Calculating calories for resturant salad?

ValkyrieOnline

Hello folks!
Was just curious to see how everyone counts their calories for a restaurant salad/any meal they eat! I know the portion of the salad, and what they use in the salad vary with each restaurant, do you stress too much about the calories while eating a salad that you did not prepare yourself?

raquele3394

The most popular nationwide restaurants are on MFP database! But if it is restaurant that is local I ask dressing to be on the side, no croutons, no cheese. If you are adding chicken you can ask them to put on side.

ValkyrieOnline

Thank you so much! Didn't think about telling them to put stuff on the side!

hesn92

Restaurant salads usually have as many calories as any other item on the menu. Reason why I do not eat dinner salads at restaurants. Might as well have a burger or something else that I actually want! Lol. If it's a chain the nutrition info will be available online most likely. If it's a local type place, I will just kinda guess. Like I'll search the database for something similar and choose that.

janejellyroll

If it's a restaurant with online nutritional information, I use that. If it doesn't have it online, I will do my best estimate of how much of each ingredient is in the salad and log them individually. Because I know from past experience that I am not the best at eyeballing, I will usually add a buffer to higher calorie ingredients.

zipitzippy

I try to check online if I can - if not, I ask for dressing on the side, I hate those damn hidden dressing calories! Generally cheese & avocado are the big calorie adders to salads, so attempt to avoid those/calculate mentally the calories.

laurenebargar

janejellyroll wrote: »

If it's a restaurant with online nutritional information, I use that. If it doesn't have it online, I will do my best estimate of how much of each ingredient is in the salad and log them individually. Because I know from past experience that I am not the best at eyeballing, I will usually add a buffer to higher calorie ingredients.

I do this too if I dont have my scale (which I never do at a resturant) lol I just log each item and add a little more than I think is there, it seems to be working so far.

ValkyrieOnline

hesn92 wrote: »

Restaurant salads usually have as many calories as any other item on the menu. Reason why I do not eat dinner salads at restaurants. Might as well have a burger or something else that I actually want! Lol. If it's a chain the nutrition info will be available online most likely. If it's a local type place, I will just kinda guess. Like I'll search the database for something similar and choose that.

This made me laugh, because it is probably true!!
Thank you everyone for the posts! I feel a little less guilty for eating out now

kwtilbury

Get dressing on the side. Hold the cheese or ask for it on the side. Avoid fried proteins. Look out for high calories additives: nuts, bacon, avocado.