Disappointment for shrinking Jews everywhere

LittleSister

Latke alert!

So I spend an entire day cooking latkes up for the week of Chanukah. Today is the day (for non-Jews, Chanukah is really early this year.) I like to freeze them and then bake them a little in the oven before serving them later. And we're hosting a Chanukah party next weekend.

Anyway, of course, one must user-test the latkes before cooking too many, right? We have to make sure we have the recipe right, have the amount of salt right, have the onion-to-potato ratio right, etc.

I just ate my first latke, and it was heavenly. Just to make absolutely sure it was heavenly, I ate a second one. Then I went to log my latkes. I just ate 566 calories of latkes!

Wow, last year, I probably had 5 latkes in one sitting.

I'm sure there are healthier latke recipes out there, and I guess I'll have to find them. But they're just unbelievably delicious just the way they are. *sigh*

(By the way, we're pretty secular, and although we don't celebrate Christmas in our house, we get invited to lots of Christmas parties, and we happily eat our way through all of them.)

chatondoux

It's really baffling to me how much, and happily sometimes how little, calories and sodium are in foods I used to eat all the time without even thinking twice. Really eye opening I've never had a latke before what are they like?

tibby531

mmm, holiday food.

I console myself with saying, "yeah, I had two or three, but the old me would have had them ALL and bitten anyone who tried to take any of them from me." this is a lifestyle change, and we're all better for it.

acpgee

Potato pancakes are just so divine. I'm guessing it was worth the splurge.

pandorakick

I know what you mean... Made myself one serving of eggnog the other day, less sugar and only milk - no cream. Still clocked in at 309 kcal for the one mug. Was really delicious though! :drinker:

zoeysasha37

Happy Chanukah!! (I may have spelled it wrong) :-).anyway yes it's amazing to see how many calories are in the foods we used to love and eat much of!! I used to eat these lovely buttery biscuits with dinner, one day when I first started logging,I logged it all up and it came to 498!! Per biscuit!!! I used to eat 2/3 at a time!! Lol

zornig

I know what you mean, but I feel as though a really well-made latke is at least worth the calorie splurge. I never feel cheated after a latke, unlike fast food or something else high calorie like that. Not to mention: Chanukah comes but once a year!

vvvalentines

It's really baffling to me how much, and happily sometimes how little, calories and sodium are in foods I used to eat all the time without even thinking twice. Really eye opening I've never had a latke before what are they like?

Ever had one of those McDonald's "hash browns?" Now imagine one cooked by God, served in Heaven, with sour cream and applesauce on the side. That's a latke.

Cherimoose

Cheese Blintzes and sour cream! OH NOES!!1!

LittleSister

It's really baffling to me how much, and happily sometimes how little, calories and sodium are in foods I used to eat all the time without even thinking twice. Really eye opening I've never had a latke before what are they like?

Ever had one of those McDonald's "hash browns?" Now imagine one cooked by God, served in Heaven, with sour cream and applesauce on the side. That's a latke.

Ermergerd, chatondoux, I think valentinesdre's description is the best!!!!!

And there are 100's of variations on latkes, but I make mine very basically. But I like to go a little heavy on the onions and pepper. I get raves every year when I serve them.

foodiscomplicated

Oye!

hastingsmassage

I like them so much, my mum us to make them with bit of garlic...:)

doctorsookie

did you enter you own personal recipe into the database here on MFP and put in the number of servings your recipe produced? I have done this in the past and discovered the calories in MY particular food item was considerably LESS than items listed in MFP. Try it and see if you get lucky.

doctorsookie

It's really baffling to me how much, and happily sometimes how little, calories and sodium are in foods I used to eat all the time without even thinking twice. Really eye opening I've never had a latke before what are they like?

Ever had one of those McDonald's "hash browns?" Now imagine one cooked by God, served in Heaven, with sour cream and applesauce on the side. That's a latke.

Must have McDonald's hash brown with sour cream...now!

HRLaurie614

Mmmm...are you a sour cream or applesauce (or both) kind of girl? It's a mitzvah (good deed) to eat things cooked in oil on hanukah. And, if it's a mitzvah, the calories shouldn't count!

Anyway, happy hanukah. I can't believe the first night is the day before Thanksgiving!!!!

HRLaurie614

Cheese Blintzes and sour cream! OH NOES!!1!

I just picked up some cheese blintzes this morning. I haven't had one in a few years, but when I was 8 or 9, I had them for dinner 2-3 times a week.

happygolucky721

I had the same revelation yesterday as I logged my latkes from a little Thanksgivingukkah bash we had. Sadly, all the traditional Jewish holiday foods are far from ideal for losing weight. But.. you know what -- who cares!?!

It's delish. Comes once a year. And it's the miracle of oil-- so no baking the latkes! And it's tradition.

