Restaurants With No Nutrition Facts -- What Do You Do?

healthycourt2012
healthycourt2012 Posts: 6
in Food and Nutrition
We have a couple places here around town that are solely Hays, KS restaurants and not found anywhere else. There is no nutritional info posted online and although I haven't asked them if they have nutrition facts, I really do not think that they do. If in fact they don't have nutrition facts, how do you log it? Or do you even log it?
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Replies

  • superpapa16
    superpapa16 Posts: 244 Member
    Estimate high.
  • amyhoss
    amyhoss Posts: 414 Member
    I try to guess based on other restaurants. It's not going to be perfect, but what else can you do?
  • michellelhartwig
    michellelhartwig Posts: 486 Member
    Estimate high.

    YUP
  • Tristis
    Tristis Posts: 288 Member
    Avoid them. :)
  • nmb0717
    nmb0717 Posts: 130 Member
    I usually look up similar dishes and go with the highest calorie count that I find, that way I'm overestimating (hopefully!). Like tonight, I'm going out for sushi and there's no nutrition facts for the place I'm going so I searched the database for my sushi rolls and picked the highest one.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
    Estimate high.

    ^This. Try to calculate it the best you can, and take that number and add a higher number to it just to be on the safe side. That's what I do if I can't find nutritional information.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I generally pick something similar from a chain restaurant. ALL restaurants use lots of butter and oil, etc. so trying to guestimate the calories based on the ingredients you think are in there versus what actually are is impossible.
  • SammieGetsFit
    SammieGetsFit Posts: 432 Member
    I try to find a recipe online with nutrition facts that looks similar to what I had and like superpapa said, I estimate high.

    allrecipes.com is good for this and a few others.
  • ashreynolds09
    ashreynolds09 Posts: 257 Member
    we have a couple of places like that here in Wayne, Ne and I normally do as superpapa said -- estimate high. When I get the salad I break down what was in my salad and always make the portions a little larger when entering than I know that they clearly were. If I get the grilled chicken sandwich - I always log it from McDonalds!
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    Avoid them. :)
    This is so sad. You only go to crappy chain restaurants and eat their disgusting food because you're afraid to try something good.
  • Vonwarr
    Vonwarr Posts: 390 Member
    I try to pick similar food items from a larger chain, then tack on ~15% or 200 extra calories, whichever is higher. Worst case you overestimate!
  • WhyeatKachra
    WhyeatKachra Posts: 404 Member
    Estimate high.
  • p_m_g
    p_m_g Posts: 5
    I search for the type of food. Then I decide whether or not I agree with the nutrition information a MyFitnessPal member has added! Usually I can find something comparable.
  • ItsMeRebekah
    ItsMeRebekah Posts: 909 Member
    Avoid them. :)
    This is so sad. You only go to crappy chain restaurants and eat their disgusting food because you're afraid to try something good.

    maybe she avoids them by cooking more wonderful delicious foods she knows is healthy from her own kitchen?
  • heddylyn
    heddylyn Posts: 173 Member
    Either don't eat there or try to find a similar restaurant with nutritional info and overestimate the calories just to be safe! An extra work-out the day you plan on eating out wouldn't hurt either! Good luck. :)
  • sa11yjane
    sa11yjane Posts: 491 Member
    I've never heard of your restaurants so possibly you are from the US? I would always hazard a guess at the calorie content and be on the higher side rather than underestimate. Depending on the type of restaurants they are, I would just try and have the healthiest choice eg a pasta with a simple tomato sauce. Maybe you could always a child's portion? (eg if I am starving and happen to go to Mcdonalds with my girls I might have the children's Happy Meal of fish fingers with the fruit bag instead of the chips and a diet coke.) Most places are great about accommodating special diets now so you can always ask for things such as no butter, dressing on side etc. Drinking lots is always a good way to prevent overeating when out with friends, as long as it's water or diet drinks of course! Of course, you could always challenge the restaurants by emailing their head offices and letting them know that you will not be eating in their restaurants as you prefer to go to places that are open about their nutritional information. Happy eating out!
  • sirabe
    sirabe Posts: 294 Member
    Estimate high.

