Going to a buffet in Las Vegas can be a wonderful experience. But you can ruin the whole adventure by making silly mistakes once you get there. You may end up wasting your money by feeling full too quickly, or even end up seeing a doctor because you ordered the wrong dishes. 

So, how can you make sure you enjoy your buffet adventure? Start by avoiding the following common mistakes that too many people commit! 

(Don’t) Order the Following to Avoid Getting Sick: 

Let’s start with the food, shall we? In general, you should avoid trying out these dishes when you’re at a buffet:

• Sprouts. When you’re having a salad, don’t add the sprouts. Even the best kitchens have trouble with sprouts, as these things are notorious carriers of dangerous bacteria. 
• Sushi. This option is also too much of a risk. That’s because it’s not that easy to prepare the sushi properly and keep it at the right temperature when it’s sitting on the buffet line. 
• Tuna. Among all the types of fish you may try out, tuna is perhaps the most vulnerable to bacterial growth. 
• Anything with mayo. This means you avoid even creamy salad dressings, regardless of how sumptuous that option may look. Mayo is simply a great place to grow bacteria in. 
• Crab legs. With thus option, the risk of food poisoning is just too high. Some places buy the crab legs way past their prime, just to save on costs. Then they don’t steam the crab legs properly as well. 
• Oysters. This is another risk for food poisoning. In many places, the oysters aren’t all that fresh. They’re usually way past their prime by the time they arrive at the buffet line. 

(Don’t) Eat and Drink Stuff that Make You Feel Full Right Away

Let’s start with sodas. These drinks may you feel too full, so you don’t have much left for the actual food. Sodas are also extremely expensive at buffet lines, often costing more than 10 times what they usually cost at a store. Better just go with water. 

Then there are the starches. Buffets are notorious for stacking lots of starchy options on their buffet line, as these options can make you feel full with costing the place a lot. So, that means you have to limit your intake of:

• Bread
• Noodles
• Rice (including rice pilaf)
• Pasta salads
• Potatoes

(Don’t) Go with the Fried Stuff

Does the fried chicken look yummy? Even if that’s true, don’t order it from the buffet line. There are other places for that fried chicken. 

It’s true that all fried food can be unhealthy, but the fried food at buffets is simply the nastiest. Buffets generally cut costs as much as they can, and usually they use the cheapest oil. Deep-fried food soaks up all that trans-fat, saturated fat, and grease, which can then clog up your arteries. 

Fried food is also best when fresh, and that’s not the case at buffets. That fried food has been sitting for a long while under those bright lights. 

(Don’t) Pick Your Reliable Favorites

With so many options that you should avoid, at this point you may be thinking about just ordering your old favorite dishes. They’re always great, right? 

But that’s not the point of a terrific buffet at all. The point of going to a buffet (especially in places like Las Vegas) is that you’re able to try out dishes you’ve never tried before. You have to be a bit more adventurous. 

It’s not as if you’re going to a topnotch restaurant where your single order can determine whether your visit is a success. You can always get a small serving of a new dish, so you can see if you like it or not. If you like it, then get more. If you don’t like it, then move on to another new dish. 

(Don’t) Use the Small Plates

Use the largest plates available instead, even if they may not seem appropriate. That means even if you’re trying out a meat dish, use the salad plate if it’s bigger. 

The purpose of these small plates is to limit your food intake, which is financially good for the buffet place. You may not bother getting more food if it means standing up and getting in line once again. 

Also, there’s a psychological reason. You somehow feel fuller when you finish up the food from a smaller plate, compared to consuming the same amount of food from a bigger plate. That’s why plenty of weight loss experts recommend using smaller plates to lose weight!