Thinking about taking my food scale to Golden Corral tonight

ummijaaz560

So I know this may seem obsessive to carry the food scale out to a buffet, but I want to try an experiment if you will.

My plan is to see if I can get close to approximate amounts of portion sizes.
I'm going to go collect my food on the plate and then bring it back to our table and weigh it.
I know from experience no one really pays anyone else any mind because everyone is too busy grubbing.

My friend thinks people will stare and think I'm crazy. They probably will but so what. I'm doing this to see if I've mastered the eye-balling of the food. I don't want to embarrass anyone else who's out trying to enjoy their meal, but I feel like I'm the one who should feel embarrassed, not them.

Will this make my friends feel uncomfortable with their meals? There's 8 of us going so I can't ask everyone would they care. I just really want to try it for science.

Would any of you do this, or have you weighed your meal in public?

philippakate197

I wouldn't.

1. I want to learn how to eat out in a manner I can sustain forever - I won't be taking a scale every time I eat out so I'm not doing it now.

2. I want to enjoy the time with the folks I'm with, focusing on the scale and numbers would take my attention from them and I want them to feel they matter to me.

randomtai

No. :noway:

janjunie

I've only been to GC twice (they don't exist in Canada) and I really don't think any of the other customers are going to even notice. I have never taken a scale to out to eat. If it were me doing it, my friend's would probably think I'm weird, but that's about it.
As you pull out your scale, just say to the group you are doing an experiment for fun.

philippakate197

Urgh duplicate

hhazzouri

Even if you weigh the food you still don't know what's in it. Things like oil/butter/dressing are very deceiving

ummijaaz560

philippakate197 wrote: »

I wouldn't.

1. I want to learn how to eat out in a manner I can sustain forever - I won't be taking a scale every time I eat out so I'm not doing it now.

2. I want to enjoy the time with the folks I'm with, focusing on the scale and numbers would take my attention from them and I want them to feel they matter to me.

That's exactly why I want to do the experiment, to learn how to eat with being able to look at my portions. So I'll go get a plate with the portions I think are correct, and then see if I'm close to what I think it should be.

Jruzer

hhazzouri wrote: »

Even if you weigh the food you still don't know what's in it. Things like oil/butter/dressing are very deceiving

This is my thought as well.

I'd never even consider taking my food scale to a restaurant.

Francl27

hhazzouri wrote: »

Even if you weigh the food you still don't know what's in it. Things like oil/butter/dressing are very deceiving

They have nutrition information on their site though!

It's something I'd probably do for the fun of it, but only if I went alone.. definitely not with friends.

Madwife2009

I have taken my food scale to a restaurant (for a buffet) and used it. No-one paid any heed to me or what I was doing but I was certainly more mindful of what I was eating.

ummijaaz560

So should I be ashamed to do it, or is it rude? I don't know I guess I'm just confused because common advice given to people is no matter what, always log your meals.

philippakate197

ummijaaz560 wrote: »

philippakate197 wrote: »

I wouldn't.

1. I want to learn how to eat out in a manner I can sustain forever - I won't be taking a scale every time I eat out so I'm not doing it now.

2. I want to enjoy the time with the folks I'm with, focusing on the scale and numbers would take my attention from them and I want them to feel they matter to me.

That's exactly why I want to do the experiment, to learn how to eat with being able to look at my portions. So I'll go get a plate with the portions I think are correct, and then see if I'm close to what I think it should be.

@hhazzouri makes a good point though - the hidden oils etc are still impossible to know. But if you want to do it, do it! As a number crunching geek I'd be interested to see what you find out!

ummijaaz560

philippakate197 wrote: »

ummijaaz560 wrote: »

philippakate197 wrote: »

I wouldn't.

1. I want to learn how to eat out in a manner I can sustain forever - I won't be taking a scale every time I eat out so I'm not doing it now.

2. I want to enjoy the time with the folks I'm with, focusing on the scale and numbers would take my attention from them and I want them to feel they matter to me.

