Estimating non-chain restaurant food?

kspeach
kspeach Posts: 179 Member
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
So I occasionally eat at places that do not have a website or nutritional information.

What I do eat, I can usually find something similar that I've had in a chain restaurant.....but it's not always right, I'm sure.

What do you do? Have you asked for a calorie breakdown of foods you've ordered/eaten? I doubt many of the places I go would have that.....

Thanks!

Replies

  • jessudd
    jessudd Posts: 133 Member
    Good question! Maybe I'm just too self conscious, but I always hate to be the one who asks to see the nutritional info--mainly because I worked in a restaurant for a while and a.) it usually took us an hour to find it when someone asked and b.) once you looked at it, you generally felt guilty about eating ANYTHING. I love supporting our local restaurants when I can, but I do usually just end up guess-timating the calories... if you can figure out what makes up the food, try to break it down as much as you can, especially if you're pretty good at eyeballing portion sizes... or find something similar from a chain. Even some local restaurants have their nutritional info on their website if they have one though. Good luck!
  • kspeach
    kspeach Posts: 179 Member
    Thanks....one of the local restaurants (that is now a chain, but I consider it local......not Applebee's either...a smaller smaller chain) has most of their menu on the website. I also emailed them to get the calories of their DELICIOUS rolls and they emailed me back very quickly. :)

    (Houlihan's! My favorite)
  • lilmissy2
    lilmissy2 Posts: 595 Member
    I think estimating restaurant calories is a losing battle. The thing is, even if they have calorie estimations provided, if they are making it fresh on the day (not sure about the US but most places in the UK and Aust do this) then it is likely to vary and possibly by a lot each day. You might end up with a quarter-half extra portion or 1/4 cup extra cream, perhaps in something you wouldnt even expect cream in, or butter/oil etc. So many tricks to make the food taste good and no way really to control it. And these foods are things that can add a load of cals in a very small amount.

    Depending on how frequently 'occasionally' is, I would either just enjoy myself for one meal and not count or try to eat out less frequently.
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