Potluck tracking

Ming777
Ming777 Posts: 21 Member
in Getting Started
I wonder what other people do for entering calories after eating at a potluck? I feel it’s only polite to try a little bit of everything, but end up with no idea how much of what I ate. Today’s BBQ had 4 different coleslaws, for example. Do people just fudge the calories, I called it a generous 500 cal meal, or is there a way to estimate I haven’t thought of?

Replies

  • Danp
    Danp Posts: 1,561 Member
    For me things like this are 'exceptions' and exceptions I don't track as accurately as 'business as usual'. Exceptions are occasions that are rare or one-offs, this includes celebrations (birthdays, etc)

    One inaccurately logged 'exception' meal isn't going to even place a dent in progress I've made from the hundreds of accurately logged 'BAU' meals.

    For example I went to a buffet for a family birthday on Friday night. No way I'm gonna waste energy and time trying to track all the things I ate. It's just not worth it for a one-off situation like that so I just logged 1000 'quick' calories (which is what I use to represent an exception meal in my log) and had a good night.
  • Stockholm_Andy
    Stockholm_Andy Posts: 803 Member
    What's a "potluck"? I saw it on another thread. Is it like a buffet?
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    Stockholm_Andy wrote: »
    What's a "potluck"? I saw it on another thread. Is it like a buffet?

    Wondering the same. But coleslaw can have lots of calories, thus I don't know what you ate in total, but anything involving coleslaw with mayo that is more than a spoon of each would probably top 500 calories.
  • GoodLardy
    GoodLardy Posts: 163 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    Stockholm_Andy wrote: »
    What's a "potluck"? I saw it on another thread. Is it like a buffet?

    Wondering the same. But coleslaw can have lots of calories, thus I don't know what you ate in total, but anything involving coleslaw with mayo that is more than a spoon of each would probably top 500 calories.


    A potluck is a gathering of people where everyone brings a dish to pass. Probably the tastiest, most delicious thing they know how to cook.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    I just try to make better choices. There is usually fresh fruit and veggies, that is easy. I bring something that I know exactly what is in it. I stay away from the desserts and obvious calorie dense dishes. No one has ever commented on the choices I am making, so it really isn't an issue for me. All the potlucks I have attended, there is a list of what each of us are bringing, so there usually aren't duplicate dishes. Family potlucks are the same. I have a pretty big family, so we all are kind of asked to bring a particular dish.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    edited July 2018
    i am a picky eater so I actually never try everything. maybe that's rude i guess.

    I generally bring a meal type salad (usually quinoa based) that I can calculate. I eat less than a portion of that then veggies. From there I may try bite of this and that which I don't really count (which is why I carefully eat less than a portion of my food and log a full portion as well as the veggies). Depending how much and what I "tasted" I may ballpark a calorie count.

    to me potlucks are not where I want to splurge. Luckily they are not common and rarely are they food I really want to "splurge" on

    But if the food is good and you want to partake, i say fill up on veggies (no dip) and have small portions and just call it a no log meal or ballpark a log. as mentioned above, one iffy/bad meal won't harm overall success. We do need to live normal lives.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Stockholm_Andy wrote: »
    What's a "potluck"? I saw it on another thread. Is it like a buffet?

    Kind of. It’s a gathering where everyone brings a different dish for other to eat (appetizers, side dish, dessert).
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Take a picture and then try to estimate
  • Ming777
    Ming777 Posts: 21 Member
    Danp wrote: »
    For me things like this are 'exceptions' and exceptions I don't track as accurately as 'business as usual'. Exceptions are occasions that are rare or one-offs, this includes celebrations (birthdays, etc)

    Thanks this is helpful. I’m trying to be mindful but not obsessed. I’m in this for the long term, and this is the season when I eat out a lot!
    Next week I’ll be backpacking, kind of the opposite challenge... 🤷🏻‍♀️
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    All you can do is guess...personally, I wouldn't even bother.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited July 2018
    How would the person who made it know if you had some or not? Are they all dishing out their own stuff and keeping track of who has what? Do you know who did or didn't eat the dish that you brought?

