Calorie/Fat Gram info on Dining Menu?

[jeana]

Hi,

Does anyone know if Princess provides nutritional info, like calorie & fat gram counts for their dinner menu items? I know, I know, who wants to count calories on a cruise... but I need to!

 

I'll be on the Grand, so I'm particularly interested in that ship, if anyone knows.

 

Thanks!

JT

[Pam in CA]

Does anyone know if Princess provides nutritional info, like calorie & fat gram counts for their dinner menu items? I know, I know, who wants to count calories on a cruise... but I need to!

 

I'll be on the Grand, so I'm particularly interested in that ship, if anyone knows.

Not to my knowledge but you can ask the Maitre D for the menu for the next night and find out what kind of sauces, etc. will be used and ask for them to be modified.

[Toto2Kansas]

Not to my knowledge but you can ask the Maitre D for the menu for the next night and find out what kind of sauces, etc. will be used and ask for them to be modified.

 

I agree with Pam here, I have never seen that info given to any passenger onboard in the past.

[rdsqrl]

They don't list the calories and fat grams on the menu but they do indicate items that are "Lotus Spa" selections. These purportedly are lower in fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

[smoosh21]

They don't list the calories and fat grams on the menu but they do indicate items that are "Lotus Spa" selections. These purportedly are lower in fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

 

I don't think the Lotus Spa items were advertised as lower fat. I think they were just advertised as specially balanced, but in a good for your enjoyment sort of way, not so much health.

[rdsqrl]

No, they actually said lower in fat. I searched for a photo of a menu before I posted to make sure I was being accurate. Here's a link to the Webshots photo I looked at. The OP might want to glance through them all -- this person posted what looks like photos of every night's menus.

http://family.webshots.com/photo/2582763100103243266mmJWee

[Toto2Kansas]

For someone looking for a low fat diet, it would be best to request it before you board, and then check with the Maitre D to make sure the info has been passed on to them. They can then make recommendations and go over the menu, like pam has mentioned, for the following night and even leave certain things off that might not be permissable.

As for caloric value, sorry, can't help you there, never have seen anyone request that before.

[C&F]

Wondering how someone with anytime dining might do this?

[sunsurf]

Wondering how someone with anytime dining might do this?

 

 

Request it on your cruise personalizer first. You should then get a "Welcome Aboard" card/note in your cabin from the MD upon arrival confirming that arrangements have been made through the LA office re: your dietary reuqirements. You'll be instructed to contact your Head Waiter at dinner that evening so that they can assist you with your dietary reqs.

[paul929207]

There is no calorie or fat info on Princess menus. Some items are marked as 'healthy"

[BigGuy25]

I'm one of those folks who has become more health conscious over the past year. I've lost 65 pounds and didn't use any specific diet. I wanted to change lifestyle to something that I could live with comfortably. So, it's not about what I'm eating (there is nothing that I don't eat) ... it's about what I'm not eating. I try to avoid fast food, fried food, junk food and and take it easy on deserts ... and I walk or ride my bike a lot. I don't count calories but I watch them!! I'm sure that my daily calorie count is way down from what it was. I say all of this because last year (and on every other cruise we've taken) I haven't even thought about what I've eaten. This year will be different so I do hope I can get some sense of calories (even though common sense is probably the best measure) from meals. The "eat healthy" notion is spreading slowly, but it would be nice if cruise lines made following this "lifestyle" a bit easier. By, I'm not an advocate of avoiding all things that aren't "good" for you ... simply watching portion size and frequency! I hope I don't sound like I'm preaching because I really feel that folks should eat whatever they want to eat. I'm just saying that I hope Princess, and others, will make it easier, for those who are interested, to figure out the nutritional value of dining room offerings.

[Linda74]

By now, you must know what you can and cannot eat. Have lots of vegetables and fresh fruits with no sauces....broiled fish and chicken, again no sauce and stay away from breads and desserts......and no booze!!!! Lots of fun, huh!!! Oh and don't forget to exercise!!!!

[Shoalwater]

Hi,

Does anyone know if Princess provides nutritional info, like calorie & fat gram counts for their dinner menu items? I know, I know, who wants to count calories on a cruise... but I need to!

 

I'll be on the Grand, so I'm particularly interested in that ship, if anyone knows.

 

Thanks!

JT

 

aboard ship was immediately put to sea in a lifeboat with a case of lettuce, two guacomoles, and a tin of water with directions for aerobic rowing.

[BoardwalkBabe]

I am also watching my weight so I will be curious to see what healthy options are available. I'm happy to skip desserts so my splurge will be a pre-dinner drink.

[stipmom]

Last year I requested a lowfat menu. I told them I needed it for health reasons. The maitre'd came around every night to discuss the dinner menu for the next night. I was very impressed. I stuck mostly to fish and non- sauced dishes.

[sunsurf]

I am also watching my weight so I will be curious to see what healthy options are available. I'm happy to skip desserts so my splurge will be a pre-dinner drink.

 

 

There are sugar free desserts that are just as yummy if not better than the regular!! :D

[mauiedin87]

The last two cruises I requested low-fat/low-cholesterol on the cruise personalizer well beforehand. The head waiter/or maitre d' brought the next day's menu every evening so that I could decide what I wanted and he made recommendations. Great system. As a result I lost 6 lbs each time (but we're also vigorous dancers and take fairly active excursions, and also take the stairs, especially going up). The sugar-free desserts are often quite wonderful. It's very easy to eat healthy on Princess, it just takes some determination and portion control.

