Trying to understand how this is possible

lynette111
lynette111 Posts: 77 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I had to go to a family member's funeral out of town yesterday and knew I would be eating out at least twice with my extended family some of whom I rode with. So I started the day with a protein bar instead of a larger breakfast as I was told we would be stopping at a Bob Evans around 11am. I put that bar and my good Bob Evan pre-choices into mfp before leaving at 7am. At around 2pm they stopped at a McDonalds and I didn't order anything but a water to drink but I did eat 5 fries someone else ordered. I was proud of myself for stopping as I could have eaten a lot more. We then stopped on the way home around 6pm at a Max and Erma's. I really don't know that restaurant but did my best to order healthy. I ordered the Singapore Salmon but changed the sides to broccoli and a plain baked potato. I got home about 9:30pm and plugged in my numbers into the computer as I do not have a smart phone and I was floored to see that the Salmon was 1000 calories. I did check mfp entry against max and erma website and it is correct. How is that possible? It was about 6-7 ounces. It was blackened and had a little asian tasting sauce on it but not drowned in anything by any measure. I looked up salmon at other restaurants and it comes in at about 300. Anybody have any ideas? I did so good all day and pretty ticked that I picked what I thought was the healthiest main course and now it seems pretty obvious I didn't.

Replies

  • kikityme
    kikityme Posts: 472 Member
    Asian sauce: read: sugar and fat.

    Does seem high though. I'm not familiar with the restaurant. Well, live and learn...great job on the rest of the day though.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    Blackened--fried in oil

    Sauce--oil and brown sugar
  • Schila64
    Schila64 Posts: 240 Member
    I love salmon and when I eat is either baked or broiled. No sauces on top. Salmon is one fish high in calories.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Was it 1000 for the whole meal not just the salmon? Restaurant salmon with sauce might be 500? I can't see it being loads more than that?
  • msbunnie68
    msbunnie68 Posts: 1,894 Member
    I thought 1000 was about right...until I realized you were talking calories and not kilojoules!!

    I would double check that...unless is was seared in butter first...then coated in brown sugar and deep fried in oil.
  • Nedra19455
    Nedra19455 Posts: 241 Member
    I would call the restaurant and make sure that the 1000 cal doesn't include whatever sides it normally comes with.

    Ultimately, though, it would make me feel better if I found out that it wasn't as bad as I'd thought, but it wouldn't change anything. The day is over, so whether it's 1000 cal or 300 cal isn't going to affect your choices for the rest of the day. Unless you are determined to work off every excess calorie from that day precisely, it's just not going to make any difference going forward.

    I hope it was delicious! It sounds like it was tasty!
  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,731 Member
    I looked up the nutritional info and it says this: "All menu items are plated as stated on the menu unless otherwise noted" so the previous posters guessed right. The 1000 calories includes whatever sides come with the salmon on the menu.

    ETA: herb rice: 250
    steamed veggies: 80

    Still seems high.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    Oils are added to many restaurant foods because, you know, people like tasty food and stuff. Plus the sauce. Plus another 300 cal for a baked potato. So the side you replaced is a handful of rice for maybe 250-300 cal, tops. So instead of 1000 as plated calories you probably had 800.

    Who cares tho? It's just one meal out of one day. Nobody got fat from enjoying a single meal
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Blackened means coated in spices and sauteed in butter. Then you add the asian sauce and you could easily have added 200 calories to the fish, which is already a bit higher than Tuna or other white fish.
    Don't sweat it tho. You made great choices for the rest of the day, and choosing the broccoli. Baked potatoes are higher in cals, but don't remember if you had that with the Salmon, or with your earlier meal.

    This is a fine example of how restaurant foods can be so much higher than what we can cook at home. But an occasional meal out won't kill you.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    u wish u had the mcdonalds huh?
  • k1431
    k1431 Posts: 18 Member
    I would not have guessed that about the salmon either. You did a great job staying on track & handled a difficult situation very well. Congrats!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    u wish u had the mcdonalds huh?

    basically. mcdouble is 350 cal and 25 grams of protein for like $1.50. bet that max and erma's wasn't no dolla fitty
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    I would call the restaurant and make sure that the 1000 cal doesn't include whatever sides it normally comes with.

    Ultimately, though, it would make me feel better if I found out that it wasn't as bad as I'd thought, but it wouldn't change anything. The day is over, so whether it's 1000 cal or 300 cal isn't going to affect your choices for the rest of the day. Unless you are determined to work off every excess calorie from that day precisely, it's just not going to make any difference going forward.

    I hope it was delicious! It sounds like it was tasty!

    If you watch a weekly deficit rather than a daily one, 700 calories can be a pretty massive deal :flowerforyou: I love the idea of enjoying the heck out of one meal but still feel gypped when my lower cal plans get thwarted! Not for too long, though. Heheh
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    u wish u had the mcdonalds huh?

    basically. mcdouble is 350 cal and 25 grams of protein for like $1.50. bet that max and erma's wasn't no dolla fitty

    The mcdouble is my go to need food source. It's $1.29 here, because midwest dollars. Alternatively, Freddy's is $5 for about double the calories. (Mmmm, Freddy's burgers. I think I know what I'm having for lunch today.)


    (Disclaimer: I tried to read OP, but I lost interest about 50 words in. I scanned the responses hoping someone had provided a TL;DR, but no luck.)
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    TL;DR: a piece of salmon was 1000 calories from a Mom and Pop shop. WTF?
  • November_Fire
    November_Fire Posts: 165 Member
    Some things are just crazy calories. I think they sneak them in with lard. I was looking at a "stir fry shot" today, a tiny little packet of flavourings for stir fries. It was I-kid-you-freakin'-not, 326 calories. It only gave the 100g values in the nutrition table - and that was 653 - and it was a 50g sachet. The front made it look like it just contained herbs. I can't think how they crammed 326 calories into a tiny sachet, stuffed in the 'healthy' aisle.

    There's a café near me that does toasted sandwiches - mushroom and emmental, chicken salad, mmm. Not one is under 550 cals. I don't know where they squeeze 'em in, but they do.

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