Restaurants With No Nutrition Facts -- What Do You Do?

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  • MrsFolk
    MrsFolk Posts: 205
    The only public place I eat is subway. If I don't know what's in it, I don't eat it.
  • j2tyco
    j2tyco Posts: 42
    I have done the search for something similar---for example I picked the Buca De Beppo Egg Plant Parm dish on here as my meal for the eggplant parm I had a the mom and pop italian restaurant on date night...and intentionally eat below my numbers due to not knowing "exacts"

    I have also built recipes to use and then quick added additional calories to the recipe to cover any "unknown calories" or "estimated high" It really baffles me the number of even chain restaurants that don't have nutritional info on their menu items...not in house and not on their websites...and even smaller mom and pop places with more custom menus could easily calculate their recipes with online programs and provide those to their customers...

    I ALSO have been that person that says...make it all separate please---(I had a completely deconstructed Italian sausage sandwich brought to me last week so I could put together what I felt was a proper portion for me...I cut the bun in thirds and only ate 1 piece of it and had them bring extra grilled peppers and onions and I barely used any of the (more then a 1/2 cup) of shredded cheese that they put on the plate and I dipped each bite in the marinara instead of having a big gloppy soaked bun--then I logged the portions just as if I had made it at home
  • AmyLRed
    AmyLRed Posts: 856 Member
    aside from what everyone else said, also ask how the dish is prepared, request that it is prepared without sauce, or butter, etc and make informed choices as best you can- grilled instead of fried, salad not french fries, etc.
  • happypath101
    happypath101 Posts: 534
    I agree with others have said: estimate high, use Calorie King or the database here to find something equavalent (I often reference Applebees as it's loaded fat and calories and will accomplish the "estimate high" idea).

    However, I would ALWAYS ask. Call the Head Office and/or leave a message via the contact information online. Let them know you're requesting it; it might help them get the nutritional information posted in time. Also, I've often had someone call me back and tell me, on the side, what they think the healthiest options are. They usually give me great suggestions - often for things that are not technically on the menu.

    The servers can be awesome as well. I've had many people say "Well, I have to watch my weight working here, you know. Here's what I have....." and they give me suggestions.

    As a rule:

    * All sauces on the side
    * Go for water or tea to eliminate drinking your calories
    * If you're having a burger or veggie burger or sandwich, eliminate the bun or eat just half
    * Sidestep anything fried.
    * Don't fall into the veggies only trap - have some good protein or you'll be hungry again soon
    * And treat yourself now and again!

    :)
  • tbskipp
    tbskipp Posts: 180 Member
    Ask them if they have it. If they don't, look up as similar as possible dishes for other restaurants. Calorie King is a website that lists foods from all over, even for generic italian, chinese, carnival, etc type places. Good luck! :flowerforyou:

    Never heard of Calorie King. Thanks for the info!
    I agree with everyone else here... just guesstimate your food based on other restaurants/MFP info. If i can pick a restaurant ahead of time, i try to find one where I can access their nutritional info now.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Another estimate high here. Most places I avoid because of no info, like Cora's. It's a shame because the food is delicious, but I know whatever I order is going to bust my budget no matter how it's made.
  • jadedzen
    jadedzen Posts: 221 Member
    Some of my favorite places aren't franchises and i still eat there. I estimate either based on ingredients if the dish is simple enough for me to be sure i got them all or, as others have said, base off similar places. I'm not gonna let 200-300 cal keep me from indulging in my fave places since i eat out so rarely. The places i love have a great quality of ingredients and i can't imagine giving them up for huge fast food chains that usually have an inferior quality of food.
  • Fani2003
    Fani2003 Posts: 195 Member
    I search for the type of food. Then I decide whether or not I agree with the nutrition information a MyFitnessPal member has added! Usually I can find something comparable.

    This
  • jadedzen
    jadedzen Posts: 221 Member
    Another estimate high here. Most places I avoid because of no info, like Cora's. It's a shame because the food is delicious, but I know whatever I order is going to bust my budget no matter how it's made.

    aaaah coras! i love that place. but it is expensive. Still a good treat and a million percent better to me than Moxies
  • mzhokie
    mzhokie Posts: 349 Member
    We go out all the time to local places. For one place, I have created a recipe for the two salads I love there to give me a reasonable estimate. I still go high on my estimate.

    But mostly what I do is eat clean for the day, do a little extra on my work out so I have a big buffer to work with too. I try to research the menu ahead of time if I'm not familiar with it. Gives me a good game plan of what might work and I can know if I have enough calories. Knowing a head of time if there are 3 or 4 options, makes it easier when you get there.

    start with a side salad with just vinegar or fat free dressing... I put the dressing on the side and dip my fork in it as I eat. This helps get your stomach processing food so you fill fuller when the meal comes. Order the veggie side and ask if it's steamed or how is it cooked. Substitute a non veggie side with a veggie. Watch out for sauces, cheese, etc.

    We eat out 3 times a week normally. The goal for 1 lb a week is 3500 calories so adjust another day or two to make up for what you do when eating out. I know on the days we don't eat out I usually have about a 600-700 calorie deficit instead of 500. Makes going out even more guilt free and keeps me on track.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member
    Cora's is no more expensive than Denny's or Humptys...

    and there are 21 dishes from Cora's in the food database here, while Humpty's has one denny's has over 100... Cora's is the only one that gives a decent quantity of fresh fruit with the meals to instead of the token orange slice.
  • maggiepz
    maggiepz Posts: 141 Member
    I'm really getting fed up with the restaurants that won't share the nutritional information and I've just stopped going there. Even MCDONALD'S shares the info and we all know fast food is bad for you.

