How to count calories when no info is available?

TonyM1984
TonyM1984 Posts: 267
edited December 2024 in Food and Nutrition
How do you tally up calories when there is no info available for places like mom and pop restaurants or local non big chain eateries?

Replies

  • jilliew
    jilliew Posts: 255 Member
    I sometimes just type the meal it into the database and find something that is approximate to what I just ate - a homemade recipe someone added, or the calorie information from a comparable big chain restaurant. It probably won't be exactly right, but at least you'll have an idea.
  • TheUnwritten
    TheUnwritten Posts: 158 Member
    I do exactly what jilliew post. Just log in what you ate and adjust the serving how you like.
  • tajmel
    tajmel Posts: 401 Member
    Look up something similar or guess about the individual ingredients. I did this just his morning.
  • CarleyLovesPets
    CarleyLovesPets Posts: 410 Member
    I guess whats in it - or look to see if there are other restaurants that have something similar and choose that.
    I try to stay a bit under my calorie goals when I do this though.

    I have had to do this on the weekend when I went to lonestar texas grill.
  • AEC50
    AEC50 Posts: 124 Member
    I sometimes just type the meal it into the database and find something that is approximate to what I just ate - a homemade recipe someone added, or the calorie information from a comparable big chain restaurant. It probably won't be exactly right, but at least you'll have an idea.

    I do this or add in individual components if it's weird. Like yesterday, I had a big greek salad from a mom and pop (which I added by searching another restaurant's greek salad with chicken), but it had a TON of olives, so I added those separate. It's more work and not 100%, but better than not tracking at all!
  • taylor5877
    taylor5877 Posts: 1,792 Member
    assume the worst (buttered veggies, everything cooked in oil) and put in the best approximation you can.

    Like my lunch today for example. The best info I have on the salad is how much greens go in, and how many ounces of chicken were in it.

    Everything else was a best guess.
  • AubreySue81
    AubreySue81 Posts: 167 Member
    I sometimes just type the meal it into the database and find something that is approximate to what I just ate - a homemade recipe someone added, or the calorie information from a comparable big chain restaurant. It probably won't be exactly right, but at least you'll have an idea.
    ^^This is what I do as well.
  • Init_to_winit
    Init_to_winit Posts: 258 Member
    I agree with others postings about finding something similar in the database. Even if there is an item from a chain restaurant in there it's still not going to be 100%. You are at the mercy of whoever cooked your meal when it comes to how many calories are in it!
  • mphlab
    mphlab Posts: 187 Member
    That is what I do -what everyone has suggested-make an educated guess. If 80-90% of what you eat, you know the calories, educating guessing seems fine.
    You can also ask- a restaurant we go to has an under 600 calorie section of the menu. I asked about some other item & they handed my a paper with the whole menu broken down on it with calories- a real eye opener. A really good dessert that I split with mt cousin previously was 1200 calories. Even half was too much - no wonder I am fat!
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Identify what the major calorie components are - pasta, potatoes, rice etc. Then focus on what the protein element was - chicken, fish, beef. Then the sauces, especially if they were creamy. Any side veg can be roughly estimated at 50-100 cals, excluding any butter or dressing.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    I do the same as the first 2 posters. If more than 1 thing pops up from different places, I'll go with the one that has the most calories (I'd rather be higher than lower)
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