what do you do when you go to a buffet?We're going out to eat & the place has no menu,just a BIG buffet.I don't eat fried foods so no worries with that.I plan on salad,baked chicken(hopefully on there)& lots of veggies,my weakness is the mashed pot.&mac&cheese.

I love buffets and see them as a wonderful chance to have small amounts instead of the massive servings when a chain restaurant piles food on the plate.

The first thing I do is scout out the entire buffet. I look carefully at what the place specializes in and what really grabs my attention. I have long stopped filling my plate with loads of food I really have no interest in, just because I can. I have moved in the direction of wanting only the best.

Whatever I put on my plate, I make sure to see the plate between the food servings. Sometimes I limit myself to 3 things, or sometimes it is tablespoon fulls of several things (usually asian places). Steak/Seafood house type buffets, I chose meat and salad and skip the standard starchy foods. And that is it. No returns for seconds or other foods. The only exception for a return is perhaps a dessert afterwards (but it has to be something really unique or something I really like and very small). I don't waste my calories on food I can have at any time.

Another thing I do is remind myself as I walk past the tables is "eat petite!"

Have fun!

i usually scout everything to see what i would really be interested in-aka something that looks healthy, like a lean meat etc, and after i locate it, i go and fill my plate with veggies,salads (no dressings) and leave a small space for the lean meat.

I always see what this there - check it all out. I do one of two ways.

Take tiny tastes of many things.

or

Take larger portions of just a few.

No second helpings. I fill my plate one time only. I will have a healthy salad on the side with a drizzle of oil and vinegar. If I go in there knowing that's what I will do - then I don't feel deprived.

Some times I will allow my self a couple extra hundred calories.
Eat slowly, too. Because some folks go back several times.

Always go in with a strategy.

So how did you do at the buffet?

I tend to drink a lot of water/liquid before I go and while I'm eating so I get really full and physically can't eat anymore. Only because when I get into a buffet sitting with friends, I get to talking and munching and completely loose track of what I've ate and how hungry I am.

For the most part, I don't like buffets so I don't go there. I like salad bar buffets but I just have to be careful about the bread so I generally plan ahead on how many pieces of bread I will eat.

If buffets are a problem for you, can you go elsewhere?

I have to say this is what I have done, avoid them. Just yesterday I passed the Asian Buffet, crowds going in and said to myself, it isn't time for me. Because, I have 2 rules I have followed these past 5 months. Record everthing that goes in my mouth, and weigh every day while at home. At a buffet it is really hard to do both of these things. Hard to figure out what is in each item and hard to take the sodium (and really unreported calories) that comes the following couple of days.

When I am at goal or if this was a splurge meal, then I would save up a lot of calories and make the most of it.

Best wishes on what you do.

Wow! Great ideas from everyone, but I don't think I could go to a buffet right now. 'm sure there will be a time when I can go again, but right now, since I don't know how food is prepared etc. I couldn't even hazard a guess at the calories etc. in each dish.

We either have our friends eat here and I cook right now, or I take my food if it's like a potluck or something. I think if I *had* to go to a buffet place, I would eat before going and get just a glass of water. I think some places charge regardless, though.

Barb

didn't do too bad at the buffet,we ate at 3 of em.The first was a brunch-eggs,baked ham,grilled pork chop & a spoon of mac & cheese,didn't have many veggies to chose from:supper was better-started with a salad,baked chicken,cabbage,a spoon of mashed pot.& tried a candied apple but like to have broke a tooth on it!Last was breakfast this morning-more eggs,turkey sausage,mini quiche(?),big fruit plate & a small muffin.I think I ate more meat than anything.
I probably ate alittle more,but I can't remember where or when I ate what?!

we went out of town for the night & the hotel had buffets.There were no reaturants or even fast food places close by.