Help! Chinese buffet!
ReBeccaO1993
Posts: 40 Member
Help! I’m going to a work lunch at a Chinese Buffet tomorrow. I know this type of food is very unhealthy and loaded in sodium... Does anyone have ANY tips on what might be the “healthiest” or rather “less unhealthy” items on the menu at a traditional Chinese Buffet?
What should I avoid and what should I mainly consume to limit calories, fat and sodium?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Thank you!
What should I avoid and what should I mainly consume to limit calories, fat and sodium?
Any tips would be greatly appreciated!!!!
Thank you!
1
Replies
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Personally I wouldn't be worried about the fat and sodium as much as just keeping the calories in check. Avoid things with breading (egg rolls and crab rangoons) and sweet sauces (General Tso, Sesame Chicken...). Look for steamed options and lots of veggies. I would go for chicken & broccoli, egg drop soup, shrimp & greens beans... They also typically have fresh fruit options so I would likely get some of that. Also, right before leaving maybe eat a small healthy snack and have a glass of water so you aren't SO hungry when you get there.
Hope this helps!
4 -
If you've been counting calories for a while, you may already be developing a sense of which foods are higher calorie and which are lower calorie. If I want to do lower calorie at a buffet, I will tend towards non-fried items and be mindful of my portions of calorie dense foods like noodles, rice, and sauces (at least sweet ones). Vegetable dishes are sometimes lower calorie (depending on preparation) and you may also be able to find a broth-based soup that is lower in calories as well. Sodium is likely to be higher no matter what you choose, that's just the nature of restaurant food in general (and lots of Chinese buffet food in particular).
4 -
janejellyroll wrote: »If you've been counting calories for a while, you may already be developing a sense of which foods are higher calorie and which are lower calorie. If I want to do lower calorie at a buffet, I will tend towards non-fried items and be mindful of my portions of calorie dense foods like noodles, rice, and sauces (at least sweet ones). Vegetable dishes are sometimes lower calorie (depending on preparation) and you may also be able to find a broth-based soup that is lower in calories as well. Sodium is likely to be higher no matter what you choose, that's just the nature of restaurant food in general (and lots of Chinese buffet food in particular).
Thank you SO MUCH! I’ve only just started counting calories on Monday, so I’m still very new to this and unknowledgeable sadly. I will steer clear of noodles and rice and aim for veggies and soups! 😃
Do you think wings and chicken balls would be a “good” choice since it’s meat and likely high protein?0 -
Personally I wouldn't be worried about the fat and sodium as much as just keeping the calories in check. Avoid things with breading (egg rolls and crab rangoons) and sweet sauces (General Tso, Sesame Chicken...). Look for steamed options and lots of veggies. I would go for chicken & broccoli, egg drop soup, shrimp & greens beans... They also typically have fresh fruit options so I would likely get some of that. Also, right before leaving maybe eat a small healthy snack and have a glass of water so you aren't SO hungry when you get there.
Hope this helps!
Thank you, this does help! I will load up on chicken, veggies and fruit and see if they do have egg drop soup at that location. I know they have wonton soup, I’m not sure if that would be a “good” option?
I like the idea of partly filling prior to the lunch, I’ll definitely do that too - hadn’t even crossed my mind! Thanks again! 😄1 -
anonymous_user1993 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »If you've been counting calories for a while, you may already be developing a sense of which foods are higher calorie and which are lower calorie. If I want to do lower calorie at a buffet, I will tend towards non-fried items and be mindful of my portions of calorie dense foods like noodles, rice, and sauces (at least sweet ones). Vegetable dishes are sometimes lower calorie (depending on preparation) and you may also be able to find a broth-based soup that is lower in calories as well. Sodium is likely to be higher no matter what you choose, that's just the nature of restaurant food in general (and lots of Chinese buffet food in particular).
Thank you SO MUCH! I’ve only just started counting calories on Monday, so I’m still very new to this and unknowledgeable sadly. I will steer clear of noodles and rice and aim for veggies and soups! 😃
Do you think wings and chicken balls would be a “good” choice since it’s meat and likely high protein?
Wings can be prepared in a lot of different ways, but they're often fried and coated in sweeter sauces. No need to avoid entirely, just be mindful of your portion size. I'm not familiar with chicken balls, but Google indicates they may be fried and battered? If so, this will add to the calories.
You can look up generic database entries for the things you're considering and get a ballpark estimate of the calorie value before you go. This can help you figure out what size portion you'd like to have. It won't be completely accurate, but I find it to be better than going in blind.
