Eating out

slobkat
slobkat Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you do when you're going to eat out at a restaurant but they don't have nutritional information on their menus or website? I tried to email them a few days ago but have had no reply so far.

I can take a guess based on foods already on MFP but you can never be sure. One of the things I'm planning on having, mozzarella cubes(4), is down for 41 calories per cube on MFP and I just don't believe that for a minute because they're quite big and loaded with cheese and a tomato dip so I highly doubt 41 calories covers it. How annoying!
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Replies

  • Pedal_Pusher
    Pedal_Pusher Posts: 1,166 Member
    I just wouldn't go.
  • AmberJslimsAWAY
    AmberJslimsAWAY Posts: 2,339 Member
    too easy
  • ShaSimone
    ShaSimone Posts: 270 Member
    I sometimes try creating a recipe under my recipes and 'create' the dish I am going to eat. Can't factor in everything but it would get you close.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    What do you do when you're going to eat out at a restaurant but they don't have nutritional information on their menus or website? I tried to email them a few days ago but have had no reply so far.

    I can take a guess based on foods already on MFP but you can never be sure. One of the things I'm planning on having, mozzarella cubes(4), is down for 41 calories per cube on MFP and I just don't believe that for a minute because they're quite big and loaded with cheese and a tomato dip so I highly doubt 41 calories covers it. How annoying!

    I eat what I'd normally eat.

    Steak, chicken or fish with veggies and a salad.
  • tomhancock
    tomhancock Posts: 100 Member
    Go somewhere you have the nutritional info for, or order something you know is healthy.

    Do NOT trust what someone entered on MFP, there are a bunch of crazy estimates of calories in the database that are totally wrong. Sounds like you found another with 41 calorie mozzarella balls.
  • shbretired
    shbretired Posts: 320 Member
    i'd google the restaraunt's menu for info prior to going out ☺
  • Connie_Cupcake
    Connie_Cupcake Posts: 62
    I just wouldn't go.

    That would be good advice BUT, since this is a lifestyle change, we need to be able to go out with friends and throw caution into the wind (a little bit). I would just say, go. Be careful, and make up for any calories you have gone over (workout)
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I just save exercise calories before and after to cover what I suspect I've overeaten and hope for the best. You can never know for sure what is in the food but as long as you've not gone over maintenance calories it is not going to make you put on.
  • grayprae
    grayprae Posts: 109 Member
    GO and just use common sense maybe if you are not sure do a little extra exercise just to cover yourself. Can't hurt right
  • paigemarie93
    paigemarie93 Posts: 778 Member
    A day off never hurt any body!
    Enjoy yourself & then get back on the wagon tomorrow :)
    Meanwhile, stick to what you know is healthy, go with your gut instinct!
    Nothing fried, go for grilled, like grilled chicken or fish :)
    No oils, butters or dressings! They're evil ;)
  • mtaylor33557
    mtaylor33557 Posts: 542 Member
    I would get something familiar (chicken, fish, steak) and veggies, and ask how they are prepared.. ask for no oil or butter, so you don't have to wonder how much is on them.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
    Giggles.... I'm SO not mature.


    I would just go and make the best choice available. I go to a local Indian food place regularly and they don't have nutritional info. One meal has never been a "make or break" thing for my week.
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Try to make good choices. If you do get the mozzarella balls keep in mind, they are probably way more calories then you think. So estimate high maybe 100 calories each.

    I was just thinking about this since I am going out for a birthday lunch and would like somewhere that has nurt facts. When the menu is blank I easily talk myself into ordering pretty bad.
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
    If the particular website doesn't have nutritional information, I would find a similar type restaurant that does have nutritional information and go by what their "mozzerella cubes" go by, I doubt 41 calories as well. 1 oz according to the web says that mozzarella cheese is 86 calories, so if it's more than an ounce in the cube, you are definitely looking at more than 41 calories.
  • fatgirlslove
    fatgirlslove Posts: 614 Member
    Just go make good choices and ENJOY yourself...everyday can't be a perfect day.
  • sun33082
    sun33082 Posts: 416 Member
    For mozzarella cubes that are large (as you say) and breaded and fried, you might look at Arby's mozzarella sticks. I think you may change your mind real quick :)
  • shaycat
    shaycat Posts: 980
    Also you can look at a similar restaurants facts. That would be closer than MFP.
  • happythermia
    happythermia Posts: 374
    I look on MFP and find the least crazy sounding estimate (leaning towards the higher estimates) and then I generally tack on a few hundred extra calories just to be safe.

    But I try not to stress about it too much! I try to order healthy stuff when I can, and when I can't...(meeting friends at some place of their choosing) I eat something at home so I don't go overboard on crap lol
  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    i thought this was about something else.
  • p0pr0cksnc0ke
    p0pr0cksnc0ke Posts: 1,283 Member
    :frown: AW total let down.
  • ABetterBalance
    ABetterBalance Posts: 298
    What do you do when you're going to eat out at a restaurant but they don't have nutritional information on their menus or website? I tried to email them a few days ago but have had no reply so far.

    I can take a guess based on foods already on MFP but you can never be sure. One of the things I'm planning on having, mozzarella cubes(4), is down for 41 calories per cube on MFP and I just don't believe that for a minute because they're quite big and loaded with cheese and a tomato dip so I highly doubt 41 calories covers it. How annoying!

