You're usually locked into a set menu at a sit-down banquet or wedding without many options for changing what's on your plate. If printed menus are on the table, you have the opportunity to plan your meal ahead of time. You may even decide to skip a course or two to keep calories under control. Plain grilled fish, seafood, and chicken often are calorie-smart bets when available, and a vegetarian plate may be a lighter meal. Portions generally are on the large side, so don't hesitate to leave food on your plate or request smaller portions if food is dished out at the table.
The Fat in Banquets And Weddings Foods:
These words usually are a dead giveaway for fat and calories:
Au gratin
Au poivre
Bisque
Creamed
Crisp
Croquette
En croute
Fried
Parmesan
Sauce
Scalloped
How to be calorie-wise with Banquets And Weddings Foods:
1. Avoid the most obvious calorie trap by asking for salad dressing on the side and then using just a drizzle. Or request oil and vinegar on the side.
2. Try to scrape off as much sauce as possible, and skip buttery sauces altogether. A tablespoon of butter sauce can dish up close to 100 calories.
3. Skip breaded coatings like the crust on fried chicken or cutlets.
4. Choose just one starch, either bread or potato or rice, and keep your portion at around one tennis ball, usually about 100 calories.
5. Leave half your food on your plate.
6. Save room for cake by eating small portions of just one or two other foods. Then share a slice of cake to keep your dessert at around 200 calories.
APPETIZERS
SHRIMP COCKTAIL
3 shrimp + ½ cup cocktail sauce: 90 calories
12 shrimp + 1 cup cocktail sauce: 360 calories
3 shrimp + ¼ cup cocktail sauce: 90 calories
MIXED GREEN SALAD with lettuce, dried cranberries, pecans, blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette dressing:
1 cup lettuce + 1 Tbsp each dried cranberries. pecans, blue cheese + 1 Tbsp balsamic vinaigrette dressing: 200 calories
2 salads
400 calories
½ salad: 100 calories
FRESH FRUIT SALAD
1 cup: 100 calories
4 cups: 400 calories
1 cup: 100 calories
Salad
1 mixed green salad with lettuce, dried cranberries, pecans, blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette dressing: 200 + ½ slice carrot cake: 225 = 425 calories
- good fats
- fruits/veggies
Breads And Rolls
ITALIAN BREAD (2″ SLICE) + BUTTER
1 slice + 2 pats butter: 210 calories
2 slices + 3 pats butter: 390 calories
½ slice + 1 pat butter: 105 calories
SMALL DINNER ROLL (2″) + BUTTER
2 rolls + 2 pats butter: 220 calories
3½ rolls + 3½ pats butter: 390 calories
1 roll + 1 pat butter: 110 calories
Chicken Breast
1 cup fresh fruit salad: 100 + ½ cup rice pilaf
140 + 3 oz roast chicken breast: 140 = 380 calories
- protein
- fruits/veggies
Entrées:
CHICKEN PICCATA WITH PEPPERS
6 oz: 260 calories
9 oz: 390 calories
3 oz: 130 calories
ROAST CHICKEN BREAST
6 oz: 280 calories
9 oz: 420 calories
3 oz: 140 calories
CHICKEN AND SPANISH RICE WITH CHEESE SAUCE
1½ cups: 450 calories
1 1/3 cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 150 calories
FLANK STEAK WITH TERIYAKI SAUCE
6 oz: 360 calories
7 oz: 420 calories
3 oz: 180 calories
GRILLED SALMON
6 oz: 360 calories
6 2/3 oz: 400 calories
3 oz: 180 calories
FRIED CHICKEN DRUMSTICK
2 drumsticks: 380 calories
2 drumsticks: 380 calories
1 drumstick: 190 calories
ROAST BEEF (1 OZ SLICE)
6 slices: 380 calories
6 slices: 380 calories
3 slices: 190 calories
FILET MIGNON
8 oz: 500 calories
6 1/3 oz: 400 calories
3 oz: 790 calories
BAKED ZITI
1 cup: 420 calories
1 cup: 420 calories
½ cup: 210 calories
ROAST HAM (2 OZ SLICE)
3 slices: 420 calories
3 slices: 420 calories
1½ slices: 210 calories
MEAT LOAF (1 OZ SLICE)
1 slice: 430 calories
1 slice: 430 calories
½ slice: 215 calories
FRIED CHICKEN BREAST
8 oz: 580 calories
5 oz: 360 calories
3 oz: 220 calories
BAKED HADDOCK WITH LEMON-BUTTER SAUCE
6 oz haddock + 1½ Tbsp lemon-butter sauce: 350 calories
7 oz haddock + 1 2/3 Tbsp lemon-butter sauce: 400 calories
4 oz haddock + 1 Tbsp lemon-butter sauce: 230 calories
Roast Beef
3 shrimp with ¼ cup cocktail sauce: 90 + 3 slices roast beef
190 + ½ cup broccoli au gratin
100 = 380 calories
- protein
Baked Ziti
½ slice Italian bread + 1 pat butter: 105 + ½ cup baked ziti
210 + 1 cup sautéed broccoli
90 = 405 calories
- fruits/veggies
Haddock
½ mixed green salad with lettuce, dried cranberries, pecans, blue cheese, balsamic vinaigrette dressing: 100 + 4 oz baked haddock + 1 Tbsp lemon-butter sauce: 230 + 1 cup sautéed broccoli
90 = 420 calories
- protein
- good fats
- fruits/veggies
Most cuts of salmon and beef of the same sizes have about the same number of calories.
