What do you eat when your invited out or to a bbq?

Mrsindepenant1
Mrsindepenant1 Posts: 196 Member
in Food and Nutrition
We eat out a lot and tonight are going to a bbq at a friends. I don’t know what will be served, most likely home kill sausages and steak and salads, potatoes. We have been asked to bring a salad. But I don’t know what to do for myself. I can’t exactly take scales and weigh all my food hahaha. I was thinking of precooking some prawns and taking something else for myself all weighed out but wouldn’t that seem rude? What do others do when they are invited out?
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Replies

  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    I don't eat beef or pork, so bringing a couple of chicken or turkey sausages to toss on the grill isn't rude; expecting them to provide an alternative for my choices might be though.
  • bisonpitcher
    bisonpitcher Posts: 519 Member
    I usually just try to make the best choices I can and enjoy it. If it's family, I do bring my scale and weigh out things.
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
    edited January 2019
    I usually plan my day before I go. If I want a hot dog or a burger, I pre-log it as to estimate how much it’ll be. I also agree with myself that I can have lots of salad, a half cup of the best-looking side dish, and a half-serving of a dessert if it looks really good/special/delicious. Then I eat a regular or slightly smaller breakfast/lunch and go with my BBQ plan. If there’s something unexpected there that I want to spend extra calories on, I won’t deny myself (and usually there will be room in the weekly calories for this). And by the way, for all of these items I’m making a good-faith calorie estimate; can’t be perfect but you get as close as you reasonably can.

    The downfalls for me now are alcohol and the foods that you just pick from absentmindedly (chips, cheese and crackers, etc). I try to avoid sitting next to those, and I usually either plan to have 3 low-cal alcoholic drinks if I can fit them in, or no drinks at all. (No point in wasting calories on drinks if I’m not gonna be feeling tipsy!!)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Mrsindepenant1 wrote: »
    We eat out a lot and tonight are going to a bbq at a friends. I don’t know what will be served, most likely home kill sausages and steak and salads, potatoes. We have been asked to bring a salad. But I don’t know what to do for myself. I can’t exactly take scales and weigh all my food hahaha. I was thinking of precooking some prawns and taking something else for myself all weighed out but wouldn’t that seem rude? What do others do when they are invited out?

    Bbq steak and salad sounds great to me.

    Gjust guesstimate the size of the meat.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    Make a lower calorie salad (although personally I love corn/bean salads), fill up on that, and enjoy the meat. Grilled meat really isn't horrible, even a sausage is maybe 300 calories (big pork one) and not that hard to fit in. The hard part is avoiding sauces and chips (and dessert).

    It's just one meal. Even if you underestimate a little, it's not a huge deal.
  • Chef_Barbell
    Chef_Barbell Posts: 6,646 Member
    I'd eat a steak... med rare. 🤷🏼‍♀️
  • Je55ica_79
    Je55ica_79 Posts: 276 Member
    I'd eat the healthiest options there and enjoy time with friends. Avoid chips, dips, breads and eat protein and veggies.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    Chef_Barbell wrote: »
    I'd eat a steak... med rare. 🤷🏼‍♀️

    Mmmm hmm! And hopefully there are brownies!
  • shunggie
    shunggie Posts: 1,036 Member
    I went to a football playoff party last weekend. Someone brought a green salad and I had a HUGE plate of that and then just a few "snacks". Salami and cheese on crackers. I did great until the game got dicey then I lost my mind but until then I was good. I blame the Chiefs defense but I had a good plan if I had stuck to it. Good Luck!
  • Gisel2015
    Gisel2015 Posts: 4,135 Member
    Mrsindepenant1 wrote: »
    We eat out a lot and tonight are going to a bbq at a friends. I don’t know what will be served, most likely home kill sausages and steak and salads, potatoes. We have been asked to bring a salad. But I don’t know what to do for myself. I can’t exactly take scales and weigh all my food hahaha. I was thinking of precooking some prawns and taking something else for myself all weighed out but wouldn’t that seem rude? What do others do when they are invited out?

