For those of you who eat out...how do you record calories?

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  • Amberlynnek
    Amberlynnek Posts: 405 Member
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    If you cannot find any info in the database or online, try steering your friends to towards restaurants that have that information readily available. If that does not work, ask for a very basic meal plain chicken or fish, steamed veggies and rice or some type of grain if they have it and just claim to have an "allergy." that way you at least don't have to account for mystery sauces or anything and its easy to track. Every restaurant can make some form of this basic entree. I know its not very fun but at least it will keep you where you need to be.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    I guess on the high side. That's why I try to stick to chains, lol, it's a bit of a pain. But one day is not going to make much of a difference anyway... Heck, even chains, you never know how accurate their claims are (like that 6oz steak and broccoli from Chili's at 250 calories... yeahno!).
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    So I tend to eat out with friends often...some places have calories listed...but others do not. I can "sometimes" find the restaurant and item in the MFP database...but more often I cannot. So I oftentimes have to put in components or the "closest item" that I can find. However that means that those entries are best guesses at best for calories. I am wondering how others handlle that...do you leave extra calories remaining to account for an estimate?

    As others have stated, you just have to do your best and use something similar from the data base if a restaurant doesn't post nutritional info. I personally don't eat at chains so I always just have to make it my best guess. That said, I don't eat out that much anymore...while it is highly enjoyable, I found it difficult to lose due to inaccuracies even for those restaurants that did post nutritional information. I figure keeping this to a minimum can't do too much damage even if I miss on my estimates and it has resulted in my dining experiences being much more special when I go out.

    I can't remember what it is exactly but restaurants are allowed quite a bit of leeway in their calorie estimations due to the fact that you just have some line cook back there slapping stuff together...they're not sitting their weighing out exactly 30 grams of this and 85 grams of that...their pretty much slapping food on your plate as fast as they can for good service. Also keep in mind that restaurant portions are on average about double the recommended portions and they usually use a lot of oils for flavor...a typical restaurant meal easily runs 800 - 1000 calories if you eat the whole thing.
  • sassypants0923
    sassypants0923 Posts: 7,188 Member
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    Just put "Way too freakin' much"
  • Crymoarfatty
    Crymoarfatty Posts: 13
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    Like are they in the restaurant weighing out every drop of dressing, or measuring the extra cheese they get ? When I go out to eat with family, I am trying to enjoy myself. Like If I went to olive garden for example, I am not going to be like "Ok I ate 1/3 the salad, and 2 and a half bread sticks, there was some extra cheese on my lasagna lets add that in, oh and the appetizer, let me just look that up and do the math while we sit here eating". Yeah you can go to the website and find the MAIN dish, if that is all you eat, But when they put cheese on the top or THEY decide how much dressing goes on the salad, its really up in the air.
  • Crymoarfatty
    Crymoarfatty Posts: 13
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    So I tend to eat out with friends often...some places have calories listed...but others do not. I can "sometimes" find the restaurant and item in the MFP database...but more often I cannot. So I oftentimes have to put in components or the "closest item" that I can find. However that means that those entries are best guesses at best for calories. I am wondering how others handlle that...do you leave extra calories remaining to account for an estimate?

    As others have stated, you just have to do your best and use something similar from the data base if a restaurant doesn't post nutritional info. I personally don't eat at chains so I always just have to make it my best guess. That said, I don't eat out that much anymore...while it is highly enjoyable, I found it difficult to lose due to inaccuracies even for those restaurants that did post nutritional information. I figure keeping this to a minimum can't do too much damage even if I miss on my estimates and it has resulted in my dining experiences being much more special when I go out.

    I can't remember what it is exactly but restaurants are allowed quite a bit of leeway in their calorie estimations due to the fact that you just have some line cook back there slapping stuff together...they're not sitting their weighing out exactly 30 grams of this and 85 grams of that...their pretty much slapping food on your plate as fast as they can for good service. Also keep in mind that restaurant portions are on average about double the recommended portions and they usually use a lot of oils for flavor...a typical restaurant meal easily runs 800 - 1000 calories if you eat the whole thing.

    The calories listed at most places don't include half the crap. Like fast food places, wont count the cheese or condiments when they say the calories. Like when I go to subway, the calories listed are for a bare minimum sandwich NO cheese or sauces on PLAIN bread. People dont realize those calories are not included, your 400 calorie footlong goes to 800 calories when you put everything on it you like.
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
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    I eat sashimi a lot. and some basic sushi rolls. They are fairly easy to calculate. At other types of restaurants, I try to eat things I can easily identify the ingredience--like a side salad (dressing on the side) with a hamburger patty (no oils, etc). or plain salmon. I have to eyeball the serving size and assume most restaurants are going to over do it on portion size. I stay away from soups, pastas, and sandwiches.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
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    I just choose the closest thing possible, and sometimes add "quick added calories" and just go with it. One day of going over or whatever won't ruin your diet.
  • whitebalance
    whitebalance Posts: 1,654 Member
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    So I tend to eat out with friends often...some places have calories listed...but others do not. I can "sometimes" find the restaurant and item in the MFP database...but more often I cannot. So I oftentimes have to put in components or the "closest item" that I can find. However that means that those entries are best guesses at best for calories. I am wondering how others handlle that...do you leave extra calories remaining to account for an estimate?