And the good news is, since you're just getting started, you'll only get better that this! The beginning was the hardest part for me, after a bit I got much more confident estimating what the lower calorie choices were.2 -
I go to Chinese once a week. I stick to one plate and one bowl now. Play around with MFP food database before going and look up your favorite items so you can budget your calories.
My old menu (measurements come from learning to eyeball based on home scale): 3-5 oz Honey chicken, 5 oz butter potatoes, 4-8 sweet & sour with Ketchup, 4-6 steamed dumplings, full plate of Lo Mein, fortune cookie. Sometimes had other types of chicken, depending on hunger level.
My new menu: 2-4 oz Honey chicken OR same amount of a different sauced chicken, 4 piece sweet & sour chicken with 1 oz (ish) ketchup, 3 dumplings, soup-cup of chow mein (healthier than lo mein), fortune cookie.
Is it still calorie heavy compared to home cooking? Yes. But it gets me my favorites, in smaller portions, and I can always fit the amount of calories in my budget for the day.1 -
anonymous_user1993 wrote: »Personally I wouldn't be worried about the fat and sodium as much as just keeping the calories in check. Avoid things with breading (egg rolls and crab rangoons) and sweet sauces (General Tso, Sesame Chicken...). Look for steamed options and lots of veggies. I would go for chicken & broccoli, egg drop soup, shrimp & greens beans... They also typically have fresh fruit options so I would likely get some of that. Also, right before leaving maybe eat a small healthy snack and have a glass of water so you aren't SO hungry when you get there.
Hope this helps!
Thank you, this does help! I will load up on chicken, veggies and fruit and see if they do have egg drop soup at that location. I know they have wonton soup, I’m not sure if that would be a “good” option?
I like the idea of partly filling prior to the lunch, I’ll definitely do that too - hadn’t even crossed my mind! Thanks again! 😄
You're welcome! Yes, I think wonton soup would be fine as well. A buffet is a great opportunity to try things you may not usually try since you can get a little of everything!1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »anonymous_user1993 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »If you've been counting calories for a while, you may already be developing a sense of which foods are higher calorie and which are lower calorie. If I want to do lower calorie at a buffet, I will tend towards non-fried items and be mindful of my portions of calorie dense foods like noodles, rice, and sauces (at least sweet ones). Vegetable dishes are sometimes lower calorie (depending on preparation) and you may also be able to find a broth-based soup that is lower in calories as well. Sodium is likely to be higher no matter what you choose, that's just the nature of restaurant food in general (and lots of Chinese buffet food in particular).
Thank you SO MUCH! I’ve only just started counting calories on Monday, so I’m still very new to this and unknowledgeable sadly. I will steer clear of noodles and rice and aim for veggies and soups! 😃
Do you think wings and chicken balls would be a “good” choice since it’s meat and likely high protein?
Wings can be prepared in a lot of different ways, but they're often fried and coated in sweeter sauces. No need to avoid entirely, just be mindful of your portion size. I'm not familiar with chicken balls, but Google indicates they may be fried and battered? If so, this will add to the calories.
You can look up generic database entries for the things you're considering and get a ballpark estimate of the calorie value before you go. This can help you figure out what size portion you'd like to have. It won't be completely accurate, but I find it to be better than going in blind.
And the good news is, since you're just getting started, you'll only get better that this! The beginning was the hardest part for me, after a bit I got much more confident estimating what the lower calorie choices were.
Ah good point for the chicken balls that makes sense given the batter. The wings at this location don’t seem to be sauced, they’re rather “dry” but very salty hehe.
Thanks I hadn’t thought of that, I’ll see if I can find the nutrition facts for other Chinese buffet places as that location doesn’t have anything of the sort.
That’s inspiring, I hope it’s the case for me as well. So far I’ve been sticking to the same diet all week because I meal prep on Sundays for my entire week. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the nutritional facts for some of the items and completely traumatized by the facts for certain foods lol.
Thank you for taking the time to help me. I appreciate it. 😊1 -
anonymous_user1993 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »If you've been counting calories for a while, you may already be developing a sense of which foods are higher calorie and which are lower calorie. If I want to do lower calorie at a buffet, I will tend towards non-fried items and be mindful of my portions of calorie dense foods like noodles, rice, and sauces (at least sweet ones). Vegetable dishes are sometimes lower calorie (depending on preparation) and you may also be able to find a broth-based soup that is lower in calories as well. Sodium is likely to be higher no matter what you choose, that's just the nature of restaurant food in general (and lots of Chinese buffet food in particular).
Thank you SO MUCH! I’ve only just started counting calories on Monday, so I’m still very new to this and unknowledgeable sadly. I will steer clear of noodles and rice and aim for veggies and soups! 😃
Do you think wings and chicken balls would be a “good” choice since it’s meat and likely high protein?
