Quick Answer
The number of calories in a BIBIBOP meal can vary greatly depending on the specific ingredients and portion sizes chosen. However, most standard BIBIBOP bowl meals range from 500-1200 calories. The veggie bowls on the lower end around 500-700 calories, while bowls with meats and additional toppings tend to be 800-1200 calories.
Calculating BIBIBOP Bowl Calories
BIBIBOP is a build-your-own bowl style restaurant where customers can customize their bowls with a variety of bases, proteins, vegetables, toppings and sauces. This makes providing an exact calorie count for “a BIBIBOP meal” challenging. The number of calories will depend on the specific ingredients selected. However, we can estimate calorie ranges for typical BIBIBOP bowl orders:
Base Ingredients
BIBIBOP offers white, brown or purple rice as bowl bases. A standard serving is around 1 cup cooked:
| White rice: | ~200 calories per cup |
| Brown rice: | ~215 calories per cup |
| Purple rice: | ~220 calories per cup |
Quinoa or mixed greens can also be chosen as the base, adding around 120-150 calories per regular serving.
Protein Options
Protein options range from tofu on the lighter end to chicken, steak or shrimp which add more calories:
| Tofu: | ~100 calories per 8oz |
| Chicken: | ~230 calories per 8oz |
| Steak: | ~250 calories per 8oz |
| Shrimp: | ~200 calories per 8oz |
Veggie-only bowls without protein would be around the 500 calorie mark.
Vegetables
BIBIBOP offers fresh vegetables like broccoli, carrots, peppers, mushrooms, cabbage, kale and edamame. These add very minimal calories – around 20-50 calories per cup of veggies.
Sauces
Sauces range from vinaigrettes, soy garlic, spicy soy garlic, yum yum and peanut sauce. About 2-3 oz of sauce adds 50-100 calories.
Toppings
Toppings like sesame seeds, spices, nuts and crispy onions add small amounts of calories. Expect around 30-50 extra calories if adding multiple toppings.
Sample BIBIBOP Bowl Calorie Calculations
To demonstrate, here are some sample calorie calculations for common BIBIBOP bowl orders:
Veggie Bowl
– 1 cup white rice: 200 calories
– 1 cup broccoli: 30 calories
– 1 cup carrots: 50 calories
– 2 oz yum yum sauce: 70 calories
– Sesame seeds: 30 calories
Total: Around 380 calories
Chicken Bowl
– 1 cup purple rice: 220 calories
– 8 oz chicken: 230 calories
– 1 cup mushrooms: 20 calories
– 2 cups cabbage: 40 calories
– 2 oz spicy soy garlic sauce: 50 calories
– Sesame seeds: 30 calories
Total: Around 590 calories
Steak Bowl
– 1 cup quinoa: 150 calories
– 8 oz steak: 250 calories
– 1 cup edamame: 190 calories
– 1 cup kale: 30 calories
– 1 tbsp peanut sauce: 65 calories
– Crispy onions: 20 calories
Total: Around 705 calories
Factors Affecting BIBIBOP Bowl Calories
As seen above, the specific ingredients chosen can greatly vary the calories in a BIBIBOP bowl. Here are some factors that increase calories:
- Larger portions of rice or quinoa as the base
- Higher calorie proteins like steak or shrimp
- More high-calorie vegetables like edamame or corn
- Multiple/larger portions of sauce
- More calorie-dense toppings like nuts or crispy onions
Ways to reduce the calories in a BIBIBOP bowl include:
- Opting for a veggie bowl
- Choosing lighter proteins like tofu or chicken breast
- Loading up on low-calorie vegetables like broccoli, carrots, cabbage, etc.
- Going easy on sauces and toppings
- Choosing lower calorie base options like purple rice or mixed greens
Nutritional Information on BIBIBOP Website
BIBIBOP provides some nutritional information for their menu items on their website. However, because customers can customize their bowls, the online information only provides estimates for certain pre-configured bowls.
For example, their online menu lists the following estimated calories for sample bowls:
| The Light One Bowl: | ~500 calories |
| BIBIBOP Bowl: | ~800 calories |
| Double Protein Bowl: | ~1,100 calories |
These give a general idea of calorie ranges, but your specific bowl could vary depending on the ingredients you select.
If you want a more accurate calorie count for your specific order, your best bet is to log the individual ingredients and portions into a calorie counting app or nutrition tracker.
Tips for Building a Lower Calorie BIBIBOP Bowl
Here are some tips to build a tasty but lower calorie BIBIBOP bowl:
- Choose mixed greens or purple rice as the base (~100-200 calories)
- Load up with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, carrots, mushrooms, cabbage, kale, etc. (~20-50 calories per cup)
- Add lean protein like chicken breast or tofu (~100-230 calories for 8oz)
- Ask for light sauce portions or low-calorie vinaigrettes (~30-50 calories per 2 oz)
- Skip nuts, chips and crispy onions as toppings
- Ask for any sauces or dressings on the side and use sparingly
- Opt for spices, herbs and sesame seeds to add flavor without calories
- Avoid higher calorie sides like chips, cookies or juices and stick to water
Following these guidelines can help keep your BIBIBOP bowl around or under 600 calories while still tasting delicious!
Conclusion
In summary, calories in a BIBIBOP bowl can range from 500 to over 1,000 depending on your choices. Bowls with veggie-only bases average 500-700 calories, while adding meats and larger portions can put you closer to 800-1200 calories. Keep portions of high-calorie ingredients like rice, protein, sauces and toppings in check in order to keep your bowl on the lighter side. Refer to BIBIBOP’s online nutrition estimates as a general guide, but use a calorie counting app or nutrition tracker for a more accurate count if counting calories. With some smart choices, you can build a nutritious and satisfying BIBIBOP bowl for under 600 calories.
