How on earth do you estimate calories in takeout food?!

Options
magneticcat
magneticcat Posts: 23 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Last night as a treat we ordered Indian takeout - (it was the first time in 5 months I've eaten takeout!) I had half a cheese naan bread, a small portion of saffron rice, some eggplant curry and some spinach and ricotta curry (saag/palak paneer). They were - but so oily. When I estimated the calories according to other entries in MFP, they all seemed too small for just how oily it was. I had about a cup of each curry last night, and then today I had about half a cup each for lunch - and I was struck again by just how much oil was in the container.
How does everyone else work it out? I always tend to try to overestimate it... but I don't know whether sometimes I'm being unrealistic. I also don't know whether restaurants actually try to limit the amount of oil they put in things, or whether there could actually be half a cup of oil per every serve... (my fear!) This is one of the reasons I avoid takeout... the worrying afterwards about whether my calorie estimation was accurate or not!!
Any help/advice/personal experience would be much appreciated!

Replies

  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
    Options
    If something is not in MFP or it doesn't seem right, I google it. Usually calorieking has it in their database.
  • jweidner33
    jweidner33 Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    If something is not in MFP or it doesn't seem right, I google it. Usually calorieking has it in their database.

    And then overestimate the hell out of it! :laugh:

    That is what I do anyways.
  • beez89
    beez89 Posts: 182 Member
    Options
    That's funny, i do the same thing... :tongue:
  • jweidner33
    jweidner33 Posts: 83 Member
    Options
    That's funny, i do the same thing... :tongue:

    lol yeah I never take chances. Overestimate calories in and underestimate calories burned. I am very honest with myself about my diet and workouts. I am only cheating myself if I fudge numbers.
  • daffodilsoup
    daffodilsoup Posts: 1,972 Member
    Options
    I am living in China, and the food here is SO oily - if the MFP estimate seems off, I usually log an extra 1-2 tablespoons of oil with the meal. Better to overestimate than underestimate with it, but I feel your pain!
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
    Options
    Last night as a treat we ordered Indian takeout - (it was the first time in 5 months I've eaten takeout!) I had half a cheese naan bread, a small portion of saffron rice, some eggplant curry and some spinach and ricotta curry (saag/palak paneer). They were - but so oily. When I estimated the calories according to other entries in MFP, they all seemed too small for just how oily it was. I had about a cup of each curry last night, and then today I had about half a cup each for lunch - and I was struck again by just how much oil was in the container.
    How does everyone else work it out? I always tend to try to overestimate it... but I don't know whether sometimes I'm being unrealistic. I also don't know whether restaurants actually try to limit the amount of oil they put in things, or whether there could actually be half a cup of oil per every serve... (my fear!) This is one of the reasons I avoid takeout... the worrying afterwards about whether my calorie estimation was accurate or not!!
    Any help/advice/personal experience would be much appreciated!

    if it seems low I overestiamte OR - like in this example I'd maybe just add a tablespoon of oil to my diary (or wahtever you think is appropriate)
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
    Options
    i havent eaten out since i started here and haven't been planning on doing so because of that reason alone. good luck with that. :)
  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
    Options
    If something is not in MFP or it doesn't seem right, I google it. Usually calorieking has it in their database.
  • AH2013
    AH2013 Posts: 385 Member
    Options
    It's really not easy...and makes me not want take out, which isn't a bad thing! I have a local chinese that makes the freshest tastiest food, Veg hakka noodles with tonnes of veg and so tasty....but with it I have potato chilli dry (very bad!!) it's potato chunks covered in a sweet but chilli flavoured sauce, impossible to find in the database as it's not a chain but I just overestimated the calories, big time and make sure I have plenty left for the day!!! and then make sure I don't have another takeaway for the rest of the month! :tongue:
  • Rain_Howard
    Rain_Howard Posts: 155
    Options
    Not helpful in this case, but most of the national chain restaurants post nutrition information on line. I have had to find a recipe for something and manually enter it item by item to get a close idea of what I ate. A pain in the backside, but it works.
  • AH2013
    AH2013 Posts: 385 Member
    Options
    .......also I want to know how you made those orange Jello slices.....looks like a fun way to feed to the kids!
  • hausofnichele
    hausofnichele Posts: 531 Member
    Options
    That's funny, i do the same thing... :tongue:

    lol yeah I never take chances. Overestimate calories in and underestimate calories burned. I am very honest with myself about my diet and workouts. I am only cheating myself if I fudge numbers.

    Exactly what I do! My meal calories are a tad exaggerated while my exercise is usually under-exaggerated! Better to be safe than sorry.
  • Jeff92se
    Jeff92se Posts: 3,369 Member
    Options
    Just up the portion a bit if you think it's low. Plus it's only 1 night. Don't stress too much over it. Not worth it
  • poisongirl6485
    poisongirl6485 Posts: 1,487 Member
    Options
    Mmmmmm cheese naan.

    That is all.
  • PhiloVance
    PhiloVance Posts: 7 Member
    Options
    If you don't get takeout that often, it doesn't make that much difference. Even if your estimates are off, you can't do that much damage to a diet with just one or two meals once in a while. Just make sure that you record accurately when you have reliable numbers.

    Obsessing will undermine your diet more quickly than cheesecake.
  • Rachiepie6
    Rachiepie6 Posts: 423 Member
    Options
    lol yeah I never take chances. Overestimate calories in and underestimate calories burned. I am very honest with myself about my diet and workouts. I am only cheating myself if I fudge numbers.

    I do that, but not too much, want to make sure I'm eating enough for the exercise I'm doing as well :smile:
  • magneticcat
    magneticcat Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the great advice everyone!! In the future if I'm worried, I might try finding a recipe... that's a good idea!
    The only reason I'm worrying about this is that I'm on maintenance at the moment (stressful times) - so I'm already eating at my maximum allowance... and I've already gone over a couple of days in the last week - and I don't want to gain (which is actually a real possibility now that I no longer have a deficit programmed into my eating!)
    Thanks once again!
  • magneticcat
    magneticcat Posts: 23 Member
    Options
    Also, the jelly oranges aren't actually mine :( I found them on the internet! How great do they look though?! There are recipes/instructions around on the internet (some seem better than others) - one day I want to try it out!!
  • lh12xx
    lh12xx Posts: 111 Member
    Options
    This is going to sound like the "good girl" approach - but when I want an Indian takeout, I tend to instead go for the supermarket, microwave brand.
    In my opinion, it doesnt always compromise on taste, takes half the time and the calories are marked on the front of the packaging.
    They arent as oily as takeouts and I don't need to play guessing games.
    I dont know where everyone lives, but here in the UK Morrisons have just launched their "M Kitchen" range and the chicken tikka masala is DIVINE. Only 350 calories per container too :)
  • Aaloo79
    Aaloo79 Posts: 105
    Options
    Guys,
    Being an Indian who do some authentic cooking at home :laugh: and have sometimes indulged in indian restaurant food and take aways :indifferent: , I can confidently tell you that the calories of the recipes that you find on MFP might not be a true reflection of take aways/restaurants.

    When I cook at home, I never put more than 5 ml of oil in 1 serving. And many people that cook themselves vary this from few ml to 10-20 ml at the max.

    However for the restaurants and take aways, it can easily go upto 50 ml for one serving.

    So, you can see for yourself, that even the difference in oil adds up to 400 calories.. :explode:

Categories