Eating Out Calories

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epursey
epursey Posts: 36 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How do you go about counting calories when eating out? I have looked up the menu and know what I am going to order. I'm just not sure how to add everything up. I know what is in the dish but I have no clue about quantities. I was going to get a Tijuana Omelet. It has black beans, avocado, jack cheese with roasted salsa. I usual ask for half the cheese. They offer 2 sides, I'm getting fruit plate and roasted jalapenos.

Any thoughts?

Replies

  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
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    I try to go to places where I can look up on their website the nutrition info so I know what I'm getting (to an extent) -- it's too hard to guess quantities if you didn't make it yourself.
  • jellybeanhed313
    jellybeanhed313 Posts: 344 Member
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    Does their website/menu have the nutritional info? If not, you can ask about it at the restaurant when you go. The server may not know, but if you ask to speak to a manager, they might know where you can find that info. Also, there is a website I used to use for weight watchers... dwlz .com
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    I rarely eat at chain restaurants so info on my meals I eat out is never available online. I just find a similar dish in the MFP database that came from a restaurant and use that. You could break it down by ingredient but you will never account for all of the fat and sodium that restaurant food has.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
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    If you can get a rough idea of what is in the food, just do a search on MFP and go by that.

    You could always ask how many eggs were used in the Omelette when you get there. Search Omelette 3 eggs on MFP and you will get some pretty good results, if I am not 100% sure about which one to pick, go for the one that has average nutritional information. If you go lower, you are generally lying to yourself, but if you choose the higher version then you feel guilty when going out. That's how I see it.

    So search on MFP:

    Black Beans
    Avovado
    Jack Cheese
    Roasted Salsa
    Roasted Jalapenos

    Just check what fruit is in the fruit plate, write it down and search for it. I had a meal about a week ago and had it from the 500kcal and less meals, I think my meal was the highest in that area because it was like a beef stew with red wine, it was amazing, it had a few boiled potatoes and a bit of veg so I tried to find the closest thing on MFP and made it up to about 500kcal.
  • Mom2M_and_O
    Mom2M_and_O Posts: 214
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    I try to eyeball my food and break it down by each component before I dig in. Without measuring tools, you won't be exact so it's best to error on the bigger side of things.

    For instance, there's a restaurant I go to frequently that has a great fajita salad. Nothing at all similar to it in the database. I figure it has this much lettuce, this much fajita veggies, this much chicken, cheese, pico, dressing etc. Then I add each one into MFP. If you're not worried about tracking the macros, you can just quick-add the calories and be done with it.

    Omelettes can be tricky because some places add pancake batter to the eggs to make them fluffy. In that case, find a place online (line Waffle House or Denny's) that offers something similar and use that omelette entry and then add the extra stuff you know is in there. You can always ask how many eggs are in the omelette and if they add anything to it other than eggs.
  • Zichu
    Zichu Posts: 542 Member
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    Pancake batter to eggs?? Never heard of that one >.<
    We don't have pancakes often, it's mainly just on Pancake day. Not sure if it's the whole of the UK or anything, but yeh...

    Anyway, I usually use about 30ml of Skimmed Milk to make them fluffy.
  • epursey
    epursey Posts: 36 Member
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    Thanks everyone :) great advice!

    I don't eat out very often because it is usually high in calories and cost. Also I have some difficult food restrictions I have to deal with.

    I was looking at the menu and no they don't include calories. I think when I go in I will ask about nutrition info. If they don't have any I will just try my best to estimate - high ;) Oh I know this sounds strange but I was going to take one of those mini spiral note pads, LOL
  • westdove
    westdove Posts: 174
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    Research where you are going to eat out ahead of time, get their menu online. Or, there are apps for some of the mainstream places that you can look up on the spot.
  • Mom2M_and_O
    Mom2M_and_O Posts: 214
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    Pancake batter to eggs?? Never heard of that one >.<
    We don't have pancakes often, it's mainly just on Pancake day. Not sure if it's the whole of the UK or anything, but yeh...

    Anyway, I usually use about 30ml of Skimmed Milk to make them fluffy.

    Maybe that's a southern US thing. :laugh:
  • john41958
    john41958 Posts: 4
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    Just had a great experience that I wanted to share so all of us go in and keep this attention to healthy eaters on the menu! My wife and I had lunch at Ruby Tuesday yesterday and were having the usual struggle with finding something to eat on their menu when I notice that they have added spaghetti squash marinara to their menu. It was really good (not the best sauce I ever had but definitely good) and 257 calories! We each got one and we also got a side order of grilled chicken breast that we cut up and put in it for some protein. Go there...order this...it is so rare that a big chain like this actually takes the interests of healthy people into account and this should be rewarded in sales, the only real language they speak.
  • jared767
    jared767 Posts: 76
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    Use nutritionix calculator from nutritionix.com. It has a lot of restaurants and meals from its list.
  • Mom2M_and_O
    Mom2M_and_O Posts: 214
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    Just had a great experience that I wanted to share so all of us go in and keep this attention to healthy eaters on the menu! My wife and I had lunch at Ruby Tuesday yesterday and were having the usual struggle with finding something to eat on their menu when I notice that they have added spaghetti squash marinara to their menu. It was really good (not the best sauce I ever had but definitely good) and 257 calories! We each got one and we also got a side order of grilled chicken breast that we cut up and put in it for some protein. Go there...order this...it is so rare that a big chain like this actually takes the interests of healthy people into account and this should be rewarded in sales, the only real language they speak.

    I find Ruby Tuesday to be one of the easier chain restaurants to eat at because they have a fairly good selection of smaller portion meals with the calorie count on them and also healthy (and tasty) fish/chicken meals. Also love their veggie selections -- grilled zucchini is my favorite. The problem is their prices are so high even for smaller portions.
  • Riverofbeauty
    Riverofbeauty Posts: 205 Member
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    Most restaurants here aren't chains, so it's really hard. I just put it all the ingredients and add extra quick add cals if I don't think it's quite right. I know I could be way under or way over though.
  • treehopper1987
    treehopper1987 Posts: 505 Member
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    My eating frustration comes from eating out, especially places that do nt have nutritional information. I just try to make a best guess or look at another similar restaurant with nutritional information to add to my diary (and make a note of this.)
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
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    Most restaurants here aren't chains, so it's really hard. I just put it all the ingredients and add extra quick add cals if I don't think it's quite right. I know I could be way under or way over though.

    I do the same thing. I do a quick estimate of the amounts of each ingredient and enter them in. I don't get overly concerned with being exactly dead on as long as I feel I'm in the ballpark.

    I don't lose sleep over whether that entree is 400 or 500 calories, because I know either way I'm doing way better than the 1500-calorie dish I might have chosen prior to joining this site.

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