So, go less on the sour cream. Maybe even go with the low fat sour cream. And hit the gym hard the following days. I live in the city -- so my husband and I had to walk 15 minutes and carry the 20 pounds of potatoes to our apartment. That helps too lol

SaraB_82

Oh man.. I'm making pumpkin sufganiyot with cranberry filling for the crazy thanksgiving/chanukah this year. I'm pretty sure I can gain a pound just by looking at them!

vvvalentines

For our combination Thanksgiving/Chanukah family "thing" this year, I think I'm just going to have tea and some fruit in the morning so I can pig out at dinner/

ilenewilliams

I did some experimenting and I cannot figure a way to make the latkes less fattening and still taste good. I despise low fat sour cream on them (yet not on other things so I know it is a head game). I plan to eat a very light breakfast and lunch, when we sit to eat I am going to log and enjoy and not freak out if I go over. I have only gone over 1X since starting 7 weeks ago so I am going to enjoy. It will be my Chanukah gift to myself! Jewish food is not weight loss friendly, but if we cut other places in our diets and exercise a little more, we can get through this.

MrsFowler1069

Yep, I'm sure you can lighten them up if you choose to. I do this with a lot of things and legitimately enjoy them. I don't do it out of guilt, but because I like having calorie-moderate options that help me meet my goals. One of my favorite things is an egg white and veggie omelet. I absolutely do not feel deprived when I eat this - it is satisfying and totally enjoyable to me.

On the other hand, there are things I don't mess with. If I want real bacon, for instance, I eat it. I eat other things, too - sometimes I have veggie burgers (either prepared or homemade, turkey bacon/sausage, etc). I enjoy those things, too. But if real bacon is what I want, then that's okay and that's what I eat. Possibly on a cheeseburger. lol

You'll have to decide for yourself what you can live with. "Heavenly" seems like a lot to throw out the window when you can just eat lighter a make room for it, or only eat x-amount of "heavenly," or allow yourself maintenance calories that day, or just accept that you're going to go over that day, or do extra exercise.

You might be happy to do without on a given day, but may indulge on another. You might be happy with a lightened up version on one day, but really want the traditional version on a different day.

The things is, this is your life. This is your "program" or whatever, but for it to be sustainable, effective, and actually enjoyable (which it can be), you'll just have to consider your options and do what you need to do for yourself and your goals. And I know you can.

I, personally, would have to have at least one "real" one at least once during the season and then play it out from there.

MrsFowler1069

Thanksgivingukkah

Ever had one of those McDonald's "hash browns?" Now imagine one cooked by God, served in Heaven, with sour cream and applesauce on the side. That's a latke.

Quoted for no reason other than that I enjoyed quoting them.

zornig

Mmmm...are you a sour cream or applesauce (or both) kind of girl?

Both! Duh...

Celeigh12

Latkes are one of the more delicious foods on earth! Enjoy them!

tanyatabone9

Just picking up on the point that they come 'but once a year'. And - you cook them yourself. There are so many foods around that are 'heavenly' but available, conveniently, all year around. I have a maltese background and pastry filled with ricotta is essentially a staple in our house. Ready made (by friends) and sitting in the freezer, 20 minutes later and you have the most amazing meal. I logged it once (after eating two) and was completely blown away by the fact that I had used up over half of my calories for the day! So, the point of the story is, that is what end of year celebrations are for. So eat, enjoy, and be merry, and maybe limit to one at a time. But leave the serving of guilt for something less integral to the spirit of Chanukah

LiftAllThePizzas

mockchoc

This made me homesick. Guess I should go make some myself.

chatondoux

It's really baffling to me how much, and happily sometimes how little, calories and sodium are in foods I used to eat all the time without even thinking twice. Really eye opening I've never had a latke before what are they like?

Ever had one of those McDonald's "hash browns?" Now imagine one cooked by God, served in Heaven, with sour cream and applesauce on the side. That's a latke.

LOL That is a totally awesome description, and now I shall run off to pinterest because man that sounds delicious

MrsFowler1069

:laugh:

LunaInverse

As a fellow Jew, I feel your pain. I adore Latke's....why do they have to be so bad!

MyJourney1960

I hear ya.

Thankfully, i detest Sufganiyot (those big jelly donuts they sell in israel), though in the past few years they are making them with yummy vanilla/pistacho/chocolate cream fillings...

But latkes, oy. what a joy. the simplest of ingredients - grated potatoes, grated onions, eggs, salt and pepper - hard to believe that they turn into those bundles of perfection.

I usually bake mine, or make one giant latke in a very lightly greased teflon frying pan (then cut up like a pizza) - medium heat and cook till it gets nice and crispy then flip, but let's face it - the basic ingredients aren't low cal.