Banquet vegetables usually are higher in calories because they're made with extra oil and butter.
Side Dishes
GLAZED CARROTS
1 cup: 80 calories
5 cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 40 calories
SAUTÉED GREEN BEANS AMANDINE
1 cup: 160 calories
2½ cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 80 calories
SAUTÉED BROCCOLI
1 cup: 90 calories
4½ cups: 405 calories
1 cup: 90 calories
ROASTED POTATOES
1 cup: 180 calories
2 ¼ cups: 405 calories
½ cup: 90 calories
MASHED POTATOES
1 cup mashed potatoes + 1 pat butter: 210 calories
2 cups mashed potatoes + 2 pats butter: 420 calories
½ cup mashed potatoes, no butter: 90 calories
BROCCOLI AU GRATIN
1 cup: 200 calories
2 cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 100 calories
RICE PILAF
1 cup: 280 calories
1½ cups: 420 calories
½ cup: 140 calories
CREAMED SPINACH
1 cup: 320 calories
1¼ cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 160 calories
POTATOES AU GRATIN
1 cup: 320 calories
1¼ cups: 400 calories
½ cup: 160 calories
MACARONI AND CHEESE
1 cup: 360 calories
1 cup: 360 calories
½ cup: 180 calories
Flank Steak
1 small dinner roll + 1 pat butter: 110 + ½ cup broccoli au gratin
100 + 3 oz flank steak with teriyaki sauce: 180 = 390 calories
- protein
Desserts:
SLICED STRAWBERRIES
1 cup: 50 calories
8 cups: 400 calories
1 cup: 50 calories
WHIPPED CREAM
¼ cup: 100 calories
1 cup: 400 calories
2 Tbsp: 50 calories
LARGE CHOCOLATE-COVERED STRAWBERRY
1 strawberry
80 calories
5 strawberries: 400 calories
1 strawberry
80 calories
WEDDING CAKE (4 OZ SLICE)
1 slice: 400 calories
1 slice: 400 calories
½ slice: 200 calories
CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING (4 OZ SLICE)
1 slice: 410 calories
1 slice: 410 calories
½ slice: 205 calories
CARROT CAKE (4 OZ SLICE)
1 slice: 450 calories
1 slice: 450 calories
½ slice: 225 calories
Salmon
3 oz grilled salmon
180 + ½ cup potatoes au gratin
160 + 1 cup sliced strawberries: 50 = 390 calories
- protein
- good fats
- fruits/veggies
Beverages:
CHAMPAGNE (5 OZ FLUTE)
1 flute: 110 calories
314 flutes: 385 calories
1 flute: 110 calories
WINE (5 OZ GLASS)
1 glass: 120 calories
314 glasses: 420 calories
1 glass: 120 calories
Cake and Champagne
1 flute champagne
110 + ½ slice wedding cake: 200 + 1 large chocolate-covered strawberry
80 = 390 calories
- good fats
Roast Ham
1½ slices roast ham
210 + ½ cup glazed carrots
40 + ½ cup potatoes au gratin
160 = 410 calories
- protein
- fruits/veggies
Dilute your drink with water, seltzer, or club soda to stretch out the calories.