    I eat with moderation while controlling the portions. Be careful with alcoholic drinks.
    I eat less during the day, and/or I try to exercise more, so I have extra calories for the gathering,
    If you are taking a salad, make it extra big so you can eat more of what you made.
    Don't go to the gathering hungry. Eat something light at home so you don't "attack" the food table.
    Save weekly exercise calories for special occasions.
    I never/ever take the food scale out of my kitchen. I would consider that very tacky and inappropriate (unless there is a medical necessity). Heck, I don't weigh my food either when I have company.
    Enjoy the company and the BBQ.
  • rohhse
    rohhse Posts: 16 Member
    I eat salad! I'll sometimes eat a scoop of potato or macaroni salad and log it as best as I can. I know it won't be very accurate, but it's a once in awhile thing. Usually I'm active at a BBQ too. I eat meat, so I'll do a hamburger patty without a bun and cover it with condiments, lettuce and tomato.
  • Boomshakalaka01
    Boomshakalaka01 Posts: 65 Member
    I guess it would depend... If it's a cheat day, I'll indulge a little more than normal. If I'm trying to watch my caloric consumption, vegetables and protein.
  • estherdragonbat
    estherdragonbat Posts: 5,283 Member
    I generally try to anticipate the menu ahead of time and pre-log what I plan to eat. I make sure to include something a little indulgent because it really helps me avoid feeling guilty about eating it if I can see on my diary, "Hey. This is X number of calories and I have room for it!"

    One thing I do avoid, and this is strictly because I find them hard to moderate and the calories can be all over the map depending on what's in it and the amount of dressing, are the "mayonnaise-y deli salads". Potato, creamy coleslaw, egg; if I weren't vegetarian, then tuna and chicken salads would make the list too. Because I can go off the rails so easily on portions, my personal rule for me is to only eat those salads if I 1) made them myself and put the ingredients into the recipe builder or 2) bought them in a container with a nutrition label. Again, that's me.
  • 777Gemma888
    777Gemma888 Posts: 9,578 Member
    Eat. If it'll make you feel better, make your salad something guiltless . One meal is not deleterious to your weeks totals or your goals. Meat plus salad.

    Enjoy your friends BBQ .
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I eat a little bit everything. A planned BBQ fits in my calories just fine, it may consume most of my calories for the day so I make sure protein is my top choice first and fill in the rest with sides and even a little dessert.
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    I'd eat the steak and/or BBQ. I've learned it's about portion control. There's nothing wrong with the foods that will be there other than they are calorie dense and you'll need to be careful. You asked what we would do - here's another way I look at it: It may be very hard to stay within your calorie allowance at the BBQ, but that doesn't spell disaster. I personally would eat a light breakfast and lunch, saving some calories for the BBQ. You can't "go nuts" and eat all you want (binge). If I go over I can eat a bit less tomorrow. I probably will exercise a bit more too.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    I'd also suggest being picky. A bbq does not always mean it will be good food. I can't tell you how often I have been at one of these things and the meats are just hammered by overcooking. Sometimes the potato salads or slaw will be so overdressed with mayo they are inedible (to me).

    The one thing you really want to avoid is getting home and realizing you ate a bunch of calories while not really enjoying them.

    Try getting sample portions on the higher calorie stuff to start and then go back for seconds on anything that is really good.
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I'd also suggest being picky. A bbq does not always mean it will be good food. I can't tell you how often I have been at one of these things and the meats are just hammered by overcooking. Sometimes the potato salads or slaw will be so overdressed with mayo they are inedible (to me).

    The one thing you really want to avoid is getting home and realizing you ate a bunch of calories while not really enjoying them.

    Try getting sample portions on the higher calorie stuff to start and then go back for seconds on anything that is really good.

    There's a lot of wisdom right there...

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