No wings - or avoid as much as possible. Even the best preparation they tend to have the highest calories on the chicken due to the higher skin/meat ratio.
The balls depends on the fillers they use.1 -
emmies_123 wrote: »I go to Chinese once a week. I stick to one plate and one bowl now. Play around with MFP food database before going and look up your favorite items so you can budget your calories.
My old menu (measurements come from learning to eyeball based on home scale): 3-5 oz Honey chicken, 5 oz butter potatoes, 4-8 sweet & sour with Ketchup, 4-6 steamed dumplings, full plate of Lo Mein, fortune cookie. Sometimes had other types of chicken, depending on hunger level.
My new menu: 2-4 oz Honey chicken OR same amount of a different sauced chicken, 4 piece sweet & sour chicken with 1 oz (ish) ketchup, 3 dumplings, soup-cup of chow mein (healthier than lo mein), fortune cookie.
Is it still calorie heavy compared to home cooking? Yes. But it gets me my favorites, in smaller portions, and I can always fit the amount of calories in my budget for the day.
Thank you so much for this info! I love the idea of having a go-to repeat serving every time! Once it’s all logged in here I’ll better know every time how to stay within my budget!
We tend to go at the same location about once a month, so it’d be good if I came up with a set plan like yourself. Thanks 😃2 -
anonymous_user1993 wrote: »Personally I wouldn't be worried about the fat and sodium as much as just keeping the calories in check. Avoid things with breading (egg rolls and crab rangoons) and sweet sauces (General Tso, Sesame Chicken...). Look for steamed options and lots of veggies. I would go for chicken & broccoli, egg drop soup, shrimp & greens beans... They also typically have fresh fruit options so I would likely get some of that. Also, right before leaving maybe eat a small healthy snack and have a glass of water so you aren't SO hungry when you get there.
Hope this helps!
Thank you, this does help! I will load up on chicken, veggies and fruit and see if they do have egg drop soup at that location. I know they have wonton soup, I’m not sure if that would be a “good” option?
I like the idea of partly filling prior to the lunch, I’ll definitely do that too - hadn’t even crossed my mind! Thanks again! 😄
You're welcome! Yes, I think wonton soup would be fine as well. A buffet is a great opportunity to try things you may not usually try since you can get a little of everything!
I'm a hot an sour soup man myself...
3 -
anonymous_user1993 wrote: »Personally I wouldn't be worried about the fat and sodium as much as just keeping the calories in check. Avoid things with breading (egg rolls and crab rangoons) and sweet sauces (General Tso, Sesame Chicken...). Look for steamed options and lots of veggies. I would go for chicken & broccoli, egg drop soup, shrimp & greens beans... They also typically have fresh fruit options so I would likely get some of that. Also, right before leaving maybe eat a small healthy snack and have a glass of water so you aren't SO hungry when you get there.
Hope this helps!
Thank you, this does help! I will load up on chicken, veggies and fruit and see if they do have egg drop soup at that location. I know they have wonton soup, I’m not sure if that would be a “good” option?
I like the idea of partly filling prior to the lunch, I’ll definitely do that too - hadn’t even crossed my mind! Thanks again! 😄
You're welcome! Yes, I think wonton soup would be fine as well. A buffet is a great opportunity to try things you may not usually try since you can get a little of everything!
Oh good, thank you 😊I agree, buffets are so fun because you get to have a little of everything! I used to eat as much as I could when I went and wasn’t mindful at all of what might be healthier options. Trying to change my habits one step at a time. 🙉0 -
bigbandjohn wrote: »anonymous_user1993 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »If you've been counting calories for a while, you may already be developing a sense of which foods are higher calorie and which are lower calorie. If I want to do lower calorie at a buffet, I will tend towards non-fried items and be mindful of my portions of calorie dense foods like noodles, rice, and sauces (at least sweet ones). Vegetable dishes are sometimes lower calorie (depending on preparation) and you may also be able to find a broth-based soup that is lower in calories as well. Sodium is likely to be higher no matter what you choose, that's just the nature of restaurant food in general (and lots of Chinese buffet food in particular).
Thank you SO MUCH! I’ve only just started counting calories on Monday, so I’m still very new to this and unknowledgeable sadly. I will steer clear of noodles and rice and aim for veggies and soups! 😃
Do you think wings and chicken balls would be a “good” choice since it’s meat and likely high protein?
No wings - or avoid as much as possible. Even the best preparation they tend to have the highest calories on the chicken due to the higher skin/meat ratio.
