How do you handle eating at restaurants with menus that don't show calories?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most apps have a lot of dishes available at chain type restaurants so if it’s a common type of dish, but maybe I’m at a mom and pop restaurant, I look for something comparable in the database and try to err on the side of “more” calories. Sometimes I just have to log things separately.

+1, this is what I do. I also try to be reasonable in what I'm getting - I'm not going to get a burger and fries. Instead, I'll opt for grilled chicken and veggies, for example. I may be off by 100 or so calories in my estimates, but at least I know that I'm making decent food choices.

[Anonymous]

I can taste the fat, salt and sugar, so I moderate my intake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly what’s the point of paying restaurant prices if you’re just going to eat broiled/grilled fish or chicken, steamed veggies, and undressed salad? I’d just as soon stay home. Or let yourself go whole hog once in a while and eat ALL the things.

Because sometimes you are tired and don’t feel like going to the grocery store or cooking, or maybe your friends and family want to go to a restaurant? Tons of reasons to eat out if you’re not a miserable person.

[Anonymous]

Order whatever meal you want and eat 1/3 of it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly what’s the point of paying restaurant prices if you’re just going to eat broiled/grilled fish or chicken, steamed veggies, and undressed salad? I’d just as soon stay home. Or let yourself go whole hog once in a while and eat ALL the things.

Because sometimes you are tired and don’t feel like going to the grocery store or cooking, or maybe your friends and family want to go to a restaurant? Tons of reasons to eat out if you’re not a miserable person.

I’m not miserable, hon. That’s why I eat whatever the f I want at a restaurant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can taste the fat, salt and sugar, so I moderate my intake.

Lol

[Anonymous]

If I'm not sure, I look at the ingredients and make a guess. Salmon and veggies is normally safe. Also when I eat at restaurants I make sure I have 1000 calories left in my daily budget.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly what’s the point of paying restaurant prices if you’re just going to eat broiled/grilled fish or chicken, steamed veggies, and undressed salad? I’d just as soon stay home. Or let yourself go whole hog once in a while and eat ALL the things.

Because sometimes you are tired and don’t feel like going to the grocery store or cooking, or maybe your friends and family want to go to a restaurant? Tons of reasons to eat out if you’re not a miserable person.

I’m not miserable, hon. That’s why I eat whatever the f I want at a restaurant.

Np. Both strategies work. Sometimes a friend wants to meet for lunch and I want to eat healthy so I order a healthy option. Other times I want to enjoy whatever looks good regardless of the calories. But it is nice to have some general knowledge about what foods have a lot of calories and what do not. I believe that was the purpose of OPs post.

Op - avoiding most creams, sauces, and salad dressings help. You can get them on the side also, so you can control the amount you eat. I also tend to avoid anything with mayo or butter if possible, because most restaurants lay both on very thick. Eating slow, enjoy your food and allowing your stomach to register what you eat helps a lot. Also, be true to want you truly crave. If there is something on the menu that you love, allow yourself to order it, and eat only part of it (it helps to visually decide how much you will eat).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Order broiled fish instead of fried. Get the steamed vegetables instead of the au gratin potatoes. Order a salad instead of the broccoli cheese soup. It’s not hard, people.

dp But why can't restaurants just tell us? There are many dishes I know to avoid but, still it would be good to know so you can make the decision for yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly what’s the point of paying restaurant prices if you’re just going to eat broiled/grilled fish or chicken, steamed veggies, and undressed salad? I’d just as soon stay home. Or let yourself go whole hog once in a while and eat ALL the things.

Because sometimes you are tired and don’t feel like going to the grocery store or cooking, or maybe your friends and family want to go to a restaurant? Tons of reasons to eat out if you’re not a miserable person.

I’m not miserable, hon. That’s why I eat whatever the f I want at a restaurant.

Np. Both strategies work. Sometimes a friend wants to meet for lunch and I want to eat healthy so I order a healthy option. Other times I want to enjoy whatever looks good regardless of the calories. But it is nice to have some general knowledge about what foods have a lot of calories and what do not. I believe that was the purpose of OPs post.

Op - avoiding most creams, sauces, and salad dressings help. You can get them on the side also, so you can control the amount you eat. I also tend to avoid anything with mayo or butter if possible, because most restaurants lay both on very thick. Eating slow, enjoy your food and allowing your stomach to register what you eat helps a lot. Also, be true to want you truly crave. If there is something on the menu that you love, allow yourself to order it, and eat only part of it (it helps to visually decide how much you will eat).

dp but for those who have changed their diet and therefore their taste buds things I enjoyed in the past I no longer enjoy We should be demanding that all restaurants give us the information. I was in NYC and it was very tricky but, managed to lose two pounds! This despite having to meet friends at the newest fat restaurant ( Black Tap) I told them I didn't want fries and they insisted that they were going to give it to me! Luckily my dd ate them!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Order broiled fish instead of fried. Get the steamed vegetables instead of the au gratin potatoes. Order a salad instead of the broccoli cheese soup. It’s not hard, people.

dp But why can't restaurants just tell us? There are many dishes I know to avoid but, still it would be good to know so you can make the decision for yourself.

Even if the menu did have the calories, I wouldn't totally trust it that every single time it's made it's the same. It's just an estimate; there is no way to know the standard deviation for it. Unless you are eating in a restaurant every single meal I think you just have to try your best. Otherwise you're calorie counting is getting in the way of living your life.

[Anonymous]

Well...I don’t have an eating disorder. I order something relatively healthy and eat a reasonable portion size.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Order broiled fish instead of fried. Get the steamed vegetables instead of the au gratin potatoes. Order a salad instead of the broccoli cheese soup. It’s not hard, people.

dp But why can't restaurants just tell us? There are many dishes I know to avoid but, still it would be good to know so you can make the decision for yourself.

You think they’re keeping it a secret from you? You know all these do-gooder requirements COST MONEY, don’t you? You can’t look at a menu and figure out that an order of fries has more calories than the apple slices? Please. This is what people are talking about when they say that regulation stifles business. The costs of every little do-good measure are killing businesses.

https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/analyze-cost-counting-calories

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Order broiled fish instead of fried. Get the steamed vegetables instead of the au gratin potatoes. Order a salad instead of the broccoli cheese soup. It’s not hard, people.

dp But why can't restaurants just tell us? There are many dishes I know to avoid but, still it would be good to know so you can make the decision for yourself.

You think they’re keeping it a secret from you? You know all these do-gooder requirements COST MONEY, don’t you? You can’t look at a menu and figure out that an order of fries has more calories than the apple slices? Please. This is what people are talking about when they say that regulation stifles business. The costs of every little do-good measure are killing businesses.

https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/analyze-cost-counting-calories

Of course the industry doesn't want to do it! It's expensive and guess what? It turns people off when they realize that the restaurant is serving such grotesque unhealthy portions that an appetizer is over 1,000 calories. For those of us who aren't corporate shills, we actually appreciate regulations that are in the interest of public health.

[Anonymous]

I get grilled fish or chicken, salad with dressing on the side, steamed vegetables.