How often do you dine out? For lunch? For dinner?
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Those of you who don't eat out much, do you have families to feed? If so what are things you eat for dinner when you are super busy and don't have time to cook a big meal?? That is what I struggle with.
Slow cookers are your friend. Throw everything in in the morning, cook while your out and its ready when you get in.
Mine has a keep warm function which is handy for times everyone needs to eat seperatley due to clubs/ work commitments etc3 -
We eat out at least once a week. At first I found it tricky, even picking the meals that would be the lowest calories and making sure to eat less if it was a big portion. What I find tricky is knowing what to log it as, and knowing that my week probably won't be as accurate as I can't be sure what I've logged is correct. I agree with the OP that eating out was a thing that threw me off counting calories earlier on as it was a lifestyle I didn't want to give up.
Now I just exercise more on the day we're eating out so I have those few extra calories.1 -
Growing up we never ate out. There were rare occurrences for special occasions, but I grew up learning how to cook & bake. We do the same with our kids although we do go out ~once every two weeks to celebrate something or just try something new.
This helps both the financial and calorie budget.2 -
Those of you who don't eat out much, do you have families to feed? If so what are things you eat for dinner when you are super busy and don't have time to cook a big meal?? That is what I struggle with.
Every weekend I do roasts, as big as I can get. Pot roasts, pork roasts, spare ribs, lamb shanks, turkey, chicken... I intentionally make lots of leftovers and put them up in Ziplocks and freeze them in serving sizes. I've always got a bunch in the freezer. They heat up pretty quickly and I serve them with frozen vegetables and Simply Potatoes or a rice dish like Vigo's or one of the Rice a Roni dishes.
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WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »Those of you who don't eat out much, do you have families to feed? If so what are things you eat for dinner when you are super busy and don't have time to cook a big meal?? That is what I struggle with.
Every weekend I do roasts, as big as I can get. Pot roasts, pork roasts, spare ribs, lamb shanks, turkey, chicken... I intentionally make lots of leftovers and put them up in Ziplocks and freeze them in serving sizes. I've always got a bunch in the freezer. They heat up pretty quickly and I serve them with frozen vegetables and Simply Potatoes or a rice dish like Vigo's or one of the Rice a Roni dishes.
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.1 -
I mainly have home cooked meals.
Eating out at a proper sit-down restaurant - Never
Take away from a fast food restaurant - Once per month
Social meals at friends houses - Once per week (sometimes at my house)1 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »Those of you who don't eat out much, do you have families to feed? If so what are things you eat for dinner when you are super busy and don't have time to cook a big meal?? That is what I struggle with.
Every weekend I do roasts, as big as I can get. Pot roasts, pork roasts, spare ribs, lamb shanks, turkey, chicken... I intentionally make lots of leftovers and put them up in Ziplocks and freeze them in serving sizes. I've always got a bunch in the freezer. They heat up pretty quickly and I serve them with frozen vegetables and Simply Potatoes or a rice dish like Vigo's or one of the Rice a Roni dishes.
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.
You know that's the uncooked volume? And that that cooks up to about 1 cup prepared? (And that the calories are lower if you don't add as much oil/margarine/whatever as the package suggests?) I'm not suggesting it's an awesome choice but, calorically, it's about the same as most other starches.2 -
I do not like to eat out lunch during the work week. I always prepare my breakfast and lunch for work. It saves money and calories. If I do need lunch tho I pick up a salad somewhere or like today I go to the grocery store and pick up a bag of romaine. I keep cheese and dressing in the fridge at work. I do eat out every other weekend, 1-3 times that weekend.1
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I am trying to eat out less, not because of weight loss but because it costs so much. But prior to that, I would eat out once or maybe twice a week. Mostly socially, like if I was meeting with friends or going shopping with friends and stopped for ice cream.
When I go to burger places, I skip the fries because I don't like them anyway. So that cuts down on calories. At sit-down places, I go in planning to save about half the meal as leftovers. Half of a restaurant meal is usually not too bad in terms of calories.
I've also become a lot more adept at listening to my body. Once I realize I feel full, I stop eating. Sounds simple, doesn't it? But I used to try to clean the plate, even if I was feeling stuffed, so I wouldn't 'waste' food. Nowadays I just remind myself that I am taking the leftovers home to eat the next day, so it's not being wasted.1 -
When I feel too lazy to cook (which has been too often lately).
