Chinese take-out, what should I get? I have about 1,000 calories to "spend"

helaurin
helaurin Posts: 157 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Family wants Chinese take-out tonight. I have a smidgen over 1,000 calories left in today's allotment.

Not sure which are better options.

Pre-diet, I would have gotten:

egg drop soup (65 calories per cup)
steamed shrimp dumplings (45 calories per dumpling, 6 pieces per order = 270 per order)
and one of the following:
Ribs (skipping.... at 949 calories for 8 ounces... that would be nearly all I could eat for the rest of the day)
shrimp with lobster sauce (276 calories per cup)
shrimp with broccoli (165 calories) or beef with broccoli (338 calories) - per cup
lo mein with either chicken (278 calories), shrimp (252 calories) or beef (302 calories) - per cup
steamed white rice (200 calories per cup) with an above entree (not the lo meins), so that's why now I'm leaning at the lo mein, because the steamed rice kind of negates the low-cal for the non-lo mein items

So I'm thinking of:

a pint (2 cups) of egg drop soup = 130 calories
one steamed shrimp dumplings = 270 calories
shrimp lo mein, 2 cups = 504 calories

That comes to 904 calories, so I'm not quite a max for the day.

Thoughts?

Replies

  • janiceclark08
    janiceclark08 Posts: 1,341 Member
    I like general tso chicken ,an egg roll and fried rice, I normally eat half of it, because I get full. Not exactly sure of calories, but it's like 500 calories. Not a fan of steamed dumplings or lo mein, or water chestnuts.
  • misscagal
    misscagal Posts: 194 Member
    I’m partial to dumplings. Had Chinese yesterday - shrimp wonton soup, chicken fried rice, chicken with ginger and green onion, and beef with oyster sauce and mushrooms. Had the whole soup (shrimp wontons were massive) and just a bit of the others especially the rice. I love noodles dishes too - a little is satisfying. I say if you can accurately count the calories, eat what you like/prefer taste wise.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I'm a sucker for shrimp eggroll, steamed pork dumplings, shrimp in lobster sauce, seafood and veggies, young chow rice and fried scallops.

    Enjoy!
  • Hollis100
    Hollis100 Posts: 1,408 Member
    edited September 2019
    https://www.chinasichuanfood.com/sesame-balls-jian-dui/ Chinese sesame balls are about 100 calories each and are delicious, better than cake for dessert.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    edited September 2019
    Do you eat family style and share dishes with family members? My pre-diabetic answer would be soup, two dumplings, modest serving of both shrimp with broccoli and beef lo mein, and a small portion of rice, plus a little lo mein noodles.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I'm really cheap so I've never actually ordered multiple entrees and/or appetizers when ordering Chinese!

    These days, I usually get a special that comes with kung pao chicken or sesame chicken and vegetables, plus steamed rice and choice of crab rangoon or eggroll (I choose rangoon every time because I don't care for eggrolls). I usually eat all my meat & veggies and just a few tablespoons of rice with it. They give me a lot of rice and I usually give the leftovers to my husband or toss 'em.

    If I'm dining in, I get hot n' sour soup with it though.
  • helaurin
    helaurin Posts: 157 Member
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    Do you eat family style and share dishes with family members? My pre-diabetic answer would be soup, two dumplings, modest serving of both shrimp with broccoli and beef lo mein, and a small portion of rice, plus a little lo mein noodles.

    Sometimes we do - but the other family members aren't watching their weight. So they are doing a lot of fried stuff, plus ribs. So today is "every stomach for themselves". LOL.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,949 Member
    Your order looks good. If you are watching calories, avoid any dishes where meat is first breaded and deep fried, and then stir fried with vegetables in a sauce. These dishes include General Tso chicken, sweet and sour pork or chicken, lemon chicken.

    We normally order Chinese style where everyone shares everything. I just ensure there is enough stuff on the table that I can eat if I want to avoid the deep fried stuf. Start with a soup to fill up a bit, have some steamed dumplings. Stir fries with veg and beef or shrimp with plain rice. If it is a regional Chinese try the pickles and salads.
  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,770 Member
    Don’t forget that even if you order healthy, there is going to be salt in your delicious food. The scale will go up for a day or two, but don’t worry, water retention will go away. Enjoy!

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