The balls depends on the fillers they use.
Thanks for the tip! Didn’t know this about wings 😵0 -
bigbandjohn wrote: »anonymous_user1993 wrote: »Personally I wouldn't be worried about the fat and sodium as much as just keeping the calories in check. Avoid things with breading (egg rolls and crab rangoons) and sweet sauces (General Tso, Sesame Chicken...). Look for steamed options and lots of veggies. I would go for chicken & broccoli, egg drop soup, shrimp & greens beans... They also typically have fresh fruit options so I would likely get some of that. Also, right before leaving maybe eat a small healthy snack and have a glass of water so you aren't SO hungry when you get there.
Hope this helps!
Thank you, this does help! I will load up on chicken, veggies and fruit and see if they do have egg drop soup at that location. I know they have wonton soup, I’m not sure if that would be a “good” option?
I like the idea of partly filling prior to the lunch, I’ll definitely do that too - hadn’t even crossed my mind! Thanks again! 😄
You're welcome! Yes, I think wonton soup would be fine as well. A buffet is a great opportunity to try things you may not usually try since you can get a little of everything!
I'm a hot an sour soup man myself...
I’ve never had that, never seen it at any of the locations in my area , but it sounds yummy! I love anything sweet and sour 😍0 -
My advice would be to eat a healthy meal before you go and just go for drinks? I can’t imagine anything being healthy there so if your not willing to make it a “cheat day” then steer away9
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Mandylou19912014 wrote: »My advice would be to eat a healthy meal before you go and just go for drinks? I can’t imagine anything being healthy there so if your not willing to make it a “cheat day” then steer away
It's just different combinations of foods, there's nothing inherently unhealthful about it. There may be foods that are very calorie dense and some people may struggle with controlling their portions. But there is no reason it has to be limited to a "cheat day," I've eaten at Chinese buffets and still met my calorie goals for the day, I'm sure that others have as well.4 -
Don't panic. I don't think avoiding the buffet altogether is necessary if you exercise some self-control.
For your main entree, there should be steamed veggies, and you should be able to find meat that's not drowning in sugary sauce.
For dessert, every buffet I've ever been to has fruit.1 -
Things that are going to add more calories to your meal- breaded or battered fried items, things with nuts or sesame seeds, rice or noodles, sugary sauces. Lower calorie is going to be vegetable heavy, lean meats, unbattered foods, soups.
I don't think you are going to get lower sodium options at a restaurant.
I would eat what you want though and just watch portion sizes on the higher calorie stuff.1 -
Although the calorie counts aren't going to be the same, maybe look at a chain restaurant like Pei Wei or P.F. Chang's that has calorie counts published. I was at Pei Wei yesterday and according to the nutrition facts dishes prepared with tofu and shrimp were the lowest calorie, chicken was in the middle and beef was the highest. Clear soups are usually good and watch your portions.0
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I deal with this when dining at lunch w business colleagues. You can do it! Start with a salad. If there is sushi, I get three rolled pieces and three pieces of nigiri (the ones that just have the big chunk of raw fish on top). I take the chunk of raw fish off, add to one of the rolled pieces, and toss the extra rice. My next trip is usually green beans, the broccoli out of the broccoli/beef, and some teriyaki chicken. If there is a hibachi option, I opt for all veggies and some seafood; don’t add noodles. The sodium isn’t ideal, but I chug a nalgene of water before and after and it doesn’t make me puff as badly. Let us know how you do!2
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Eyeball a 1 cup serving of steamed white rice (200 calories approx.), a palm sized serving of meat that's not batter fried and scrape off most of the gravy (200 calories approx.), a 1 cup serving of sauteed vegetables and drain off any liquid it contains (150 calories approx.) and finish it off with a one cup serving of fresh fruit of your choice which they always have (approx 100 calories). Drink the complimentary hot tea with your meal. 650 approximate calories total for a full yummy meal and there ya go. Sodium, schmodium.
Nobody (other than kidney patients) really cares about sodium, especially for a once-in-a-while thing like a Chinese buffet. If you're worried about retaining two pounds of water weight from too much sodium when you stand on the scale the next day, delete MFP, resume your high fashion modeling career and get diet and exercise advice from Karl Lagerfeld.1 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »My advice would be to eat a healthy meal before you go and just go for drinks? I can’t imagine anything being healthy there so if your not willing to make it a “cheat day” then steer away
Good advice, I’m seeing it as a cheat day really because I don’t see it as a healthy option or an option I would choose weekly. Just want to go about it in a “smarter” way still and control what I eat when I’m there! 😊0 -
janejellyroll wrote: »Mandylou19912014 wrote: »My advice would be to eat a healthy meal before you go and just go for drinks? I can’t imagine anything being healthy there so if your not willing to make it a “cheat day” then steer away
It's just different combinations of foods, there's nothing inherently unhealthful about it. There may be foods that are very calorie dense and some people may struggle with controlling their portions. But there is no reason it has to be limited to a "cheat day," I've eaten at Chinese buffets and still met my calorie goals for the day, I'm sure that others have as well.
