IHOP...

    LOL! You nailed me!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    I don't think ole Jimmy working the line at Ihop is a "chef"..

    actually, I know that because back in the day I was a dishwasher at Shoney's and they promoted me to "line cook" aka chef and I had zero experience in the kitchen….
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,030 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    You mentioned Chili's and IHOP...

    Haahaa yeah. I think you mean "fry cook".
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    I don't think ole Jimmy working the line at Ihop is a "chef"..

    actually, I know that because back in the day I was a dishwasher at Shoney's and they promoted me to "line cook" aka chef and I had zero experience in the kitchen….

    Agreed. I've gone from dishwasher to "cook" as well, with no experience in the kitchen.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    You mentioned Chili's and IHOP...

    LOL! You nailed me!

    :p
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    I don't think ole Jimmy working the line at Ihop is a "chef"..

    actually, I know that because back in the day I was a dishwasher at Shoney's and they promoted me to "line cook" aka chef and I had zero experience in the kitchen….

    Hah hah!
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    Yet my homemade meals without all the sodium and calories taste better. How is that?

    I don't know. You're a good cook? You prefer less grease?

    I shouldn't be a better cook than a chef at a restaurant!

    I don't think ole Jimmy working the line at Ihop is a "chef"..

    actually, I know that because back in the day I was a dishwasher at Shoney's and they promoted me to "line cook" aka chef and I had zero experience in the kitchen….

    Agreed. I've gone from dishwasher to "cook" as well, with no experience in the kitchen.

    yea, they were just like it is easy fry this, grill this, do this etc…

    OP - also most of the food at these places - Ihop, Applebee's, etc - is pretty much pre cooked in a bag which is why so much sodium because it needs a longer 'shelf life'

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