    I eat what I'd normally eat.

    Steak, chicken or fish with veggies and a salad.

    ^^^I agree with this. In general, I try to avoid palces that do not provide nutritional information, but that's not always an option. In this case, I would make your best guess based on what you *know* is healthier (grilled vs. fried, etc...)
  • aspen_matthews
    aspen_matthews Posts: 94
    I agree with find a simlar type restaurant and guestimate. Ask questions about your food..."how is this prepared", "do you put butter/oil in blah blah blah". That will make it easier to make healthy choices as well as guess how to put it in your food diary.

    I eat tons of places with no nutrition info, simply because chain restaurants usually have it and small mom/pop places don't, and I don't often like chain restaurants.
  • BigBrewski
    BigBrewski Posts: 922 Member
    A day off never hurt any body!
    Enjoy yourself & then get back on the wagon tomorrow :)
    Meanwhile, stick to what you know is healthy, go with your gut instinct!
    Nothing fried, go for grilled, like grilled chicken or fish :)
    No oils, butters or dressings! They're evil ;)

    ^^^THIS - just don't take 10 days off in a ROW. 1 fried cheese stick or a few nachos or some hot wings or maybe a beer or even ALL that together won't throw you off track. I'll get flamed for this but its 3500 calories to a LB so even if you really really over indulge and say you eat 5000 calories you will be back on track in no time. You have to enjoy moments here and there its when you are enjoying the moments DAILY that causes the issues.

    just my 2 cents
  • redscylla
    redscylla Posts: 211 Member
    I'm doing zig-zag calories, so there are days when my calorie allowance is higher than other days. So I plan any dining out with friends for those higher calorie days, that way I have a little more wiggle room as I try to put together my meal at the restaurant.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    What do you do when you're going to eat out at a restaurant but they don't have nutritional information on their menus or website? I tried to email them a few days ago but have had no reply so far.

    I can take a guess based on foods already on MFP but you can never be sure. One of the things I'm planning on having, mozzarella cubes(4), is down for 41 calories per cube on MFP and I just don't believe that for a minute because they're quite big and loaded with cheese and a tomato dip so I highly doubt 41 calories covers it. How annoying!

    take your best guess and find an approximation. it'll be close, and it's one meal on one day. no reason to stress over it.
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    We aren't living at home right now, we're in a hotel for the summer (hubby's a consultant and this way we see him the whole summer).

    I have a SMALL kitchen (2 burners, a toaster oven)...we eat out probably 3-4 nights a week and although I try to gear myself towards places that have nutrition info...we need to use restaurant.com's etc a lot because of the expense. I do okay...I find something similar at another restaurant to compare to (esp if its something I've had before so I know if they're similar or not). Another thing I do if I HAVE to guess is make an honest guess than multiply by 1.25 - Specifically for mozzeralla STICKS these run 100-120 calories per stick at dozens of restasurants so compare the SIZE of those to the size of your 'cubes'. It is possibly 41 calories for smaller salad size cubes.

    If there's not much for me I go just a salad and have a luna bar at home later. I'm a vegetarian so it's even harder for me since I can't just have 'grilled fish/chicken'....and honestly the levels of sodium in some of that is insane. I KNOW there's a new sodium study and all but the levels at some of these restaurants can't be healthy or natural even IF you raised what we 'should' be able to eat.
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    A day off never hurt any body!
    Enjoy yourself & then get back on the wagon tomorrow :)
    Meanwhile, stick to what you know is healthy, go with your gut instinct!
    Nothing fried, go for grilled, like grilled chicken or fish :)
    No oils, butters or dressings! They're evil ;)

    Sure, it doesn't hurt you.. But it can lead to bad choices over time. "oh, back at it tomorrow" then tomorrow is the next day, the next and then finally it's "oh next week I'll be back at it"
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    too easy

    ain't that the truth.
    i came in here ready to mangia!
  • tami101
    tami101 Posts: 617 Member
    Keep your calories low the rest of the day, get in a nice high calorie burn workout, eat and enjoy! When you log it, quick add the calories to your daily limit or above if you went crazy. Got to have fun once in a while. =)
  • mrmanmeat
    mrmanmeat Posts: 1,968 Member
    We aren't living at home right now, we're in a hotel for the summer (hubby's a consultant and this way we see him the whole summer).

    I have a SMALL kitchen (2 burners, a toaster oven)...we eat out probably 3-4 nights a week and although I try to gear myself towards places that have nutrition info...we need to use restaurant.com's etc a lot because of the expense. I do okay...I find something similar at another restaurant to compare to (esp if its something I've had before so I know if they're similar or not). Another thing I do if I HAVE to guess is make an honest guess than multiply by 1.25 - Specifically for mozzeralla STICKS these run 100-120 calories per stick at dozens of restasurants so compare the SIZE of those to the size of your 'cubes'. It is possibly 41 calories for smaller salad size cubes.

    If there's not much for me I go just a salad and have a luna bar at home later. I'm a vegetarian so it's even harder for me since I can't just have 'grilled fish/chicken'....and honestly the levels of sodium in some of that is insane. I KNOW there's a new sodium study and all but the levels at some of these restaurants can't be healthy or natural even IF you raised what we 'should' be able to eat.
    Sounds like you should eat meat :)

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