Logging a meal you didn't cook?

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bringingsexyback2007
bringingsexyback2007 Posts: 79 Member
in Food and Nutrition
If you eat dinner at a friend or relatives house, how would you log it? You don't know how they cooked their meal, what they cooked it in or what they added to it. Is it just a rule of thumb not to eat what you don't know is in it?

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  • tchereej
    tchereej Posts: 18 Member
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    I think over time you learn to kind of eyeball how many calories are in a meal. I wouldn't rely on it long term but I can usually guess what a meal is worth within 1-200 calories. So even if you're off 200 calories once in a week or month it won't be a significant issue. I usually try to be under my calories by 40-50 each day to allow for those times that I may have to guess. I think it works out in the long run. That would certainly not apply if someone else was cooking your meals every day though!
  • ThatsSOcleve
    ThatsSOcleve Posts: 39
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    True, I have many problems with this issue. However it is not rude to ask them how they cooked the meal, I'm sure the meal was great. When I go to a friends house to eat... I say this is fantastic, what did you put in this? That's kinda making it not rude or awkward that your watching your weight. Sure your not going to have the EXACT AMOUNT but you'll defiantly have a better ballpark.
  • lebbyloses
    lebbyloses Posts: 133 Member
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    Sometimes I avoid eating things if I don't know what's in them, but that's more of a party or potluck tactic. You don't want to be the weirdo who doesn't get invited places. Are your friends and family preparing completely un recognizable foods? If so, I'd ask what it is. Assuming they are mostly cooking foods you CAN identify and you just don't know what recipe they might have used, just pick something in the database that seems close. You can tweak it and pick a lower calorie option when your health-conscious best friend cooks and a high-calorie option when your mayo-loving mom does. And try to eat more of the things that are healthy (veggies, salad) and only have a little bit of dessert.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I log the ingredients, as far as I know then, while guestimating the amounts, Then I add a tablespoon of oil to my log, unless I can tell there was very little oil in it.
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
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    Ask for the recipe :wink:
  • davepearson86
    davepearson86 Posts: 158 Member
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    Guess and overestimate. Generally everything I'm not measuring I'm overestimating.
  • Rachelc1992
    Rachelc1992 Posts: 246 Member
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    I cook 4 nights a week and my host family cool the other 3! Whilst I never know the calories precise I always know it's healthy because they are very very healthy people! So I never worry too much :)!
  • bjdw_1977
    bjdw_1977 Posts: 442 Member
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    I log the ingredients, as far as I know then, while guestimating the amounts, Then I add a tablespoon of oil to my log, unless I can tell there was very little oil in it.

    This is exactly what i do too.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    I search for the meals I ate and log the calories that way. There will be so many different options and since it's a guesstimate, I'll try for the higher entries if possible
  • bringingsexyback2007
    bringingsexyback2007 Posts: 79 Member
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    Thanks for the advice everyone. I definitely make eating what someone else makes an occasion because I don't like not knowing lol. I seemed to be invited to eat over at a family members house 2-3 times this week. I never know what they cooked the rice in or what the grilled chicken is marinated in. I think I am going to only accept dinner offers like once a month until I get closer to my goal weight just to be safe. I enjoy preparing my own meals and knowing that they are healthy.

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