pasta salad calories?

icimani
icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I eat at a cafe on our campus just about every day for lunch. The cooks there are mostly Italian, and they make really good pasta salad. I would think they'd be a fairly healthy choice since they're mostly vinigarette or italian dressing as opposed to mayo, but how the heck would I estimate calories in a cup of the pasta salad? I can guess most of the main ingredients, but I'd have no idea about the dressing, spices, and I'm assuming garlic powder (and lots of it!).

Replies

  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    Vinegar, oregano and garlic powder can safely be ignored. I'm going to guess there is oil though. Ask the chef how much. I'm guessing at least a tablespoon...
    Then pasta by weight and you can probably ignore the peppers, onions or what have you.
    There might be a load of sodium though if you are tracking it.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    Log it as the Kraft store-bought pasta salad. Can't be too much different.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Log it as the Kraft store-bought pasta salad. Can't be too much different.

    This is what I do for a lot of cafeteria foods. I just log them as a chain restaurant or something similar.
  • mamaward64
    mamaward64 Posts: 143 Member
    I would do a basic deli pasta salad or a rotini with italian dressing and parmesan.
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
    Always go with the higher calorie equivalent... Rather eat too few than too many calories...
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    Makes sense - thanks!

    I'll explore the database for something close.

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