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Calories in office canteen food and tiffin

Office food is the same few things most days: a canteen thali or a tiffin dabba, and several cups of chai or coffee. Count each of them once, carefully, and the rest of the week is quick.

The canteen thali

A canteen thali is usually rotis, rice, dal, a sabzi, sometimes a sweet or curd. Canteen kitchens cook in large batches, often with more oil than home cooking, and the ladle sets the portion. Count it as outside food.

For a rough home baseline: two medium rotis are about 190 calories, a 200 ml katori of dal tadka about 115, a katori of mixed veg sabzi about 150 and a 200 ml katori of rice about 160. Canteen versions of the dal and sabzi are usually higher.

The tiffin dabba

A tiffin from home is easier to count, because you know what went in. Look at your dabba once: how many rotis or theplas, and how big the containers are. Measure a container the same way as a katori, with water and a measuring jug.

Common tiffin food travels well: theplas at about 120 each, aloo paratha at about 190, curd rice at about 220 for a 200 ml katori, and veg pulao at about 150.

Chai and coffee add up

Office chai is easy to forget. A cup of masala chai with 2 teaspoons of sugar is about 60 calories, and a tumbler of filter coffee with whole milk and 2 teaspoons of sugar about 105. Three or four cups a day is a small meal's worth.

Canteen and vending-machine chai is often sweeter than home chai. Biscuits and namkeen with it add more.

How to count office food quickly

  1. Count the canteen thali by its parts the first time, then reuse it.
  2. Count your tiffin dabba once, by its containers.
  3. Count chai by the cup, with the sugar you actually take.
  4. Add the evening snack separately: samosa, vada pav, biscuits.

Where Slate helps

Tell Slate where you eat outside, including an office canteen and tiffin, and canteen food is counted as outside food, with more oil and a bigger portion than home food. Your chai and coffee are set once in Your kitchen, with your sugar and milk.

"Log a chai in Slate" works with Siri for free. With Slate Plus, a home or lock screen widget gives one-tap quick add for chai, coffee, a glass of water or any saved food, and saved foods let you reuse your usual dabba.

Questions people ask

How many calories are in a canteen thali?

It depends on the canteen, but as a home baseline: two medium rotis about 190, a 200 ml katori of dal tadka about 115, a katori of sabzi about 150 and a katori of rice about 160. Canteen dal and sabzi usually have more oil.

How many calories are in office chai?

About 60 for a cup with 2 teaspoons of sugar, and about 30 without sugar.

How do I count a tiffin?

Count it once by its contents: the rotis or theplas, and each container as a katori of dal, sabzi or rice. After that, the same dabba takes seconds.

Can I log chai with one tap?

Yes. With Slate Plus, the widget's quick add can be set to chai, and "Log a chai in Slate" works with Siri for free.