What do you guys do when you eat dinner at someone's house (and have to estimate calories etc?)

wokemel85
wokemel85 Posts: 9 Member
edited August 2016 in Success Stories
Tomorrow I'm going to have dinner with my best friend and her husband. He is making some kind of meatballs in a creamy cheesy sauce, mashed potatoes, and some kind of homemade dip with chips. But I won't be able to find out the exact calories in that. I'm sure eating a portion of chips will be fine, I can correctly add that, and the potatoes I can eyeball a half-cup serving, but as for the dip and meatballs, not sure how to estimate the calories in that.
What do you guys do in these situations?

Replies

  • peterbuller8
    peterbuller8 Posts: 155 Member
    As above a rough guess is all i do no big deal for a one off
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,161 Member
    I usually just guess. Sometimes I will ask for the recipe and add it to the recipe builder. I do that a lot with family members.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,324 Member
    Do cardio for one hour and add it to your calories for the day..and then try not to overeat.. you should be fine.
  • corbinskiii
    corbinskiii Posts: 135 Member
    Estimate high and eat a little less that day if you're super worried, one bad meal won't make you fat just like one salad won't make you thin. Enjoy yourself but don't over indulge, that's my rule of thumb.
  • TangledThread
    TangledThread Posts: 312 Member
    I find the food in the mfp database and choose one of higher calorie options. It's an estimate but better than nothing.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    I just make a guesstimate and use the quick add calories.
  • Trish1c
    Trish1c Posts: 549 Member
    edited August 2016
    Asking for the recipe if you can't figure it out. Eat less. Guess high. If you are really concerned, eat a carrot before you go & drink a lot of water while you are there. Also chew very slowly so you eat less.

    Remember, it's one meal. You are not wholesale going back to your old ways.

    You can do this!
  • jvtchong
    jvtchong Posts: 59 Member
    Enjoy your evening, estimate high when logging cals and move on. But mostly enjoy that someone else has made you a meal! :smile:
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Just eat small portions and move on. One meal in the scheme of the rest of your life is not going matter.
  • fireytiger
    fireytiger Posts: 236 Member
    I tend to do the same thing as going to a restaurant that doesn't have calories available online: I look through the MFP database, find the closest thing I can, and pick one of the higher calorie count ones. And then I move on. It's not worth getting bent out of shape over a couple meals in your life that maybe aren't the best for you. :)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I don't log and haven't in almost 3.5 years...I know what a reasonable serving of food is...I don't need to know exactly what the calories are and obsess over that. When I did log I'd generally just chalk it up to a nice time out and not worry about it...in the grand scheme of things it's pretty irrelevant.
  • ObsidianMist
    ObsidianMist Posts: 519 Member
    I just say *kitten* it and let myself have a day of glorious eating and don't worry about it.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,609 Member
    One thing I might do is to look up the recipe online ... find something that resembles it and use the calorie count from that.
  • mnvicke
    mnvicke Posts: 103 Member
    I'm so glad I saw this post - I will be going to a friend's house in a few weeks for a get-together, and I was wondering the exact same thing. Lots of great insight. Thanks!! :smiley:
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
    I just eat smaller portions. Don't worry about it too much and tomorrow is a new day.
  • MARILYNENA
    MARILYNENA Posts: 53 Member
    I try to eat healthy I keep to portion control and avoid the chips and dips. I rather spend my calories on stuff that my body needs. I estimate high on the calories just to be safe and I really enjoy my self by being active,
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