How do you record restaurant foods in your food log?

megatron123

I'm new to MFP, and I will be going out to dinner tonight (pre-scheduled) with friends. We will be going to a local restaurant. I've already checked out the menu and located the "healthier" and, I'm assuming, lower calorie items, but they don't seem to have nutritional info available. I know everyone eats out from time to time - how do you record it in your food log, particularly in regards to calories, fat, etc. ?

dclarsh1

If the restaurant doesn't have nutritional information, I just try and find something comparible. It won't be exact, but it will probably be close. Just make sure you try and match serving sizes.

kwardklinck

I look for comparable food at another place. Sometimes, it's the closest you can get.

acakeforawife

If the restaurant doesn't have nutritional information, I just try and find something comparible. It won't be exact, but it will probably be close. Just make sure you try and match serving sizes.

Yup, this. If all else fails, you can type "misc" into the search bar, and it'll call up an option that says "Misc - 100 calories", sometimes I use that if I can't find anything in the database and I just want to record that I ate about 500 calories or whatever.

tazlady

you can go on to the website for the restaurant or try the library to see if here might be any books that list those foods. also try fitday.com to see if they might have it . I got some cookies from WHOLE FOODS i just love em.. the are marked tea cookies and I could not find anything compatible.. they are dipped in chocolate dark and milk. I went to the bakery next time I shopped and asked for the nutriitonal info and they told me the cookies are shipped in by another company and gave me their website. I found out the cookies I love were pretty decent in calories and fat and i added it to my log.. good luck.. Ellie

smtirado

If you know the name of the restaurant you are going. in your seach engine, look for iit. example: Red lobester nutritional facts or values. It will tell you how many calories it has. I hope that this will help.

Kath15

You'd be surprised at what is actually in the database....if the info is correct though I can't say. If the restaurant is a chain, you might be able to find the nutritional info through a web search. Otherwise, as someone else wrote, just find something equivalent in the database. Depending on what the meal is, you may even be able to break it down into parts. It's way better than completely leaving the meal blank and having no clue at all how many calories you ate.

lisawest

I do exactly what others have suggested. I recently went to a small local steak house. I recorded it as a Lonestar Steak House steak. It may not be exact, but I know it was close. Similarly, when I go to a local Mexican restaurant I usually record it as something from On the Border.

Just a warning: salads are not always the way to go! A lost of salads have MORE calories than other "less" healthy items on the menu. Recently on the news, they were talking about that new KFC sandwich that's 2 chicken breasts, bacon and chees with no bun. They then compared it to some popular salads from fastfood places. The sandwich had less calories, less fat, and less sodium than almost all of the salads they compared to!

KarenECunningham

If you live in California it is now mandatory that eating establishments provide nutritional info. If not, I do what others have suggested and use another comparable restaurant's food information. I also go as light as possible and I ask what is in the food before I order because like someone else posted, salads are not always that great. I ask for what I want from my wait person. I tend to order grilled chicken or fish or steak with no sauce or butter, steamed veggies (sometimes a double order instead of the potato) and anything else that helps me to keep my calories low. :drinker: