How do you calorie count when eating out?

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cjl2535
cjl2535 Posts: 89
in Food and Nutrition
I'm just wondering what everyone else does for calorie counting when eating out? Specifically at a place where there are no nutritional information available? =/

Thanks!
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Replies

  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
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    find something as close as possible in the database and chose the one that seems like it makes the most sense.

    it also helps if you can substitute stuff for something that is in the database. for instance a boba drink from the place i go top might not be in the database, so i'll just choose the same drink and size from one that is.
  • atreides42
    atreides42 Posts: 51 Member
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    I estimate and use the closest things I can find. It is difficult and not accurate. Or, choose chain restaurants that publish their nutritional information.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    I don't.
  • IUSE2BAHEAVYHITTER
    IUSE2BAHEAVYHITTER Posts: 105 Member
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    It's very hard I usually don't so I only eat out when I'm having a cheat moment ... or ear at restaurants they have dieters section most places have them now????
  • blackcrossknight
    blackcrossknight Posts: 26 Member
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    You can look online for nutritional information on their sites usually, and if not, then you can usually search and find an average calorie count. I like Chinese food, and the place I order out from doesn't have a site or calorie info on their menus, so I've just gone online to find a lo mein average calorie count and gone off that.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
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    if there is no nutritional info available then I wont eat there. my hubbie knows this by now. I refuse to eat mystery food. I guess if you had to then stick to basic items, be picky and insist on no oil, butter or creams on your lean piece of meat (pork, chicken or steak) avoid the starchy sides and double up on your vegetables. order sparkling or plain water. use your hand as a judge for the portion sizes and ask for a to go container in case they bring you too much out.
  • ramiromuniz1
    ramiromuniz1 Posts: 13 Member
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    I usually save eating out at restaurants or fast food spots for the weekends and make it my cheat day since my family loves going out on the weekends to eat. If its a cheat day then I have no care in the world lol but if its not my cheat day then I tend to stick to something low in calories. Meaning I get a salad, or chicken, vegetables, etc. If you get a salad and they give you extra salad then it will only hurt you by like no more than a couple calories, keep in my mind this is just the vegetable portion im talking about, not taking sauce into consideration. As if it were something like mac and cheese or ice cream, if they give you extra then you can easily add 200 calories. Ask for any type of dressing to be put off to the side so you can add as you like. Usually when I do this I make sure I either get some cardio in or if not then I keep my daily calories under 100 whatever my goal is.
  • ramiromuniz1
    ramiromuniz1 Posts: 13 Member
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    Also stick with water as a drink, or if you're feeling a little adventurous get a diet soda. Im not too big on getting water at any restaurant. Dont know if its coming from the hose lmao
  • WildcatDeLalune
    WildcatDeLalune Posts: 74 Member
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    I look up the restaurant's menu on their website and see if they have a listing of nutritional information there prior to eating out. This makes it easy to pick out what I want before-hand--or at least narrow down some choices.
  • marquishagetaka
    marquishagetaka Posts: 322
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    A lot of the chain foods are listed, but I usually find something close to it and add
  • tootchute
    tootchute Posts: 392 Member
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    Today we had a cheat day at the chinese food place close to my house, no info, so what I did was put down Panda express as my guide.
  • cjl2535
    cjl2535 Posts: 89
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    Thank you so much for your replies everyone :D

    I just wish all restaurants would have nutritional info listed :C

    I find that especially the non-chain ones (ie. Korean restaurants) don't really seem to list this =/

    I guess I will try and find an estimate for the foods and hope for the best :P
  • mike_ny
    mike_ny Posts: 351 Member
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    Make the best guess you can based on available info or similar items in the database and up the portion size to bump up the total numbers a bit. Published calories can often be on the lower side of what actually ends up on your plate. Cooks and servers are often generous with portions since they do work for tips. Regardless, it's better to be off by being over a few hundred calories or so than under in your guessing.

    Don't stress about it too much and move on. Estimates when eating out are close to impossible to guess or verify with any accuracy. You know you'll be over your target, so cut back the next couple days to compensate and it all should net out for the week.
  • SrJoben
    SrJoben Posts: 484 Member
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    If you're faced with several close matches in the database probably go with the higher calorie one. A lot of restaurant food is crazy calorie dense.

    It shouldn't be that big a deal unless you eat out a lot though. A few hundred calories this way or that over the course of a week won't make of break your diet.
  • succeedin2
    succeedin2 Posts: 501 Member
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    I tell them specifically how I want my dish prepared the waiter talks to the Chef to confirm prior to my order for example: chicken breast sautéed in olive oil, two servings of veggies instead of the starch and for me no bread.
  • theCaityCat
    theCaityCat Posts: 84 Member
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    If I can find something in the database that's close, I enter that. If not, I don't bother. I don't eat out very often, so it's not going to hurt anything if I don't track calories for a day or two a month.
  • Lesleycali
    Lesleycali Posts: 236 Member
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    I try to stick with really simple things, like a grilled strip steak that is 6 oz and get the sauce on the side and with steamed veggies. (There are a lot less surprises that way then say...chicken cordon blue)

    Then match that to the MFP database, maybe including a TBS of olive oil. And like a PP said, green salads are pretty easy, dressing on the side. Shrimp cocktail, poached fish, baked chicken breast with some simple veggie side- things with very few ingredients, even if they are not inherently low cal, they are easier to guestimate.

    For lunch I'll get a fruit salad and 2 eggs, again something that is easy to estimate. But maybe once a month I just go with whatever I want and do my best to log it, and then move on. Once in awhile should not harm, especially if you get extra work out time that day.
  • ramiromuniz1
    ramiromuniz1 Posts: 13 Member
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    Great minds think alike lol
  • Lesleycali
    Lesleycali Posts: 236 Member
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    Great minds think alike lol

    it's true!
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
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    If you are at a restaurant that doesn't offer nutritional info (either through the database or websites), I heard an approach on a different post that some people will de -construct the dish and enter each item separately based on what you can find in the data base. They then add 10% to account for errors in estimations. I've never tried this myself. It was just a different approach that I thought I would share in case its something that might work for you.

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