Going out to eat at Restaurants?? How to count calories?

sweetad

I have a question about what you do about going out to eat at a local restaurant, with no calorie count on menu and it's not on any google list. I went to a local Mexican restaurant and ordered 2 cheese enchiladas, beans and rice. I ate about 2/3 rds of the enchiladas. I estimate about 1/4 cup of cheese (white) in each. But there are so many different calorie estimates out there. I just listed the median calorie count found on MFP. Is that all you can do? Just a guesstimate?? Let me know how any of you calculate your "unknown" calories. Thank you!

honestlysweet

I have found it nearly impossible to count calories from a restaurant, unless it's a chain restaurant that has the nutrition info on their website.

I like to eat at Japanese restaurants and when I do, I pretty much forget about logging for the day, because I know I am probably way off on my estimates. So now I try to stick with places where I can be sure about the nutrition info.

I would like to know what others say about this too. I like to eat out at least once a week.

DeanneLea

I google the nutrition info for the dish and find something similar. I definitely wouldn't forget about logging the whole day. That's not a good habit to get into. It's always best just to find something close to what you had and estimate.

shanzie227

Just ask. The restaurant should be able to provide you with the nutrition info.

chelledawg14

I go by what ingredients are in the food I order and usually they can tell you. You can't get an exact number, but I'll get an estimate and add some calories to it.

treetop57

I just listed the median calorie count found on MFP. Is that all you can do? Just a guesstimate?? Let me know how any of you calculate your "unknown" calories. Thank you!

That's exactly what I do: Look at a bunch of similar database entries and pick something close to the middle. Even the nutrition info on processed food labels is only required to be accurate within +/-20% (in the US anyway). Everything about this is based on estimates: the calories in the food you consume, your metabolic rate, and the extra calories you burn in exercise. This is definitely not an exact science.

patkterry

i break everything down.. 2 corn tortillas, 1/2 cup cheese, carne chilli.. etc.. thats pretty much how I log everything, I Mexican restaurants - well any restaurant really even eating healthy is about 900-1000 calories..
At mexican restaurants-- bring saltine crackers for the hot sauce-- its a better choice than chips, I usually order chicken tortilla soup or the salad with a grilled meat- then pour hot sauce all over it-- taste fabulous!!!
Thai-- beef salad, veggie sushi-- or the clear soup w veggies..

Good LUCK!!

philco41

In addition to asking and looking for something similar on MFP, there's an app called "fast food nutrition" that covers a lot of fast food locations. It may not have your specific location, but there should be something with a similar menu. Good luck!

patkterry

Good advice- logging everything and "knowing" is best!!!

Joneses17

I look for something similar in the database and them sometimes add a little more to account for error in ingredients. I often choose restaurants if they are in the database and limit those that aren't.

theflyingartist

Y'know,
I just had hashbrowns at a local diner this morning and I searched the basic food name and took the highest calorie option.. just to be on the safe side.
Better to overestimate calories than underestimate, if you're trying to lose weight!

neverstray

All Mexican restaurants are pretty much the same. Just use a different restaurant that's already on the list. Calories of food is all a guess anyway. It's really not an exact precise measure at all. It's a poor approximation, at best.

SweetSammie

I usually eat half of my entree, then overestimate the serving size. I also try to leave at least half of my exercise calories on that day as a "pad." We go to a Mexican Restaurant every other week, and it is a challenge.

I always liked Panera Bread, but even more since starting MFP. Their web site is awesome... you can add and subtract ingredients and see the calorie count.

EmilyDuby

I find something similar and use that, or break down and estimate the ingredients if I can't find anything comparable or don't trust the comparables quantity (for example something like an enchilada could be big or little and if the listing says "one enchilada" you just don't know)

LorinaLynn

I pretty much just don't log if I'm going out to eat now. I stopped logging on weekends and holidays about 10 months ago and haven't looked back.

But when I did log every meal, and went out to eat at a place that didn't have nutritional info, I picked the closest meal from any of the big chain restaurants. Chances are, lasagna from a locally owned, everything made fresh restaurant is actually lower in calories than something from, say, Olive Garden, so the OG option would be my worst case scenario.

ginamcoyle

I usually eat half of my entree, then overestimate the serving size. I also try to leave at least half of my exercise calories on that day as a "pad." We go to a Mexican Restaurant every other week, and it is a challenge.

I always liked Panera Bread, but even more since starting MFP. Their web site is awesome... you can add and subtract ingredients and see the calorie count.

Love Panera!

treetop57

Here's what I do: I order two of everything, take one home, and burn in my bomb calorimeter.

Calorie recipe – how to figure out how many calories in your favourite food in five easy steps!

* Weigh the food or meal
* Blend the food or meal until smooth with an even consistency and very unappetizing.
* Freeze dry the pureed mush.
* Grind the dried pureed mush into a fine powder.
* Cook the powder until it bursts into flames and all that’s left is a pile of ash. . . .

As the flaming, pureed, freeze-dried powder burns, it produces heat that you can measure.

Scientists call this direct calorimetry, because you directly measure how many calories come from a food. To do this, they usually use a special type of equipment called a bomb calorimeter.



http://www.precisionnutrition.com/label-lies

But only on the 1st of April!

CalJur

California restaurants required to post this information and make it readily available. If not required I would request the information from the restaurant and/or find apps which provide this information such restuarants app on iphone.

treetop57

California restaurants required to post this information and make it readily available. If not required I would request the information from the restaurant and/or find apps which provide this information such restuarants app on iphone.

Yes, but only for chains with 20 or more locations in California. Your local madre y padre Mexican place is not required to post anything. And even chains aren't required to post specials.

"As of January 1, 2010 the [California restaurant nutrition info] law required that large restaurant chains with 20 or more locations in California disclosure calorie information only for each standard menu item . . . ." http://nutrition.levitas.com/

For those not in California, the Obama healthcare law will require posting, also for chains with 20 or more outlets. But the effective date of that posting has not yet been determined by FDA.

zyxst

I eat half, or if it's a place like Cora's with massive servings I eat a quarter. When there's no way to get nutrition info, I just find something in the database with the most calories and log that. It's really frustrating for someone with an accounting degree. :P

SPNLuver83

Yeah you just do your best guess. I will search it in the MFP database and choose something as similar as I can.