PORTION SIZES WHEN EATING OUT?

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MissMalinSara
MissMalinSara Posts: 137
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm just curious how you're supposed to measure portion sizes/weight when youre out for a meal.

I had chilli con carne with rice today it was a medium-large plate and I really dont know how big the portion was in terms of cups etc.

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  • geezer99
    geezer99 Posts: 92
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    When we were out on Sunday, we asked our server about the size of the salmon portions in a dish. He came back from the kitchen and reported that it was 4.5 ounces.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    Sometimes you just have to "guesstimate" which gets easier the longer your ate this. (You get used to measuring out your food at home). I would guess a medium - large plate was probably 2 - 3 cups. Most take out places give you big portions (so a lot of people suggest cutting it in half right away).

    The other option is next time you eat out, if they don't have nutritional facts, you can take a picture and post it on MFP, and let some people guesstimate for you. LOL
  • momma3sweetgirls
    momma3sweetgirls Posts: 743 Member
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    Eyeball it. Use comparisons. Like this: http://www.mealsmatter.org/Articles-And-Resources/Healthy-Living-Articles/Portion-Sizes.aspx
  • wvbuckeye
    wvbuckeye Posts: 45
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    General rule on eating out for me is the hand portion. Eat about the same size as your hand on items. Thats the rule I use for my proteins and complex carbs.
  • TONYAGOOCH
    TONYAGOOCH Posts: 470 Member
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    You could ask the server to find out from the cook or take your own measuring cup with you and ask for an extra plate. Measure and place on the new plate. That way you know how much you are eating. WW showed us how to estimate portion sizes using our hand.

    Fist = approx 1 Cup
    Thumb (tip to base) = approx 1 oz of meat or cheese
    Thumb tip (tip to 1st joint) = approx 1 Tbsp
    Finger tip (tip to 1st joint) = approx 1 tsp
    Cupped hand = 1 to 2 oz of nuts or pretzels
    Palm (minus fingers) = approx 3 oz of meat, fish or poultry


    Hope this helps
  • mevasquez63
    mevasquez63 Posts: 2
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    I understand where you are comming from, however you can put a picture in your mind with the cup,etc and this way you can determine the portion sizes. Also try to stay with foods that are not so high on carbs and fats. Good Luck
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
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    You could ask the server to find out from the cook or take your own measuring cup with you and ask for an extra plate. Measure and place on the new plate. That way you know how much you are eating. WW showed us how to estimate portion sizes using our hand.

    Fist = approx 1 Cup
    Thumb (tip to base) = approx 1 oz of meat or cheese
    Thumb tip (tip to 1st joint) = approx 1 Tbsp
    Finger tip (tip to 1st joint) = approx 1 tsp
    Cupped hand = 1 to 2 oz of nuts or pretzels
    Palm (minus fingers) = approx 3 oz of meat, fish or poultry


    Hope this helps

    oo I like this!
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
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    Check the restaurants website for nutrional information. Most post theirs. If not ask in the restaurant or Google it. You'll be able to find the nutrional information for the dish somewhere.
  • neverstray
    neverstray Posts: 3,845 Member
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    One plate in a typical restaurant is usually a two person portion of everything.
  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
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    whether you are eating out or not, calorie counting is an estimate anyways. Even at home and even if you are weighing things on a scale, your calories are an estimate and there is no guarantee that you are eating exactly the amount of calories that MFP says (or any other resource). So, don't beat yourself up on getting exactly the right number on your log. Chances are, if you are one of those people that at the end of the day have 50 calories left and get excited because you can eat apple, then you are WAY overthinking it!

    At home, if in doubt, I weight it (or measure it). At a restaurant, you have almost no choice but to eyeball it. But, you can get fairly good at it if you take some time at home and "calibrate" yourself. Every once in a while I will take a measuring cup and put a cup of rice (or whatever) and dump it on my plate and see what 1 cup looks like on a serving plate. After a while, you get pretty good at estimating. I always tend to overestimate a little to be on the safe side, because at a restaurant, the amount of butter and oil they use is pretty rediculous so I think it tends to work out.

    On thing else to watch out for - if you go to a restaurant and order an 8 oz steak, that is the raw weight and it probably only weighs 5-7 oz cooked depending on how you like yours prepared and the cut of meat.
  • SaSSyhasCurls
    SaSSyhasCurls Posts: 93
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    If the plate looks large and there's a lot of food n it, I just split it in half of it and save the other half or share it with someone.

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