Eating Healthy at a Buffet, Is it possible?!?!

My advice would be start with a salad and I've found those scooping spoons (for rice or anything) to be around a half cup. Just use good judgement, and remember that just because its an all you can eat buffet doesn't mean you have to stuff yourself.

Well it depends whats in the buffet. You have 4 basic strategies.

1. Portion control, moderating portions and eating less or more in accordance with your calorific allowance is one way to go. In this case all you cna eat becomes all you cna eat up to your calorie allowance.
2. Go for items that are cooked in a healthier style or are less calorie dense. Steamed, boiled and avoid things in batter, deep fried, heavy oily sauces unless it fits in 1. Soups a good starter and then you are looking for things like fish, lean protein, vegetables etc. Combine 1 and 2.
3. Allocate strageies beforehand so you have more available i.e eat lighter/less during the days leading up to it.
4. Earn extra calories by exercise.
5. Above all dont sweat it and enjoy yourself. You cna always hav an idea depending on the buffet of the calorific content and know more or less what you will have beforehand.

Thought of 2 more

6. Dont over fill your plate.
7. Chew more and eat more slowly.

I went to Golden Corral recently. Even the veggies were coated with butters and oils. I had to stick to raw salad makings.

Of course it is...the issue with a buffet is quantity, but there are plenty of healthy choices in most cases. And crab legs are pretty healthy, lean protein...not sure what the issue is here.

999tigger wrote: »

Well it depends whats in the buffet. You have 4 basic strategies.

1. Portion control, moderating portions and eating less or more in accordance with your calorific allowance is one way to go. In this case all you cna eat becomes all you cna eat up to your calorie allowance.
2. Go for items that are cooked in a healthier style or are less calorie dense. Steamed, boiled and avoid things in batter, deep fried, heavy oily sauces unless it fits in 1. Soups a good starter and then you are looking for things like fish, lean protein, vegetables etc. Combine 1 and 2.
3. Allocate strageies beforehand so you have more available i.e eat lighter/less during the days leading up to it.
4. Earn extra calories by exercise.
5. Above all dont sweat it and enjoy yourself. You cna always hav an idea depending on the buffet of the calorific content and know more or less what you will have beforehand.

Thought of 2 more

6. Dont over fill your plate.
7. Chew more and eat more slowly.

These are good tips. I like to fill up 1-2 plates of salad before trying a few mains. I will only scoop the world's smallest serving of the items i'm interested in- like, one macaroni noodle- and try everything I want to try. Then, I go back and have a serving of whatever it is I liked. Too often at buffets I used to pile on food and shovel it in my mouth so that I could try all of the things. Sometimes I wouldn't even like it that much. That's why I take tiny samples now before grabbing a big plate of anything. It has made me a real snob about desserts haha.

yes just watch portions

craftergin wrote: »

Use a salad plate for everything instead of a full sized plate.
Crab legs sounds great with a nice salad - just not macaroni salad.

If I have to go to a buffet (I hate those places sneeze guards and all HAA) I will use the salad plate for dinner items and try to go with the grilled items (chicken or fish) and then try to find some steamed veggies. Some buffet places will even have a menu to order from. If that is the case I will always take that option.

jlbrown1985 wrote: »

sullus wrote: »

I don't understand the question ... buffets are one of the easiest places to eat "healthy" no matter how you choose to define "eat healthy"

I was just asking for helpful advise on what others do. I pretty much knew everything that everyone posted I just needed a little confirmation and reassurance not made to feel stupid for asking. I guess I know why this is my first post and will probably be my last.

Thanks to everyone else who posted their input. I am taking notes. Your support is really appreciated. After all that's what MFP is all about, right?

My intent was not to make you feel stupid. I'm pointing out that you asked how to eat healthy at a buffet, without defining what "eat healthy" means to you. Is it low carb? low fat? low sodium? only blue foods?

You also said that you know you should avoid eating at buffets - but why? I would argue that you should eat at buffets because it puts you in complete control of portion size, side dishes, sauces, etc. I would argue that they are a "better" way of restaurant eating.

Again - I apologize if my post made you feel stupid. I was simply trying to point out that your assumptions and subsequent question were too broad to be addressed with definitive answers.

So I will refine my answer and give you the definitive guide to eating healthy at a buffet:

Pick food you consider to be healthy that has been prepared in a way that you define as healthy, and eat it. But not too much.

I fill up my one plate for the evening with salad and add a little meat and carb. That will be it. Cottage cheese because I love cottage cheese.

the only problem with buffet is the "all you can eat" advertising. usually the quality is not that great, and if you only eat one plate (especially of unripe veggies), it's overpriced. But it lures people in with the hope of great savings if they can just consume enough. Takes a change of mindset to face the buffet not with the intent to eat your money's worth. If there are regular menu options, perhaps order one of those so you're not so tempted by quantity, and let everyone else do buffet. On occasion, I've seen places where you can get salad bar only, instead of the whole thing. Not often, but sometimes restaurants will have that option.