Calorie Counting as a chef?

DavidG789 · November 2019

I work as cook full time and I'm currently trying to lose weight. However, part of my job requires me to taste everything I make in order to make sure it's good, etc. How would I add this in? Its kinda like a lot of small tasters throughout the day but it obviously builds up. Any advice?

BarbaraHelen2013 · November 2019

Practically impossible to accurately log those tastes in your circumstance I’d think!

What I’d try is simply chopping off 200 calories from your daily allowance to start with (so if MFP has you set at 2000cals a day, eat 1800 from your meals, for example). Then if after a couple of weeks you’re not losing as expected, or losing faster you could tweak that number.

Can’t think of any other way to do it.

Just be sure to eat your full allowance on days off so you don’t end up undereating overall!

snowflake954 · November 2019

This is very tough. As Barbara said I'd allow a certain number of calories a day for the "tasting". 200 or 300 calories to start. Log your other food precisely. After 2 weeks if there's no loss try 400. Keep doing this until you start losing. That will then give you the calories for "tasting". This should work, unless someone else comes up with a better idea. Luck.

LivingtheLeanDream · November 2019

Yeah I would count up to say 400 calories a day from tasting, after a number of weeks you'll know how your weight loss is going and then see if that number needs adjusted up or down.

fishbonz3497 · November 2019

I cook for a living also and i have the same problem.I use my tasting calories as my daily snack log entry

mtaratoot · November 2019

I get lunch from a hot bar/salad bar at one of a couple local places at least a couple days a week. I used to deconstruct it and log, but I found a database entry for Whole Foods Hot/Cold Bar. I don't really think it always tracks macros of course, but it's an estimate. It's volume based. You could make a SWAG of how much you taste and add that in (or a similar item you see) on work days.

I also have two recipes in my diary. One is SCUBA Diver Rations, and the other is Rafter Rations. They are simply one serving to equal a number of calories I GUESS that I'm going to eat on dive or river trips. Each is just a combination of grams of fat, protein, and carbs. Rafter rations, for example, is 3300 calories and made from 100 grams each protein & fat and 500 grams carbs. I just enter it as a meal and as the only thing I eat that day. I also log the beer, but that's a separate entry. You could make a similar recipe called "Chef's Tasty Bites" and make it be however many calories you think, plus maybe a few more. Over several weeks, see how it works and adjust the recipe or number of servings.

Just a couple ideas. Good luck. Last idea -- Find someone else to come do the tasting for you. I volunteer

ElizabethKalmbach · November 2019

Alternatively, you can spit out what's in your mouth and not swallow - as is done for like - extended runs of alcohol tasting. It's gross and not as convenient, but I tend to do that when I'm checking my aging cheeses (hobby cheese maker), because if I swallow everything, I WILL BE CONSTIPATED TO DEATH.

lorrpb · November 2019

You could try a couple of sample days where you do log all your tastes, then use that as the standard number you plug in on a daily basis. You may not be able to weigh and measure every taste, but you might be able to jot down what you tasted and how many tastes, then estimate the numbers later.

TanyaHooton · November 2019

I bake a lot and I must also taste my food to ensure the sweet to tart ratio is correct, there's enough peanut butter or cinnamon, or the confirm the texture is correct. On those days I "quick add" a couple hundred calories (more if working with peanut butter). Of course that doesn't get macros accurate, but it's better than nothing. I think it's better to overestimate the calories you've consumed than under.

Traveling_chef_ · January 2020

Hi
When I worked at culinary school as a chef I have to taste 30-60 plates a days. Solution I found :tasted, and use paper napkin to bin it.
Others - 500cal is what we consume just from tasting during one service.

K

springlering62 · January 2020

ElizabethKalmbach wrote: »

I tend to do that when I'm checking my aging cheeses (hobby cheese maker).

Totally OT but that is so cool. I have been dying to learn how to make some of the farmers cheeses we ate during homestays in Eastern Europe. Without hijacking the thread, do you have any good sourcebooks or websites you can recommend?

The only thing I’ve tried making is butter but that’s pretty idiot proof.

Calorie Counting as a chef?

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