    That's basically what I do. Sometimes I'll put in the ingredients as best estimated... 8oz chicken breast, bread crumbs, olive oil, spaghetti sauce, cheese = chicken parm, that kind of thing. I'll often add it a bunch of extra fat (usually through extra oil as it's the easiest) since restaurant foods are generally higher in fats than non-restaurant dishes.

    But ultimately, everything we do is a guess. Estimate it as best you can and move along.
    Yup, this.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,020 Member
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    Please keep in mind, cals posted for chains are per serving, not for the entire meal. What the serve you is probably a serving of 3 or something. Be careful. It's tricky.

    But, to answer your question, I just guess. I had Peruvian food yesterday for lunch because my boss lost a bet. So, he bought. So, I just totally guessed. How would you possibly figure out Peruvian food?

    The same way you would figure out any other food? Break it down (mentally) into its components, estimate how much of each component there was, make sure you account for sauces and cooking fat,, don't skimp on your estimates, and log.

    I appreciate that. I wasn't sure how to do that. Thanks so much. I'm new at this, and i was confused.


    I'm glad it was helpful. Don't let the food confuse you. That's part of its strategy. Once it has you distracted by the confusion, it sneaks up and jumps on your hips or other "problem areas." :wink:
  • ericasb83
    ericasb83 Posts: 6 Member
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    this guy wins.

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  • ericasb83
    ericasb83 Posts: 6 Member
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    Doesn't burn many calories, but the wife sure enjoys it
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    You know that the server can tell you how many ounces of a particular thing are on the plate right? Or they can at least ask the chef. Restaurants are businesses, and they have to track inventory like every other business. They are NOT out to sabotage you and put 3x more food on a plate than they have to, and if you simply ask you can often get the information you need. You can also do things like ask for any sauce to be on the side, ask for a double portion of veg over starches etc.

    You may be able to get this info from a chain, but I think you'll find that trying to go into eating at a smaller, single-location, perhaps family-owned place is different entirely (in regards to the first part, anyway).

    I do it all the time at all manner of places and I don't eat at chains. Let's face it, you can't run a business if you can't track your inventory. Sure I've gotten some funny looks but very rarely have I never got an answer.

    It's going to come down to whether the server really cares to check. It doesn't take any knowledge at all to give an answer. Some will know, some will check, some will just give any answer that will let them get on with their job.
  • Samenamenewlook
    Samenamenewlook Posts: 296 Member
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    So I tend to eat out with friends often...some places have calories listed...but others do not. I can "sometimes" find the restaurant and item in the MFP database...but more often I cannot. So I oftentimes have to put in components or the "closest item" that I can find. However that means that those entries are best guesses at best for calories. I am wondering how others handlle that...do you leave extra calories remaining to account for an estimate?

    I do my best to plan ahead by looking at the website before I go. Then I can record it ahead of time and not worry once I get there.
  • ghimm
    ghimm Posts: 38 Member
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    Often I'll look up what seems similar in the database and pick the one with the highest calorie count, just to be safe.
  • shining_light
    shining_light Posts: 384 Member
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    Here, often it says on the menu somewhere in small print that detailed nutritional information is available upon request... some of the wait staff think it's weird that they have to bring out the lovely laminated sheet with nutritional breakdowns on it out to you, but most seem to understand that we really are a health-conscious society. Most wait staff I've had in restaurants are very understanding about it. (and if they're not or the information isn't available, fat chance I'm ever going back)
  • IPAkiller
    IPAkiller Posts: 711 Member
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    Nutritional facts are on the other side of the bottle...
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  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
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    Same as you do. Not much else you can do.

    I just found out in CALI that it is no longer 'law' to have calorie info on menus (it use to have to be there on chain style restaurant menus) ... so that is really annoying.

    Just go with the flow ... select an item that is closest to what you ate ... and if you feel it is 'under' the calorie than add a few 'quick add calories' to your diary.

    Best of luck!
  • Levesque_7
    Levesque_7 Posts: 104
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    this has probably already been said but i look online to see if they have a website and check out the nutrition facts. Sometimes you may have to do a web search if they dont have a website, although most do these days.

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