How does one go about logging a potluck?

I went to this art thing today and we had a potluck. How do I even begin to log that? I don't know how many grams each item had. Or how many calories...Any idea?

Replies

  • Cyclingbonnie
    Cyclingbonnie Posts: 413 Member
    I try to make the best choices I can at potlucks ... then when I get home I guesstimate ... even if I'm not right I'll be close ... and it isn't like I do a potluck everyday. Also, if I go to a potluck I don't do a treat meal that week. Life happens and it is important to live, so choose to eat those things that appear to be the healthiest and relax a little.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    There's always one person at potlucks that brings a bucket of KFC because they didn't have time to cook, that's on the database :wink:

    As the person above said, you just have to guess sometimes. Avoid large portions and try to balance it (potlucks have great salads)
  • jovalleau
    jovalleau Posts: 127 Member
    There are probably some close approximations in the database. Find one that best fits what you ate or are going to eat, then be as honest as possible about portion size, servings, etc. It's not 100% accurate, but it's damn better than nothing.
  • I try and make good choices and select things that I know I'll be able to find in database. Fresh veggies, fruit, crackers, cheese etc. I try and avoid dishes with multiple ingredients as I have no idea what is in them or how they were prepared. If I do eat something like that though I just try and find the highest calorie equivalent in the database just to be safe.
  • Lenamarie1979
    Lenamarie1979 Posts: 19 Member
    I try and log everything I put into my mouth, separately, not as a whole. Now I did go to a potluck just yesterday with Zephlar. He logged a "quick 850" calories, as that was he best guess. I logged everything I ate. I suppose those are two good ways to do it.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    I would say try to eat dishes you recognize, in portions you can remember, and then do your best at finding approximations on MFP later. It will be difficult to get an accurate number, but at least you'll have an idea.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    quick calories!!! lol That's what I do Seriously you have no idea what people put in their recipes so there is no good way to guess. I jsut start at 1,000 and go up from there.. then i put in the notes what I ate just for reference. - only exception is if I didn't really eat anything or I ate veggies only or only 1 thing.. then i'll log that.. but usually i have a plate full of nibbles from a plethora of dishes.