    Better to overestimate than to underestimate
  • shrinkingtam
    shrinkingtam Posts: 8 Member
    I try to disect it and add the ingredients into my recipes, there are two places close to work that I love their salads. Also ask them, many small places I have found have no problem telling you the basics. ie:
    4 oz chicken, 2 of cheese etc...then I add a bit extra because not allways do they weigh stuff
  • JoeSzup
    JoeSzup Posts: 51 Member
    If I HAVE to go to a restaurant and I know they have no nutritional info, I use a similar dish from a similar type of restaurant. Mostly, I find myself avoiding any food place that doesn't have nutritional info. If they can't be bothered to take the time to do this, then I can't be bothered to eat there.
  • EnergyYesPlease
    EnergyYesPlease Posts: 104
    You can Google those nutrition facts based on what you usually order and go from there. MFP can pull up restaurants and their dishes, I would just try typing in food and see what they say...
  • tlblood
    tlblood Posts: 473 Member
    I generally pick something similar from a chain restaurant. ALL restaurants use lots of butter and oil, etc. so trying to guestimate the calories based on the ingredients you think are in there versus what actually are is impossible.

    I try to find a comparable meal from a similar type of restaurant and go with that.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    get plain grilled protein and a salad with dressing on the side.
  • JOEYJACKMOM
    JOEYJACKMOM Posts: 72
    I usually look up similar dishes and go with the highest calorie count that I find, that way I'm overestimating (hopefully!). Like tonight, I'm going out for sushi and there's no nutrition facts for the place I'm going so I searched the database for my sushi rolls and picked the highest one.

    ^^^THIS!!^^^
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    I typically order a lean meat and steamed veggies if I'm in doubt. Steak and Broc are my go-to's, asked to be made without butter/sauce.
  • kappyblu
    kappyblu Posts: 654 Member
    Ask them if they have it. If they don't, look up as similar as possible dishes for other restaurants. Calorie King is a website that lists foods from all over, even for generic italian, chinese, carnival, etc type places. Good luck! :flowerforyou:
  • kmjenkins
    kmjenkins Posts: 396 Member
    I will do one of the following:

    As mentioned in the thread, I'll pick a similar dish from a chain restaurant and use the highest figure.

    Or I will be that person I'm sure waiters/waitresses hate and have them make the food my way and be overly specific. Tell them how you want your food cooked, no butters, oils, cheese--items on the side, or without, whatever way YOU want it, and then enter it in the database according to what the ingredients are. This way I am close to under control of what I'm being served as possible and it is much easier to log the ingredients seperately or to create my own food item and continue to use it over and over if I go to that restaurant alot.

    Good luck!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I usually don't log local places. I prefer local restaurants to chains because the food is often fresher and tastier and I just like to support local businesses, but unless I can get a pretty good guesstimate of the calories, I just don't log anything. If it's something simple and I can get a reasonable guess at the the ingredients I might guess.
  • ctw4
    ctw4 Posts: 3 Member
    Order things that are baked, steamed, roasted, raw (like salads), rather than fried, sauteed, creamy, breaded, etc. You can ask for healthy modifications such as dressing on the side, or no mayonnaise or cheese. Drink water before so you're not too hungry, avoid the bread basket, and eat mindfully. But don't go to fast food places just because of the calorie counts--those are often pretty inaccurate! Just enjoy a little good restaurant indulgence!
  • Ticktockman
    Ticktockman Posts: 21
    I always log it when I eat out. I try to order things that are not too confusing, and don't have a lot of crazy unpronounceable sauces. Then I take my best guess at logging the ingredients and portions. Then I raise it by about 20% because I'm pretty bad at guessing :)
  • MrsSorenson
    MrsSorenson Posts: 450 Member
    Estimate high.

    I agree

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