find the nutritional value from restuarants that don't post

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  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Well fortunately this is changing. One of the provisions of "Obamacare" is that all restaurants will have to list the nutritional value of their foods (plus delis, bakeries, etc....).

    Doesn't do you much good right now, but that'll change over the next year as it is implimented.

    I don't think this is true. My understanding of SEC. 4205. is that chain restaurants with over 20 restaurants must disclose nutritional information.

    That's my understanding too. In doing a quick google search, the federal one reads just like the California law with one exception: CA states 20 or more locations in CA, while federal just states 20 or more doing business under the same name.

    Thanks for looking that up, ladies. It didn't sound right. They wouldn't be able to enforce that on ever restaurant in the country.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I like to support local places... sometimes they don't even have a website so I'm not sure how they post nutritional values on line. I'm not going to stop going there over nutritional values when I can guess. I'm losing weight so I must not be guessing too bad.

    Same here. My husband and me love our little cafe by our house. We eat there once a month or so, and I make a solid guess at the content. There is no chain that could compete with it.
  • cbbarge
    cbbarge Posts: 250 Member
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    I usually try to find something similar in the database and move on. I track pretty closely most of the time so I'm not stressing out over the accuracy of one meal.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    The only time I eat out anymore is if I'm allowing myself a "cheat." Have to do it from time to time for sanity purposes, but otherwise I generally prepare my own foods these days. I do what others do and just make my best educated guess based on the ingredients...sometimes I just don't bother logging it at all...same as I don't bother logging holiday meals. Of course, this should be and is a rarity for me. I no longer touch fast food, "cheat" or not.
  • bgelliott
    bgelliott Posts: 610 Member
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    I call them and ask them to fax it to me or go over it on the phone with me. I've had some that tell me they don't have the information but they will cook anything I want, however I want it so I can pretty much put together my meal and know what the calories, fat, carbs, etc. are!
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
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    It's a good exercise for you, as a dieter, to think about the ingredients that went into the dish and try to estimate the calories. After a while, you should get a knack for coming up with a rough ballpark of restaurant dishes that you order.

    I'll often just quick-add around 1200 calories or so if I eat out and I'm too lazy to work out a better estimate.
  • dispatchbug
    dispatchbug Posts: 12 Member
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    I try to find something similar and add about 15% more calories. I found that usually gives me little wiggle room.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,871 Member
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    We almost never ate out when I was a child. I didn't eat in a Chinese restaurant until I was an adult with children. My parents didn't allow soda pop into our house, Literally. Pop could be outside, even on the porch for a New Year treat. Dad and I had to had to drink it outside, I lived the healthy lifestyle as a child. When I was old enough to babysit, I would go to a junk food household and pig out. At the time, a hot dog or a bologne sandwich was a major treat. Now I can't tolerate pop. bologne or hot dogs, I am better at dieting because my mother forced me to be healther. Her voice is what I hear when trying to get healthier.
  • jmkmomm
    jmkmomm Posts: 3,247 Member
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    Cheddars is another that have no nutritional info anywhere. But like the others I try to find common foods elswhere. I also am one of those that have watched Biggest Loser enough to know to ask how things are cooked an to ask for certain ingredients on the side or not at all. Drives my husband crazy. He knows what he wants even before he walks in the door. I look it over and ask for a special order.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,931 Member
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    Good thing the obesity epidemic has gone down over the last decade from nutrition disclosure in most large fast food restaurants. I hear any meal over 750 cals is gone soon. lol
  • ynotcycle
    ynotcycle Posts: 121 Member
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    I usually find something close in the database as well. If the restaurant has fewer than 20 locations, they are not req'd by law to provide nutrional labeling. I was pretty frustrated when I asked a local place and they didn't have the info, thinking that everyone had to. I found the info regarding the law at the FDA website:

    http://www.fda.gov/food/labelingnutrition/default.htm

    Interesting info, thanks for posting that!
  • Jeffersz
    Jeffersz Posts: 36
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    That's my understanding too. In doing a quick google search, the federal one reads just like the California law with one exception: CA states 20 or more locations in CA, while federal just states 20 or more doing business under the same name.

    That's correct, and if they fall in this category and it isn't posted, they must provide it when asked for it.
  • micheleld73
    micheleld73 Posts: 914 Member
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    When the new taxes kick in, who's going to be able to afford to go out and eat?

    :happy:

    Especially at any sit down restaurant.
  • DaveMurphy6
    DaveMurphy6 Posts: 129 Member
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    don't worry..your scale will be the final opinion
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Its the law in California so not an issue. Moreover, nearly every restaurant in America posts nutritional values online. If they do not then don't patronize them. Find what you want elsewhere.
    Not for independent restaurants, only big chains. And we've got a lot of favorite places in my town that are independent and make amazing food. :love: I usually do what everyone else has already suggested - find the closest match in the database and just wing it. Or as my boss used to call it when trying to write an order before a busy day, "use the SWAG method: scientific wild-*kitten* guessing". :tongue:
  • lar4290
    lar4290 Posts: 55 Member
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    I eat out a lot, mainly at nice local restaurants with high quality foods (so it would be difficult to find something comprable at the big chains that post values like Chili's of Applebees). I've gotten pretty good at picking out what I'll eat on the menu beforehand and working out calories. I always add at least 2-3 tablespoons of oil or butter to any entree (maybe more depending on the cooking style) and extra oil for things probably brushed in it on top of that. Then after I eat, I'll adjust (e.g. if I guessed the entree would have 4 scallops but it had 5). Also, but guessing beforehand, I try to figure out how much I want to eat. E.g. eat 2/3 of it, and I'll have lunch tomorrow. Thinking about that ahead of time helps me make good choices at the restaurant. For things that I'd eat often (like my favorite sushi roll), I make a recipe on this site.

    I realize that it's not perfect--but neither is me counting at home unless I weighed everything (e.g. there's a significant variation in a "large apple" depending on how much it weighs. So, I see it more as a way to keep yourself accountable and on track--an estimate of 1200 calories if it's really 1350 is better than saying, aww **** it and eating 3,000 if you give up on trying to estimate it.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
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    This. Even at chain restaurants that DO post, entrees can be off by several hundred calories. The folks in the kitchen usually eyeball ingredients rather than weigh them out and follow exact measurements.

    What's interesting - as of a couple of years ago, I thought all restaurants with five or more locations were supposed to make their nutrition info public. However, there are several big chains that don't, including Buffalo's Southwest Grille and Cracker Barrel.

    Omg I love Cracker Barrel. I haven't eaten there in a while, though - not since I started logging. I had no idea they didn't have their info! I'm going to have to switch eating their to my cheat day only now. :(

    But better to have this info now than not. Thank you!

    I have an app called restaurant, & nutrition guide that lists Cracker barrel, and their nutritional info.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,871 Member
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    I hate Crackerbarrel. The salt is over the top. Fact is, my homecooking is better than any restaurant that I have ever been to, except one. Cigars in Grand Isle in Louisiana. They had a visiting chef and it was the best food I have ever had. Flounder stuffed wiith crawfish and shrimp in a gravy of deliciousness. No meal has competed against that one. It was the best meal of my life. What is sad is that I can't go back. The chef is gone, the restaurant is gone, the time is gone. :brokenheart:

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