    If they are standing there, tell them you hope to get their dish on the second go round (which ends up not happening). If someone asks, say "I did! Everything was so good!". If someone insists on seeing you eat their food or getting specific blow-by-blow reaction to their dish, they deserve to be insulted IMHO :lol:

    Eat what you want, and then estimate as best you can. There really is no way to be sure, unless you want to bring a scale and ask everyone for a list of ingredients. Don't let food rules that are mostly just in our head over-rule what you need to do for you. :drinker:
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    Try to remember the different foods you ate. i would not put cole slaw down 4 time, just once and count them all together. Take a stab at how much and use some reasonable entry in the database. I try to track even if I am pretty certain that the likelihood I got counts right is very low. Log everything; making any exceptions ever is a slippery slope. A wrong entry is 1000 times better than no entry in my book. I have been an@l about it this time and I lost 65 pounds and have kept it of for 5 months so far, longer than ever before. I think always tracking, even when I know the accuracy isn't that great, is a big part of that.
  • Dakase83
    Dakase83 Posts: 2,524 Member
    Potlucks are the devil.
  • Ming777
    Ming777 Posts: 21 Member
    Dakase83 wrote: »
    Potlucks are the devil.
    But so delicious.
  • pinkshiningstar
    pinkshiningstar Posts: 141 Member
    I'd visualize and estimate portions, track my best, and move on, making the best of out of my day. Or I'd bring my own food. I've brought my own meal container to a Super Bowl party, to a high school wrestling pizza party, etc to stay on track. You're not going to hurt anyone if you don't try their coleslaw ;)
  • iowalinda
    iowalinda Posts: 357 Member
    I notate in my food diary that the meal was a buffet/potluck. This gives me a head's up when looking back. Then I do my best to log each food I ate. I don't worry so much about whether my portion sizes or calorie counts are precise, I just concentrate on getting it all down on the record so that if it affects my weight, right away I can see why :)
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,742 Member
    My life studies group has a potluck once a month. I bring something tasty that I can eat too then depending what else is there, like last time there were pinto beans, I guessed how much a cup was & had that because it's something I eat at home too. I had a tablespoon of a few things but skipped most of everything else, like the pastries & mac salad. Someone usually brings a yummy salad so I always take my own salad dressing. Doing it this way for me allows me to enjoy the evening. Last month I brought jalapeno & cream cheese(low fat) stuffed grilled chicken breasts, everyone loved it & I pre weighed half of one to get the calories down. Dont know yet what I'll make next friday but I will also bake apple pie but won't have any
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,742 Member
    pinkshiningstar wrote: »
    I'd visualize and estimate portions, track my best, and move on, making the best of out of my day. Or I'd bring my own food. I've brought my own meal container to a Super Bowl party, to a high school wrestling pizza party, etc to stay on track. You're not going to hurt anyone if you don't try their coleslaw ;)
    I bring my own food to the Wednesday bible study, no one there minds as everyone sees how much weight i've lost & understands I don't want to gain it back
  • hroderick
    hroderick Posts: 756 Member
    OHFlamingo wrote: »
    Personally, I don't worry about being "polite" and do not feel it necessary to " try a little bit of everything" at a potluck, and certainly would not try 4 different coleslaws! I would choose what looks delicious, and do my best to log, over-estimating if in doubt. I recently went to a bridal shower, ate some fresh fruit salad and lots of veggies, skipping the dressings. And I didn't eat any of the fancy cupcakes either! No one noticed, no one commented, and I had a lovely luncheon, and estimated the calories when I got home. I don't let other people or situations determine what I eat. And if I had wanted a cupcake, I would have eaten it, and enjoyed it! And then logged it when I got home.

    What Flamingo said is right. You've got to change eating behaviors to win at this. If you've not been at it long enough to know calories, then eat before you go and graze lightly on salad without dressing. When Auntie Sue asks how you liked her new loaded mashed potato recipe: politely reply that you're allergic to mashed potatoes, they make me fat.
  • longkathleenann9291
    longkathleenann9291 Posts: 110 Member
    Just read through all the posts. It was very timely for me since I have a family reunion tomorrow that is pot luck! I’ve been under my calories all week so I have a little wiggle room. Also the meal starts at 11:00 am so I’ll probably just do coffee in the morning. I’m taking baked chicken drumsticks and fruit kabobs so I know there will be something I can eat without busting the bank!
  • fruitily
    fruitily Posts: 75 Member
    I'm going to a birthday party tomorrow. Going to eat a small meal, about 400 cal, before, and then just add 2000 calories for the day, call it a cheat meal and just eat a "reasonable" amount of food.

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