Unfortunately going out for dinner always puts me over, because I rarely have over 500 calories left for it. I get hungry earlier in the day so a big lunch out typically works better. It's extremely hard to eat out for under 500 calories too unfortunately (I don't like chains, typically not worth the calories to me).
And yeah... $14 for grilled meat, veggies, and potatoes, vs $8 for a 1000 calorie burger and fries. Sigh.3 -
Those of you who don't eat out much, do you have families to feed? If so what are things you eat for dinner when you are super busy and don't have time to cook a big meal?? That is what I struggle with.
Family of 3. I prepare dinner daily.
Eggs
Pasta
Bean and cheese burrito
Tacos
Big salad
Fish
Sloppy joes
Bbq pork, beef or chicken sandwiches- leftover cooked shredded meat & bbq sauce heated through
Grilled cheese sandwich or quesadilla
Grilled food like burgers, chicken or vegetables
Pizza using tortilla or garlic bread for crust- bake about 10 minutes
Leftovers- make a big pot of soup once a week, reheats and freezes well
Packaged frozen foods- vegetables, veggie burgers, battered fish fillets
Use slow cooker. Dump stuff in and walk away for 8 hours.
It takes a few minutes to prep a chicken breast or potato and put it in the oven to bake. While it may take longer to cook I do not need to be in the kitchen while it is happening so I can do other things.
Prep some things in advance. Keep cooked meats in your freezer to quickly add to dishes. Use frozen vegetables.
Cook double and freeze the extra for a busy/sick day. Look up feed the freezer or OAMC (once a month cooking).1 -
WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »I have dinner in a restaurant no more than twice a week. It's just too caloric and stressful to try to eat reasonably in restaurants in order to manage weight. And I never "do lunch" at better restaurants. They are caloric nuclear bombs. I'll have a hot dog at BK or a hamburger at McD's, but no more than twice a week. A small percent of my clients insist that they must dine out a lot for one reason or another. The ones who do usually give up trying to eat responsibly pretty quickly and go back to gaining weight. They literally choose to gain weight rather than change. A few do OK dining out a lot, but it's rare. Most successful clients fix their own meals. What do you do?
You can eat out and still lose weight. Just have to make the right choices.
This past March, I did all my lunch and dinners eating out....
Posted about it here, if you wanna look.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10534218/fast-food-for-the-month2 -
Ideally I eat at home because it's cheaper (most of the time) and I like to add better quality fats to my food but I love having the option to choose something outside of the home when out and about or just plain lazy!1
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Those of you who don't eat out much, do you have families to feed? If so what are things you eat for dinner when you are super busy and don't have time to cook a big meal?? That is what I struggle with.
It's much faster to cook than to eat out, lol. Put some meat in a pan/on the grill, microwave some frozen veggies, that takes maybe 15 minutes total... vs going out and waiting for your food. No brainer. Even buying premade meatballs to have on pasta or whatever will still be cheaper than going out (except sometimes when kids eat free and you have a bunch of those, lol). I don't like meat in the crockpot unfortunately so it does limit my options.
For me though the issue often is that I'm picky and sick of the same meals after 4 years and too lazy to cook something fancier... so I want to go out (and regret it instantly when my kids start complaining about everything).2 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.
Actually 1/3 cup of prepared Spanish Rice a Roni is about 85 calories, not 300. Rice can be a great deal!0 -
WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.
Actually 1/3 cup of prepared Spanish Rice a Roni is about 85 calories, not 300. Rice can be a great deal!
No, you're mistaken. My original quote of 300 calories was for the Chicken Rice a Roni, since you hadn't specified which type. The Spanish one *is* a bit less, but is still a hefty 230 calories for a 1/3 cup, not 85 as you state.1 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.
Actually 1/3 cup of prepared Spanish Rice a Roni is about 85 calories, not 300. Rice can be a great deal!
No, you're mistaken. My original quote of 300 calories was for the Chicken Rice a Roni, since you hadn't specified which type. The Spanish one *is* a bit less, but is still a hefty 230 calories for a 1/3 cup, not 85 as you state.
I think you're just confused about dry vs cooked. 1/3 cup dry is 230 calories, so cooked it would indeed be close to 85 calories for 1/3 cup.
That being said, a serving of seasoned rice pretty much everywhere is going to be close to 300 calories as well.1 -
snickerscharlie wrote: »WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.
Actually 1/3 cup of prepared Spanish Rice a Roni is about 85 calories, not 300. Rice can be a great deal!
No, you're mistaken. My original quote of 300 calories was for the Chicken Rice a Roni, since you hadn't specified which type. The Spanish one *is* a bit less, but is still a hefty 230 calories for a 1/3 cup, not 85 as you state.
