How much for Chinese food? Calories?

Jonna13
Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Having Chinese food for dinner, how much would you estimate one plate (not heaping) will be? Will fill the plate with mostly veggies, and then springroll, fried rice and lemon chicken.

Best estimate? I know there is no way to know for sure, but just looking for a ball park figure.

Thanks!

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Plain boiled veg?

    800 should cover it
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Plain boiled veg?

    800 should cover it

    The veggies are stir fry I believe with a black bean sauce. Or with beef, but I don't like the beef so usually just pick it out.

  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
    Tblackdogs wrote: »
    At least 1000. Have you ever eaten at the fast food Chinese place, Panda Express? If you get fried rice, chicken and string beans and a spring roll, you'd be a little under 1000 calories. Food from a regular Chinese restaurant is probably comparable but it's hard to know. Anything breaded is more calories obviously and sauces add calories. Also the oil they cook stuff in adds up! But Chinese food is awesome! (Interestingly Beef and Broccoli at Panda is one of their lower calorie items!)

    Thanks! Out of curiosity I put in "Chinese food plate" in the database and this is what came up:

    09x5g157vztp.png

    Wishful thinking perhaps? Lol

    I was thinking around 800++


  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
    You have no idea what's on that plate. Might be a few grains of steamed rice.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    I’d strongly discourage just looking it up in the database as “Chinese food plate.” Log the individual items on the plate. Always estimate high for restaurant food.
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
    Once you get into added sauces, breaded and fried, etc, probably somewhere between 1000 and 1500.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
    Agree with above - look up similar items on Panda Express or somewhere else with decent nutritional information, and then estimate a little high to be safe. You have no way of knowing what someone else had on their plate.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    apullum wrote: »
    I’d strongly discourage just looking it up in the database as “Chinese food plate.” Log the individual items on the plate. Always estimate high for restaurant food.

    ^^^ this. You are much better off logging, two spring rolls, cup of rice, etc. It's still not going to be accurate, but it will be much closer than some random entry from the database.
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
    Thanks everyone! Was hoping to do it the "lazy" way, but I'll add the portions separately to the database to get a close calorie content.
  • RobD520
    RobD520 Posts: 420 Member
    PF Changs posts calorie counts for their items on their web site. Note that the calorie counts for the items do not include the rice that comes with it. Without being very careful, it is really easy to get into the 1200 and up range.
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
    At least 1000.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    Jonna13 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! Was hoping to do it the "lazy" way, but I'll add the portions separately to the database to get a close calorie content.

    If you want an accurate track, that's really the only way to do it. Look for something like Panda Express or PF Chang, and then estimate the best you can from there.

    Something like "Chinese plate" is laughably inaccurate. Because you have no clue what's on it -- if it was done by someone who wants all the deep fried food, or if it's someone who put half a scoop of fried rice on, and steamed vegetables.
  • fuzzylop72
    fuzzylop72 Posts: 651 Member
    I usually use pf changs as a rough estimate. I'm not sure if there's any better chains to use for estimates, though.

    https://www.pfchangs.com/nutrition/main-menu
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited February 2018
    Jonna13 wrote: »
    Thanks everyone! Was hoping to do it the "lazy" way, but I'll add the portions separately to the database to get a close calorie content.

    Lazy logging leads to less than great results. Even if your logging is off, your body is keeping track.
  • kittybenn
    kittybenn Posts: 444 Member
    I love Chinese takeout, and typically use the Panda Express numbers. I make my own brown rice at home on the day I'm getting it and eat that rice instead of the stir fried rice that comes with the meal. Realize I'm prob missing the best part but it's better than not having Chinese food at all!
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,547 Member
    Panda and Changs as guides. Plain rice USDA entire. My plate is not the same as your plate. That I can guarantee!
  • Iwantahealthierme30
    Iwantahealthierme30 Posts: 293 Member
    I had chinese food once since logging and used Panda Express entries to estimate. It was about 900-1000 calories (with water for a beverage)
  • kristingjertsen
    kristingjertsen Posts: 239 Member
    If you are ordering, ask for sauce on the side. You can taste test it and, depending on sugar content, decide how much to use.
  • Lesscookies1
    Lesscookies1 Posts: 250 Member
    edited February 2018
    Let's just say 1,500- 2,000 you said you'll get a lot of veggies if it's drenched in oil and soy sauce that's important. Plus you're getting fried rice, and also spring roll, and lemon chicken. This sounds like a reasonable estimate. Little tip if you weigh yourself the next day be prepared because most Chinese food has a lot of sodium, and I normally gain weight. It does come off within a week though at least for me.

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