I’ve made a “meal” in the app and planned my breakfast and supper around it and I too will be respecting my alloted calorie budget tomorrow, so I am glad! 😊 I wouldn’t want to eliminate Chinese buffet permanently, we go monthly with work and I love it!1 -
Don't panic. I don't think avoiding the buffet altogether is necessary if you exercise some self-control.
For your main entree, there should be steamed veggies, and you should be able to find meat that's not drowning in sugary sauce.
For dessert, every buffet I've ever been to has fruit.
Thanks for your insight! 😃 I will definitely control myself, I’ve made a plan of exactly what will go on my plate and I’m now excited about it and a lot less panicked than I initially was. 👌🏼
You’re right it seems ALL buffets have fruit as an option for dessert. I myself don’t consider it a dessert, but I just won’t have any dessert- just the meal itself feels like a treat 🙉🤗0 -
I deal with this when dining at lunch w business colleagues. You can do it! Start with a salad. If there is sushi, I get three rolled pieces and three pieces of nigiri (the ones that just have the big chunk of raw fish on top). I take the chunk of raw fish off, add to one of the rolled pieces, and toss the extra rice. My next trip is usually green beans, the broccoli out of the broccoli/beef, and some teriyaki chicken. If there is a hibachi option, I opt for all veggies and some seafood; don’t add noodles. The sodium isn’t ideal, but I chug a nalgene of water before and after and it doesn’t make me puff as badly. Let us know how you do!
It’s harder when the company you’re with isn’t watching what they eat I find 🙉 your plan is so organized, I can tell you’re good at this 😊 thanks for sharing! I definitely feel more ready now! I’ve made a plan of exactly what I will have and am now excited and looking forward to it 😍0 -
Eyeball a 1 cup serving of steamed white rice (200 calories approx.), a palm sized serving of meat that's not batter fried and scrape off most of the gravy (200 calories approx.), a 1 cup serving of sauteed vegetables and drain off any liquid it contains (150 calories approx.) and finish it off with a one cup serving of fresh fruit of your choice which they always have (approx 100 calories). Drink the complimentary hot tea with your meal. 650 approximate calories total for a full yummy meal and there ya go. Sodium, schmodium.
Nobody (other than kidney patients) really cares about sodium, especially for a once-in-a-while thing like a Chinese buffet. If you're worried about retaining two pounds of water weight from too much sodium when you stand on the scale the next day, delete MFP, resume your high fashion modeling career and get diet and exercise advice from Karl Lagerfeld.
Thank you so much for all the info! 😊 you made me laugh with the sodium / water weight / delete the app part hahaha. That is actually why I was worried about sodium, I know it will make me retain water and thus result in a bad weigh in on Saturday. I’m still new at this, it’s my first week so I think I need to drill it in my head that my weight won’t constantly decrease and that there will be increases. 😂
I’ve actually researched a bit and made a plan of what I will have and it amount to 600 something calories if I remember correctly. I’ve planned a restricted breakfast and supper around it and will consider it a cheat day- I’m now ready and excited for tomorrow. Thanks for taking the time in sharing your insight. 😄1 -
Don’t look at it as a ‘cheat’ day.
Look at it as learning how to fit occasions into your life while still keeping within your goal the majority of the time. You are going to have occasions for the rest of your life, so learning to accept them as a blip in your calorie intake early is a plus.
Go out enjoy yourself, log what you can, then back on track the next day.
No angst or guilt involved.
Cheers, h.3 -
Nothing to add that hasn't been said except I'm going to one on Saturday and cannot wait! Yummy sushi!3
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I retain a lot of water after a lot of fried Chinese food so don't bother to weigh myself for a few days afterwards.
Oddly, high sodium Thai food doesn't have this effect on me so I assume it has something to do with the friedness.1 -
Mandylou19912014 wrote: »My advice would be to eat a healthy meal before you go and just go for drinks? I can’t imagine anything being healthy there so if your not willing to make it a “cheat day” then steer away
So eat and drink before you eat and drink. Pay for a buffet but don't eat. Good plan.
OP, pick wisely and don't go crazy. Eat only the food you really like and no more.2
This discussion has been closed.
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