Golden Corral Buffet...meal ideas???
 

I have a huge family dinner get together this Thursday...at the Golden Coral Buffet. I just started the IPD on November 2nd, so I am worried about all the temptations there! Until today, I wasn't having cravings, so I am worried about giving into some there...especially chocolate desserts and mashed potatoes/stuffing. That side of my family has the amazing gift of eating whatever they want and staying really thin, so I already know they will all be chowing down on all the yummy good stuff! Did I mention it's a buffet? Eeek! Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Also, what kind of things (aside from the salad bar) should I aim towards eating? And how much does one bad meal impact the IPD? (so far I have been really good and have stayed on track and followed the IPD to a T).

I would stick to the grilled steak if they have it or the baked chicken. Some times they have baked fish. Stick to the veggies you know you can have broccoli, cauliflower, spinach. Most of the stuff on buffets are in some type of sauce so if you see its in a sauce I would stay away. I would also probably bring a bar with me just in case. If all else fails you can have just the salad bar and eat your bar. In my opinion there is NOTHING at the Golden Corral here that I would break my diet for. I would just eat a salad and have my bar or have the steak and salad. There is usually fresh broccoli and cauliflower on the salad bar if everything else has sauces....Just a few suggestion....don't stress just do the best you can.....YOU know the right decisions to make :)

Definetly stick with the fish. Or even prime rib. But say away from the fatty stuff...

I'm not on IP, so I can't speak to the effects of one off-day, but from what I do know of IP, you should be able to stay completely on plan if you're careful.

I follow a lower-carb exchange plan, and I love Golden Corral and other mega-buffets, because I can almost always find on-plan food.

It really helps to focus on the number of delicious on-plan choices that are available to you, rather than all the things there that you feel you "shouldn't eat" but wish you could.

For me, it helps to tell myself that "if I really want to," I can taste anything on the buffet, but that my first and second plate are going to be entirely on plan. (Yes, planning three plates seems incredibly stupid - but not the way I do it).

So, first I scout the buffet without putting anything on my plate. I count all the options that are entirely on-plan (and DON'T count all the things I "can't have). Then I go back and make the best choices that look the best to me.

For my first plate, I make a huge low-carb, low-calorie salad of lettuce, spinache, bell pepper, raw cauliflower and broccoli - all the stuff that's almost impossible to OD on. If I planned ahead, I will have brought along my favorite home-made nearly zero-calorie dressing (rice wine vinegar, Splenda, a dash of fish sauce, maybe a little bit of oil, and a dash of garlic and seasoned salt).

If I didn't plan ahead, I use the Golden Corral's light ranch dressing, sparingly.

Then I eat my salad as slowly as I can.

Then on my second plate, I pretend that I'm picky like my younger sister and I don't let any food "touch." I pick out on-plan hot foods (vegetables and meats without carby sauces - like the grilled steaks, burgers, baked fish, that look really good to me. I make a small exception for barbecue (because barbecue sauce is too carby to be really on plan, but I'll take one barbecue wing, or a small piece of pulled pork barbecue or maybe the bourbon chicken - but I make sure that this is a very small dab on the plate).

I also eat plate 2 as slowly as I can. Usually by then I'm satisfied enough that I don't feel like I have to have any of the decadent desserts. If I do go up with plate 3, it's usually for a little bit of fresh fruit (fresh strawberries are usually the lowest carb option).

We went a couple weeks ago, and I ended up giving in to the chocolate wonderfall. Just as a heads up, it looks pretty on the buffet, but the flavor was very disappointing.

The chocolate was cheap and greasy tasting, and my hubby pointed out (after I'd eaten the strawberry and pineapple I'd dipped) that the chocolate was probably all germy from little kids (and not so little people) sticking their fingers into the chocolate after picking their nose, or licking their fingers.

I wish I'd had that image in my head BEFORE I'd eaten them (so I'm passing it on as my gift to you).

I'm not really squeamish, but I'll certainly remember to keep that image in my head next time I go. The chocolate waterfall really does look pretty, but the slightly warm temperature has to be a breeding ground for filth. Even if no one sticks their germy fingers into the chocolate (which would be a miracle) dropped bits of fruit and other food debris would easily contaminate the chocolate (and if I'm wrong about that, I don't want to know - because thinking of the chocolate as filthy breeding ground for bacteria will help me say no).

Since being on this plan, just about 8 weeks, I've been invited to parties, ate out at a lot at restaurants and even gave a big party myself two weeks ago for over 60 people. Not once did I cheat as nothing is worth it. I even sat with people as they ate my favorite dessert, cheese cake. I planned ahead. There was always some type of protein I could have, either a meat or chicken usually. If the vegetables looked like they had anything on them at all I passed on them. When I know I'm going to be in one of these situations I always have a RTD drink on me just in case.

As for cheating on even one meal? It can kick you out of ketosis. Nothing is worth that. You can do it. Just don't focus on the food, instead enjoy visiting with your family.

Was just reading their site and they do have nutritional values posted for a lot of their items which can help prepare you ahead of time. Good luck.

I just visited Golden Corral over the weekend. I chose to eat a big Mac bowl. I filled my plate with lettuce then went over to the Taco section and put a large scoop of the meat mixture on top. I had my salad dressing with me. I didn't walk through the whole line because that would be to tempting. You can do it just plan ahead and everything will be okay.