Perception of calories
 

Today at Panera, I drank a black coffee, read 3FC on my tablet and people-watched (and listened!).

A man with his wife/girlfriend came to their table with lunch. He says to her, "The cashier talked me into the cinnamon scone for dessert, looks good.". And it really did!

So I am just there minding my own business but can't help hear him say after eating his lunch and moving to the scone, "I hope this is worth the extra 250 calories."

So now my interest is peaked! What are these scones made of to make them relatively healthy? I look at Paneras website, their cinnamon scone is 620 calories and 29 grams of fat!

I'm not sure what made him think it was so low but he ate every last morsel.

Made me think though, before I started watching calories this time around, I had no clue either! The internet has totally changed things having info at our literal fingertips.

Without Paneras website, I would never have known the scone was 620 calories! And no way could it have been worth it....

Could it have been a mini scone instead of a full sized one? They don't have a mini cinnamon scone listed on the online menu but an individual store might make them and that seems like it would be about 250.

It's interesting that someone would be that conscious of the extra calories but then be so completely off if this was the full sized version! And sexist of me, but even more interesting that it would be a man paying attention to calorie counts (even if he was wrong! lol!)

Wow, that really made me think!

These were some of my go-to favorite foods-
Breakfast: Bagel with cream cheese and ham and a glass of chocolate milk.
Lunch: Crackers and cheese with tuna
Dinner: Burger and fries
Treat: Buttered popcorn and a cookie

Calorie count: 4861 <---- Whhhhhhaat?

Well... no freaking wonder.

Yeah, that scone is no where near worth 680. Ive had several... I know. ;)

It looked normal sized to me but I haven't eaten one in so long maybe I have no clue!

I was impressed too he talked about calories but now that I am on my mission, my husband has come way more conscious of what he eats calorie-wise. I'm so proud!

And if it was in fact a mini scone for 250, still not worth it to me! I want a big one with low calories lol! A girl can dream right???

I should mind my own business when I'm out instead of drooling over others plates of food!

That reminds me of my old diet 7 days a week...add in a few drinks with friends 1-2 nights a week and calories were higher for me. I guess I don't wonder anymore how I got so big. And I never ever looked up a calorie, just ate what I felt like. Ugh. Never again...

Maybe he confused the calories with the price? :dizzy:

I people watch and listen too. I went to Chipotles once with my mentee. I loved that they had the calorie count on everything so I didn't have to grab my phone while in line to figure it out. By choosing wisely, I was able to have a good low calorie, low carb meal that tasted great.

My mentee (16) got some hugely caloric meal, but she was dancing competitively and could use the calories.

While we were eating, we were near the line of people waiting to order their food. I overheard a couple standing in line. It was a middle aged couple out with their teenaged son. I see the mom scanning the menu and she said, "I think I'm going to get X. It's not so bad with calories." Dad said (and he was not thin). Whe the he$$ cares about the calories. Just get what you want. She asked him, "So what are you getting?" And the father and son said some enormously high calorie meal. Mom tried to say something but it was falling on deaf ears.

I found that so interesting as the information was right there in front of them - LISTED, not hidden and the dad (and son and my mentee) didn't care about it and ignored it. Even before I was on a weight loss effort, seeing the caloric count DEFINITELY would have influenced me to eat something lighter calorie. I'm shocked that it's not universal.

Ya, my local Panera is REALLY good about posting the calorie counts on their menu board. I avoid the treat section entirely. Maybe he confused price w/calories or split it with his companion?

With that said: even now my perception of the calorie counts in foods - especially food I am eating out - can be way off so these days I ALWAYS check the nutrition info.

Just today I went to lunch and had nearly talked myself into getting a salad in lieu of my planned sandwich (because I assumed that if I went light on the dressing it would be lower calories and wanted to add a bag of baked chips to my lunch). Well, according to their nutritional chart at the store, the both salads on offer had 2x as many calories as the sandwich. So I had my sandwich and was happy.

But how many people look that stuff up? I never did.

Lol elladorine!

Panera is the only place in my town to go and hang out, have wifi, etc. so a lot of people pass through there.

One day, a lady has to sign her credit card receipt. She barks at the cashier that she never had to sign before, why does she have to now? (People can be so rude...) The cashier explains that if it's over $25, a signature is required.

So then, I see her with her lunch tray for her and her friend. I didn't look close but it didn't seem like a whole lot of food. But it was over $25 worth apparently!

Between the calories and the prices in this place, I am so glad I can't eat there anymore. (My diet is so strict right now, I eat nothing outside of my home.)

The last time I did eat at Panera, it was a chicken sandwich that was about 800 calories (gasp!). I never knew until months later when I looked it up after becoming calorie conscious. The thought is that a chicken sandwich is healthy but add fancy bread, cheese and bacon and it skyrockets in calories!

If I'm not actively thinking about my weight, I don't pay attention. And that's even with dieting on and off for 3 decades now, and having a reasonable guesstimate on ballpark calorie counts most of the time. But if I am not thinking about my weight, then even knowing something is very high in calories won't stop me from eating what I want.

I eat at Panera every other week - I work from home, and on the day I have my house cleaned I work from Panera.

They have a great nutrition website...and I factor in a pastry so I can enjoy one when I'm there!

They are all pretty high in calories - even the cookies are over 300, so the guy is delusional if he thinks the scone is only 250...or someone lied to him.

To me - the pastries are *worth* the calories - as long as I plan for them!

You have me so curious about my calorie count on what I used to eat.. I have no doubt it probably exceeds yours by a landslide (especially on thurs-sat when McD's in my town is open 24 hours). I feel so much better when I eat healthy and honestly, a lot fuller too. I agree with everyone else on this one though, 680 is more than I eat in one meal these days so NO WAY would a scone be worth it.

Wow... I never would have guessed the calories of a pastry before I started calorie counting. That pastry is practically half of my daily caloric intake. But back in the day I would have had one happily :-)

This might be a very good guess!

This scone looks like a much better "deal"- http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/10/d...ones-with.html
Have you all used skinnytaste at all?

I used to be calorie unconscious. Now it's shocking. I'm also carb conscious, which is just as unnerving. I'm like, "GOODNESS SAKES! How do so many carbohydrates fit into a potato?!" LOL.

That looks really tasty. And since I prefer scones without icing, I could do it for fewer calories.

Also: I can always get a reasonable lunch or dinner at Panera. I get a you pick two with 1/2 sandwich and some non-creamy soup, usually garden vegetable with pesto, + a package of their kettle-cooked potato chips, the total meal comes in at less than 550 calories. That's great for a vegetarian meal that satisfied me while eating out. AND I get to eat a small portion of real chips in that total. :)

If their salads were more veggies and less STUFF I might go for salad, but I am always satisfied by that meal. Tasty!

While I love their breads, I find their pastries are too sweet for my tastes. I was craving pain au chocolate once and tried their version and it was waaaay too sweet. Wish it tasted like the real thing (though perhaps I should be glad that it does NOT.)