The cold hard truth about Chipotle Burrito Bowls

Edited because I have issues posting pictures.

Screw the burrito bowl, get a quesaritto and be happy.

No. This can't be true.

It's so seriously true. It's all I ever get. Be warned though - once you try it the regular burrito will never be the same.

1. Chipotle is delicious. 2. The ingredients are whole foods and fresh. 3. You can tell them how much and what you want in your bowl.

In terms of fast food I think Chipotle is the best. Even when I do get too much rice down my pie hole I still feel like I made a good choice because it's real food my body can get nutrients from and has to work to break down. Chipotle gives you nutrition based on a specific portion amount so you know to add cals if you go past that amount.

The bigger problem, in my opinion, is the bold faced WRONG information we get from some sit down restaurant's nutritional information. People have tested dishes and found way more calories than what is listed. For example, Applebee's WW menu . To me, that is where we lose real control and can end up unknowingly consuming way more calories even when we've researched the nutritional information.

Over-portioning happens. For sure. But, having worked in the food industry as someone who makes the food, I know that if you're overportioning by 70% you're going to get fired. Food is expensive. For the food industry it is (obviously) incredibly expensive and the portions given by corporate are made more to balance out cost vs. return than calories.

Moral of the story: 70% extra probably happens rarely. You want one scoop? You should ask for one scoop. It's ok to not finish your food sometimes. I'm getting a burrito bowl for lunch.

This is the same for drinks at a bar or a burger at McDonald's - bartenders/employees will often give you extra liquor/condiments, throwing off the calorie count, and feel they're doing you a favor. Eating out is always a really rough estimate, even if they do provide caloric information.

Yes because us bar tenders are very concerned about your calorie count and not our tips...... :huh:

Makes me think of Five Guys and the way they serve their "little" size fries... they fill the "little" cup, put it in the brown bag, then throw another full scoop or two of fries into the bag on top of it. I'm not saying it's not absolutely DEE-LISH and that I don't worship their fries, just that their calorie estimates for a "little" serving are probably mondo outta whack.

But I'm still not gonna take a food scale with me wherever I go.:noway:

I've always wondered if their calories on the site are for the original cup only or if the extra stuff is included...

The bigger problem, in my opinion, is the bold faced WRONG information we get from some sit down restaurant's nutritional information. People have tested dishes and found way more calories than what is listed. For example, Applebee's WW menu . To me, that is where we lose real control and can end up unknowingly consuming way more calories even when we've researched the nutritional information.

Link? I like the Applebee's light menu...

I only have one question why eat at Chipotle if there is a Hot Head Burrito nearby. Eating at Hot Head will kill ever eating at Chipotle again.

I hate moving out of Ohio and no longer having one nearby.

I only have one question why eat at Chipotle if there is a Hot Head Burrito nearby. Eating at Hot Head will kill ever eating a Chipotle again.

I hate moving out of Ohio and no longer having one nearby.

I love chipotle but I'll have to look this place up for sho

Makes me think of Five Guys and the way they serve their "little" size fries... they fill the "little" cup, put it in the brown bag, then throw another full scoop or two of fries into the bag on top of it. I'm not saying it's not absolutely DEE-LISH and that I don't worship their fries, just that their calorie estimates for a "little" serving are probably mondo outta whack.

But I'm still not gonna take a food scale with me wherever I go.:noway:

I've always wondered if their calories on the site are for the original cup only or if the extra stuff is included...

The bigger problem, in my opinion, is the bold faced WRONG information we get from some sit down restaurant's nutritional information. People have tested dishes and found way more calories than what is listed. For example, Applebee's WW menu . To me, that is where we lose real control and can end up unknowingly consuming way more calories even when we've researched the nutritional information.

Link? I like the Applebee's light menu...

There was actually a lawsuit about it (albeit frivolous in my opinion) a few years back. I found this story about it for a link http://consumerist.com/2008/10/10/lawsuits-claim-applebees-weight-watchers-food-has-too-much-fat/. It's not the restaurant's fault necessarily so I'm not trying to slam on place over another. It's just that preparation in restaurants often includes extra dabs of butter/oil and cooking next to other higher fat dishes etc. Because of this we find a lot of unknown extra cals that won't be listed in the nutritional information listed. That's one reason (besides the not eating meat thing and not wanting to be a pain modifying orders) that I like to eat at home. When I do go out, I much prefer a place like Chipotle because I feel I've got much more control and their simple offerings are prepared the same way over and over.

It's not Chipotles fault though.

I think it is their fault if their posted nutritional info is purposely understating their portion sizes by 70%.

Their calculator gives 190 calories for 4 oz of rice, which is about 1 scoop. If you order rice, and watch them throw scoop after scoop in there, whose damn fault is that?

Are we supposed to always pre-research how an item is prepped and the size of the restaurant scoops and keep count while the person makes it, when we eat out? How would you even do that someplace where you're not watching the prep? You'd have to deconstruct your food and weigh each piece.

Generally I order an item and trust the web site N.I. for the item. Knowing I can't do that at Chipotle is good info.

Yes. Personal responsibility, for the win.

So you take your food home from restaurants and take it apart and weigh each ingredient? That's some serious personal responsibility there. :laugh:

Meh...my lunch is typically around 600 - 800 calories...that has nothing to do with the actual nutritional content and whether or not it's healthy.

also, anyone who is surprised about a restaurant serving and calorie content in restaurant food is just oblivious....I'm always surprised that people are surprised...it's a bit ridiculous...

How do you know your lunch there is 600-800 calories? From the info they gave you? You're not surprised to hear it's probably more like 1400?

I'm not expecting restaurant N.I. to be dead-on. But it's normal to expect it to not be 70% off.

Look at it this way, OP... at least they didn't offer him a free pie.

Hahahaha

I hate getting more than I pay for. I want less, damn it!

You understand the point isn't about the cost, right? Not that you're getting anything more than you paid for, anyway. The same people who set the portion sizes set the prices. They just lie on the nutritional info.

OK I am not trying to be snide here but I'm not understanding the issue. When I order Chipotle, I don't select "Chipotle burrito" off MFP to log it, I enter EVERY INGREDIENT individually based upon what I ordered and eyeballing how much is in there. ie half a cup of guac (Chipotle guac is on MFP), rice, etc. Of course I'm not measuring each item on my scale but I also know when I eat out that my calories are going to be my best guess (but still pretty close). If I do this after I order but before I consume, I then know where I am in my daily allotment and can choose to eat less of my meal.

Of course if I'm just selecting someone else's Chipotle burrito off the list on MFP, I'm losing control of my intake and really have no idea what I'm getting.

Again, not trying to be snide, but this just seems like common sense to me. Am I missing something?

I always feel like the fill the bowl way way more than a regular burrito so they equal out to be the same calories, less filling + tortilla. Honestly when I go to Chipotle it is not because I care about the calories. Mmmm now I want Chipotle