How to log a work lunch?

corysmithsmail
corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
My office had a "Holloween Chili Cook-off" today and I dread these office parties because I don't know what's in everything. I tried a little bit of 4 different chili's most likely equallying 2 cups. That can't be more than 600 calories right? Trying to figure out how to log that.

Replies

  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    All you can do is pick a chili in the database that you think sounds right and go with it.

    Or, quick add a reasonable amount.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Yeah, I would just log two cups of Nalley chili. It's a one-off. It won't matter much in the grand scheme.
  • amy19355
    amy19355 Posts: 805 Member
    I look at foods prepared by others and try to break it down to the ingredients.

    beans, meat and sauce are the primary ingredients in most chilis. some add vegetables.
    Estimate the quantity of the bowl or cup ful, then,
    guess at the ratio of meat to beans (1/4 meat to 3/4 beans would be my starting guess), and then convert that to a measured amount which you can then look up in the MFP database. vegetables are free (in my book), but be sure to add some fat (1-3 tsps) which is surely present.

    my 'eating out' meals almost always look like a list of ingredients.

    If you are already logging foods regularly, guessing at amounts is easier with practice.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,458 Member
    Just log it as some random chili, and move on. I always do that on things like this. I usually eat 13 out of 14 meals a week at home or prepared by me - so one meal is pretty meaningless.
  • bennettinfinity
    bennettinfinity Posts: 865 Member
    Unless these office parties are daily occurrences, I agree with the 'find something close' recommendations. I tend to use an entry a little higher than I would guess to give myself some headroom for error - I learned a long time ago not to drive myself crazy trying to be accurate on an entry I'm only going to log once.

  • corysmithsmail
    corysmithsmail Posts: 166 Member
    All good points. Everything else is logged to the T and I guess I'm just obsessing a little lol
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,979 Member
    corysmithsmail wrote: »
    All good points. Everything else is logged to the T and I guess I'm just obsessing a little lol

    It's a question that most loggers wonder about at some point.

    Even if you're off, it's just a blip that won't even show in the long run.
  • cgibson522
    cgibson522 Posts: 31 Member
    When I don't know the calories in a meal, I pick a similar one in the database from a large chain. If I go out for a burger and don't know the calories, I choose the burger at the Cheesecake Factory. Whatever I'm eating can't have more calories than that!

    For soup, I'd choose a Campbell's soup....homemade probably has fewer calories....you're just erring on the side of caution.
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    cgibson522 wrote: »
    When I don't know the calories in a meal, I pick a similar one in the database from a large chain. If I go out for a burger and don't know the calories, I choose the burger at the Cheesecake Factory. Whatever I'm eating can't have more calories than that!

    For soup, I'd choose a Campbell's soup....homemade probably has fewer calories....you're just erring on the side of caution.

    A nit, but I think most home made soups have substantially more calories than Campbell's. Maybe it's just the ones I am commonly exposed to in my family and region.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories