Help - Trouble estimating calories in french fries?

Vonwarr

I'm having trouble determining the calories in french fries... the "official" numbers in MFP seem super high, almost 900 calories for a "single large potato", but other numbers across the net seem wildly all over the place. This is the first time I've run up against this - generally I find fairly consistent numbers when comparing the same food across several sites.

I realize it has several factors such as the size of the fries, the type of potato, the oil used to fry them, and probably how long they're cooked... but I'm having trouble getting a feel for the magnitude of the calories. The fries I want to order are fairly thick, like the thickness of my fingers, but are not as thick as my thumb. I don't know the type of oil or potato. The fries tend to be well cooked, but not until they're crispy (kinda a bit thick for that).

Today is my refeed day, and I need to carb it up some... but I still want to log everything so I can stay on track. It's been 7 weeks since I started, so I would like to indulge in one of my favorites as a Canadian... Poutine. I am trying to net 2500-2750 calories today, getting a minimum of 170g of protein. 700 calories from protein means I have basically have 1800-2000 for carbs and fat. I can easily log the gravy and cheese, just need help with the fries!

Vonwarr

Bump... anybody?

palmerig88

Try and compare to some you've eaten in the past that you can look up then just look up diner fries or homemade ones and pick one that sounds about right

LinaBo

I would go by the nutritional info for something like New York Fries or Wendy's fries. Both are fairly thick cut. Provided that the fries you are eating are cooked at a high enough temperature, the nutritional value gram for gram should be pretty well the same (if the oil is too low in temperature, such as when the fryer is overcrowded, that's how you get fried things that retain a lot of extra oil... and the nutritional info for standard fries becomes less accurate).

Do you have the option to weigh the fries separately before adding the gravy/cheese? Weight measurement is going to be most accurate. Volume is pretty effing useless, in this situation.

(PS: I hate you a little bit right now for having a practical reason to eat poutine! I had a singleton's tradition when I lived in Toronto, on Thanksgiving and Christmas, of making brown chicken or turkey stock out of my chosen bird, reducing it to a fond de glace, turning that into gravy, and then smothering a plate of skin-on home fries and cheese curds with it. Not enough people to bother with the usual sidedishes!)

Vonwarr

Thanks for the informative reply!

Good idea to compare against NYF... I was trying to think of a place that had similar fries. Also interesting to know that too low of a temp/being crowded causes anything deep fried to retain more oil! I wish I could weigh them ahead, but I was going to order from a local pizza place. I could definitely build my own sometime too though, and estimate more accurately.

I decided to skip and eat healthier alternatives this time... but now I'll know for next time.

And that sounds delicious btw - exactly like how poutine SHOULD be!

LinaBo

Dude, I take gourmet-ifying comfort foods to new heights. You should see how pretentious I get with Kraft Dinner.

Oh, and if you want tips on building your own, feel free to ask. People underestimate the care needed when cooking with a deep layer of piping hot oil.