 

Since we have "anytime dining" this time, I might be "on my own", but we'll see how it goes.

[Pam in CA]

I think it's a misconception that everyone gains weight on a cruise; many don't. You wouldn't fix yourself three platters full of food for lunch at home but people do that; I've seen some literally two-fisting food into their mouths. Some people have every course, including two entrees and sometimes two desserts, and finish every bite... and then wonder why they can't button their pants. You wouldn't do that at home either.

 

As long as you are aware of what you're eating and finish only what's really terrific, you won't gain weight. I usually lose between 3 - 10 pounds on a cruise, depending on the length of the cruise because I eat lots of fruit and salads. At dinner, I order every course but almost never finish anything. I'm pretty sedentary and don't deliberately exercise but this has worked well for me. Also, sometimes at dinner, I ask for a salad for my entree the night before. Their Cobb and Caesar salads at dinner are terrific.

[JanMD]

Beware of the salt intake. On cruises they put alot of salt on items so people don't get seasick. On the Grand last summer in the Greek Islands- I am on a special diet and they took care of me without a problem. I am on those that don't gain weight on cruises.

 

Happy Cruising,

Jan

[Toto2Kansas]

Beware of the salt intake. On cruises they put alot of salt on items so people don't get seasick. On the Grand last summer in the Greek Islands- I am on a special diet and they took care of me without a problem. I am on those that don't gain weight on cruises.

 

Happy Cruising,

Jan

 

Jan, now that is a new one I have never heard of before.:confused::confused:

[Pam in CA]

Beware of the salt intake. On cruises they put alot of salt on items so people don't get seasick. On the Grand last summer in the Greek Islands- I am on a special diet and they took care of me without a problem. I am on those that don't gain weight on cruises.

I'd be very surprised at this. I never add salt to anything and am pretty sensitive to things being salty or over-salted and don't remember having food that's too salty. Salt is not good for a lot of people so I'd be very surprised if they added lots of salt without telling people. After all, most people don't get seasick with or without salt.

[FritzG]

Wow, I'm not sure I want to know those numbers!!

[Joy2Day]

I'd be very surprised at this. I never add salt to anything and am pretty sensitive to things being salty or over-salted and don't remember having food that's too salty. Salt is not good for a lot of people so I'd be very surprised if they added lots of salt without telling people. After all, most people don't get seasick with or without salt.

 

Being on a low-sodium diet for health reasons, I can assure you that food onboard the cruiseship will have sodium intake similar to any restaurant on land. I can also assure you that most people consume a great deal more sodium than recommended by many medical organizations ... without ever picking up a salt shaker. My doctor even admits that he wouldn't want to adhere to my low-sodium diet!!!!

 

To manage my sodium intake, I severely curtail sauces, gravies, cheeses, anything marinated or pickled, ketchup, salsa, cocktail sauce, non-fruit soups and any tomato-sauce based products, ... While it is just as difficult to dine "from the menu" on ship as in restaurants on land, the maitre'd onboard can assist you with special orders for dinner.

 

My experience is that it is ALWAYS easier to eat in the main dining room since you have some hope of getting your meal modified as needed. The biggest obstacle is lunch and late-night snacks onboard since you don't preorder them.

[Latitude 20]

I'm one of those folks who has become more health conscious over the past year. I've lost 65 pounds and didn't use any specific diet. I wanted to change lifestyle to something that I could live with comfortably. So, it's not about what I'm eating (there is nothing that I don't eat) ... it's about what I'm not eating. I try to avoid fast food, fried food, junk food and and take it easy on deserts ... and I walk or ride my bike a lot. I don't count calories but I watch them!! I'm sure that my daily calorie count is way down from what it was. I say all of this because last year (and on every other cruise we've taken) I haven't even thought about what I've eaten. This year will be different so I do hope I can get some sense of calories (even though common sense is probably the best measure) from meals. The "eat healthy" notion is spreading slowly, but it would be nice if cruise lines made following this "lifestyle" a bit easier. By, I'm not an advocate of avoiding all things that aren't "good" for you ... simply watching portion size and frequency! I hope I don't sound like I'm preaching because I really feel that folks should eat whatever they want to eat. I'm just saying that I hope Princess, and others, will make it easier, for those who are interested, to figure out the nutritional value of dining room offerings.

 

 

Congratulations! Are you now "MediumGuy25?" :D

[Pam in CA]

Being on a low-sodium diet for health reasons, I can assure you that food onboard the cruiseship will have sodium intake similar to any restaurant on land. I can also assure you that most people consume a great deal more sodium than recommended by many medical organizations ... without ever picking up a salt shaker. My doctor even admits that he wouldn't want to adhere to my low-sodium diet!!!!

I realize that there's far more sodium in food than we realize which is why I never add salt to anything, even at home, although I do go out to lunch frequently. On the other hand, the image that was portrayed is that they pour the salt on to keep people from getting seasick, which is what I was questioning. Most people don't get seasick so I don't buy that reasoning.