    In my opinion major chains that don't share their nutritional information have something to hide!!!!! I truly believe this and that's why I no longer trust these restaurants. They don't want us to know because they are afraid they will lose business.

    A major culprit is Cracker Barrel. Cracker barrel has a supposed low carb breakfast that includes a supposedly low carb wheat toast that just didn't seem possible when i was trying to find something comparable. I've even called corporate (TWICE) trying to get nutritional information. I even posted on here and was told it was plain old wheat toast by someone that used to work there. I haven't been back since and we used to go all the time. It was my "cheat meals' and I also used to eat off their supposedly "lowcarb" menu. If you "don't have the nutritional information for our menu" how can you claim anything is low carb? Full of BS.

    Yep. I don't trust restaurants that don't have nutritional information. I don't expect the same of mom/pop and private restaurants of course.
  • callikia
    callikia Posts: 226 Member
    Avoid if possible.
    If not, overestimate and give yourself a "cushion" for the day. Always assume it's worse than you think it is.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
    We have a couple places here around town that are solely Hays, KS restaurants and not found anywhere else. There is no nutritional info posted online and although I haven't asked them if they have nutrition facts, I really do not think that they do. If in fact they don't have nutrition facts, how do you log it? Or do you even log it?

    None of the places I go to have it, because I don't tend to hit chains or large restaurants. I like mom and pops. So, I guess.
  • ksun10
    ksun10 Posts: 76
    I choose not to go
  • carriempls
    carriempls Posts: 326 Member
    I never eat at chain restaurants so I'm never able to get nutrition info online when I eat out.

    I'm a decent cook so I can usually do a good guess on ingredients and quantities. I either enter ingredients one by one if it's something fairly simple (like a salad or sandwich) or look for something similar if it's a bit more complicated.

    I eat lunch in my work cafeteria every day and they cook everything fresh from whole ingredients so it's pretty easy to figure out.

    Eating out other than that is a once in a while thing, more of a treat for me, so if I'm a little off I'm not too worried about it.
  • spike90
    spike90 Posts: 704 Member
    I always try to pick another restaraunt that does have nutrional facts where I think the food looks, tastes, serving size, etc is similar. It is the best guesstimate that I can com up with (but I don't know how they cook it with butter, oils, fried, baked, and all). I always hope that the restaruant that I ate at is lower in calories and other numbers than what I picked, but I doubt that I am getting that lucky:)
  • enduranc3
    enduranc3 Posts: 8
    I look up the calories for ALL the ingredients (ex: if i get a salad) and estimate :)
  • KourtneyP83
    KourtneyP83 Posts: 319
    I usually get a kids meal and try to find something similar in the database. I don't do it often and I try not to frequent restaurants like that, but lets be real - sometimes we have girl's nights, meetings, work dinners, birthdays and so on at places like this and while we are all trying to live a healthy lifestyle, these things are going to happen. I usually am not devastated if I can't log it or find something similar...I try to eat sparingly or very low calorie the rest of the day.
  • amersmanders
    amersmanders Posts: 118 Member
    I have the same problem as OP. I usually just enter a comparable item that has a higher caloric value compared to other comparable items so that I don't underestimate. Sometimes I enter the ingredients for a new recipe if I'm not having any luck. It stresses me out when I can't find an item!
  • gettingto98
    gettingto98 Posts: 22
    honestly? i always, always just get something with unaltered ingredients so i can guess easily and nearly perfectly. maybe it's not the most fun, but it allows me to be social and go out without worry.

    examples:
    - get a plain salad - just greens, fruit, other veggies. if you must, get cheese or nuts or whatever, but it gets harder to estimate unless you count each nut, so i avoid. i also avoid croutons and other add-ons where you don't know the info. don't get dressing, just ask for vinegar. oil can be tricky because you can pour too much. if you trust yourself to know portions, get a grilled protein on top that you ask to just be prepared without oil.

    - get a grilled protein with veggies - again, only do this if you can judge portion or if the quantity is clearly laid out on the menu. ask for veggies on the side that are STEAMED or grilled without oil.

    - breakfast out: just get fruit, poached eggs (always cooked without oil!), and toast (very easy to estimate at 100 a piece).

    keep in mind: even with nutritional info, places lie. i get frozen yogurt a lot and even though it says it is 100 calories or whatever, that's only for a four/three whatever ounce serving. the cup they give you is designed to hold that much, but places will often HEAP more on top. i always just throw that away before eating. but just because they say it's only so and so calories for a certain amount doesn't mean they're actually only giving you that amount - for most people, by getting a little extra, they generate good will.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    Just take a guess - if I only ate at "restaurants" that provided calorie info I would be stuck with McDonald's, KFC and Dominoes, and that's not going to happen!

    There will be lots of occasions in your life when you eat something without nutritional info (eating at a friends house as one example). Don't stress about it, use it as an opportunity to practice making the best choice from what is available to you. And log an estimate - that's all you are doing at any restaurant, there is no guarantee that you are eating exactly the meal that was tested.
  • gracieabem
    gracieabem Posts: 211
    I'd just take a guess. I hardly ever go to restaurants that have calorie info. Eating out is a rare enough treat for me that I'd rather not stress about it. I'd usually go for a lighter lunch before going out for tea and I'm usually ok with not having my usual night time snacks afterwards either. I like to just live life occasionally and forgot about calories.
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