I think you're just confused about dry vs cooked. 1/3 cup dry is 230 calories, so cooked it would indeed be close to 85 calories for 1/3 cup.
That being said, a serving of seasoned rice pretty much everywhere is going to be close to 300 calories as well.
There's two sets of nutrition facts on the back of the label. One for "As Packaged" and another for "As Prepared." Both are based on the rice when dry. One reflects the calories for just the basic rice and seasoning mix. This is done for those who may not want to add the the butter or margarine or the can of tomatoes. The second includes the added butter or margarine, and, in the case of Spanish Rice, the canned tomatoes. As packaged, the caloric count is 190 for 56 grams. Prepared, it jumps to 230 for 56 grams, equivalent being 2.0 ounces or 1/3 of a cup.
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snickerscharlie wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.
Actually 1/3 cup of prepared Spanish Rice a Roni is about 85 calories, not 300. Rice can be a great deal!
No, you're mistaken. My original quote of 300 calories was for the Chicken Rice a Roni, since you hadn't specified which type. The Spanish one *is* a bit less, but is still a hefty 230 calories for a 1/3 cup, not 85 as you state.
I think you're just confused about dry vs cooked. 1/3 cup dry is 230 calories, so cooked it would indeed be close to 85 calories for 1/3 cup.
That being said, a serving of seasoned rice pretty much everywhere is going to be close to 300 calories as well.
There's two sets of nutrition facts on the back of the label. One for "As Packaged" and another for "As Prepared." Both are based on the rice when dry. One reflects the calories for just the basic rice and seasoning mix. The second includes the added butter or margarine, and, in the case of Spanish Rice, the canned tomatoes. As packaged, the caloric count is 190 for 56 grams. Prepared, it jumps to 230 for 56 grams, equivalent being 2.0 ounces or 1/3 of a cup.
Right, but what we're saying is that that "as prepared" information is for "take 2 oz (or 1/3 cup) and prepare it". It sounds like you're suggesting that the nutritional information is for a 1/3 cup serving of prepared rice not for a serving prepared from 1/3 cup of rice.1 -
SusanMFindlay wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »WilliamAndersonLMHC wrote: »snickerscharlie wrote: »
For the almost 300 calories that a scant 1/3 of a cup of Rice a Roni costs, eating out isn't such a bad option.
Actually 1/3 cup of prepared Spanish Rice a Roni is about 85 calories, not 300. Rice can be a great deal!
No, you're mistaken. My original quote of 300 calories was for the Chicken Rice a Roni, since you hadn't specified which type. The Spanish one *is* a bit less, but is still a hefty 230 calories for a 1/3 cup, not 85 as you state.
I think you're just confused about dry vs cooked. 1/3 cup dry is 230 calories, so cooked it would indeed be close to 85 calories for 1/3 cup.
That being said, a serving of seasoned rice pretty much everywhere is going to be close to 300 calories as well.
There's two sets of nutrition facts on the back of the label. One for "As Packaged" and another for "As Prepared." Both are based on the rice when dry. One reflects the calories for just the basic rice and seasoning mix. The second includes the added butter or margarine, and, in the case of Spanish Rice, the canned tomatoes. As packaged, the caloric count is 190 for 56 grams. Prepared, it jumps to 230 for 56 grams, equivalent being 2.0 ounces or 1/3 of a cup.
Right, but what we're saying is that that "as prepared" information is for "take 2 oz (or 1/3 cup) and prepare it". It sounds like you're suggesting that the nutritional information is for a 1/3 cup serving of prepared rice not for a serving prepared from 1/3 cup of rice.
No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm actually saying the same thing you are.
That one serving, which sprang from 1/3 of a cup of the dry ingredients will be 230 grams when prepared. The rice/pasta will usually double its volume, which occurs from the rice/pasta absorbing water and expanding while cooking.
If you only ate 1/3 of a cup of the finished product instead of one serving, yes, the calories would decline. But 1/3 of cooked rice is about three level tablespoons - nowhere near the portion size - and certainly not a satisfying amount.
My point is - and was - that for the calories in a serving of Rice a Roni, I could eat out at a restaurant *and* do better calorically than stay home and eat that. Rice a Roni is pretty much a caloric bomb. The very same thing the OP was criticizing restaurants meals for.
Bottom line? People need to educate themselves so they can make better choices. And better choices are everywhere to be found. At home *and* when eating out.2
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