That's exactly why I want to do the experiment, to learn how to eat with being able to look at my portions. So I'll go get a plate with the portions I think are correct, and then see if I'm close to what I think it should be.

@hhazzouri makes a good point though - the hidden oils etc are still impossible to know. But if you want to do it, do it! As a number crunching geek I'd be interested to see what you find out!

I'm a geek too!

RoxieDawn

Oh this to me is such a No No on so many levels and with 8 people, 8 personalities, 8 opinions, 8 embarrassing moments, 8 head in faces and 8 sighs...

To do this in front of friends, nahh.. I don't think if even if there is a friend at the table that knows my deepest darkest secrets would I do this in front them.

Why not just go and be with friends and not shackle your self with the food scale? Terrible idea.

For science, why not try getting to go plates and weighing at home?

jemhh

It's Golden Corral, not the The Brown Derby. I don't take my scale to restaurants and can't imagine doing it on a regular basis but if the OP wants to see how close she is with food estimates, I say go ahead.

sindirella21

I love this idea and I would totally do it! Although it's also exactly the type of behavior my friends would expect from me.

ummijaaz560

My friends are so funny and easygoing. One just text me and and said" lmao why can't you just bring hot sauce in your purse like normal people"! I'm going to do it and report back what happens

LazSommer

I like data, but a buffet is no where near cost efficient you're eating proper portions. If I'm paying 20 bucks or whatever for crappy endless food, I'm making it count. Either I'm going in already at a huge deficit, using the surplus on purpose, or just not caring for the day.

Knowing how much you are eating is important, but counting calories at a buffet is like bringing extra thick condoms to an orgy.

Lounmoun

I wouldn't. I weigh stuff at home every day. I don't go to buffets though. I would probably only do it if I went on my own not with a group.
I wouldn't care if someone else at my table did though as long as they didn't make a big deal about doing it (announcements, apologies, shifting the conversation to weight tracking) or spent the whole time weighing stuff and not engaging in other conversation.

Ready2Rock206

Nope. Not happening in my world.

junodog1

Do it!!!! You will start some fun conversations

callsitlikeiseeit

the fact youre going to golden corral is more disturbing than the fact you want to take your food scale (but that ranks up there, too....)

denversillygoose

I wouldn't even be eating at the Golden Corral. I can't think of anything to eat there that wouldn't taste better somewhere else.

ummijaaz560

Nothing wrong with my golden corral, relax

sindirella21

We are supposed to be a supportive community here. She is going with EIGHT other people. Is she supposed to just cut herself off from her friends because they want to eat somewhere that YOU don't deem acceptable? Address the question at hand and keep the hating to yourself.

ummijaaz560

sindirella21 wrote: »

We are supposed to be a supportive community here. She is going with EIGHT other people. Is she supposed to just cut herself off from her friends because they want to eat somewhere that YOU don't deem acceptable? Address the question at hand and keep the hating to yourself.

I don't mind, it's just food. We just want to hangout lol!

ab6046

This probably isn't helpful, but maybe you could take some in a to-go box and weigh it at home?

I_Will_End_You

Go for it. I've been to Golden Coral once in my life, and saw people in there wearing pajamas, so I don't think someone using a food scale would offend anyone. I think it would be an interesting experiment. (not interesting enough for me to ever walk foot into a Golden Coral again but that's just me)

_Waffle_

ummijaaz560 wrote: »

So should I be ashamed to do it

Go to the Golden Corral? Yes.

chocolate_owl

In, for science.....

pebble4321

I don't know anything about that restaurant, and I wouldn't take a scale - I would feel uncomfortable and I don't think my friends round too.
If you want to test your skills at eyeballing food quantities (which is a good idea), I don't understand why you don't do that at home??

To me this just comes across as a smug attention/seeking "look at me, I'm so careful about what I eat, I even weigh my food in a restaurant" exercise. As though you are making a point about how everyone else is pigging out - though that seems judgemental too, I don't see that around me when I eat at a buffet.

But hey, I won't be there - if you know your friends won't feel belittled or embarrassed, then go for it.