Serving sizes offered on this sight....
vtroys
Posts: 16
...are really getting to me. I really enjoy all aspects of this website. I love that they have so many food options. But the serving sizes are so irritating. What the heck is 1 serving? ML? I measure my milk by the cup! Why can't they have normal sized servings? I measure with cups and spoons (teaspoon/tablespoons) and weight by the oz. I have a hard enough time to find time to log BEFORE I eat, I don't have time to search for a converter too. Is this so much to ask for?! Please, tell me I'm not the only one. I guess I'll try to take time to input my own foods that I eat...once I find the place to do that! The bar code option is very cool!
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Replies
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If you look you can find different entries. It sounds like you find user submitted ones a lot of the time and you're right, who knows what a serving is.
The good news is, once you find proper entries for the things you eat frequently, it'll show up in your recent list and then you can use it over and over.0 -
You just need to keep looking until you find the proper one.0
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...are really getting to me. I really enjoy all aspects of this website. I love that they have so many food options. But the serving sizes are so irritating. What the heck is 1 serving? ML? I measure my milk by the cup! Why can't they have normal sized servings? I measure with cups and spoons (teaspoon/tablespoons) and weight by the oz. I have a hard enough time to find time to log BEFORE I eat, I don't have time to search for a converter too. Is this so much to ask for?! Please, tell me I'm not the only one. I guess I'll try to take time to input my own foods that I eat...once I find the place to do that! The bar code option is very cool!
You had time to post this, but claim to not have time to google for a converter?
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Serving sizes are entered by people, when they create their own foods and enter their preferred unit of measurement. ml = milliliter which is a unit used to measure liquids outside of the US. I personally prefer that, or grams because both are much more accurate than a cup since a cup can vary in shape and size and how much you fill it can vary each time.
I rarely if ever measure by teaspoons/tablespoons and you can bet you'll never catch me measuring in oz.
That's why this website is wonderful, because you can use the entries that most closely resemble your preferred unit of measurement or use your own without excluding any one group of people.0 -
1 cup = 250 ml of milk.
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God forbid people outside of the US use this site and app. We're just about the only ones not using the metric system btw. If you're serious about using the site/app than you'll find time get everything in.0
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...are really getting to me. I really enjoy all aspects of this website. I love that they have so many food options. But the serving sizes are so irritating. What the heck is 1 serving? ML? I measure my milk by the cup! Why can't they have normal sized servings? I measure with cups and spoons (teaspoon/tablespoons) and weight by the oz. I have a hard enough time to find time to log BEFORE I eat, I don't have time to search for a converter too. Is this so much to ask for?! Please, tell me I'm not the only one. I guess I'll try to take time to input my own foods that I eat...once I find the place to do that! The bar code option is very cool!
Here is a weight converter for you. Bookmark it to convert when needed:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_common.htm
Also, My food scale has the option to weigh in grams / ounces / pounds - maybe get one too so you can weight your food then record various types of weight?
Anything with 1 serving - you shouldn't use as it is someones specific recipe. You don't know what their serving is.
- Try to avoid the foods with a * before the description.. those are entries made by other users. The entries without the star are entries made by MFP and would have the most "confirmations" therefore are more accurate.
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I had the exact same issue as you. I started using the app to log all of my foods. Now they're stored in my food diary so all I have to do is just click on them and don't have to worry about serving size because it's stored properly according to the barcode I scanned.0
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I would actually like to see volume measurements like cups disappear - anything I prepare at home is weighed, which is a much more precise methodology (and I don't care if the weights are metric or imperial, my scale accommodates both!).
How do you account for things made "family style" using cups? Take a scoop of pasta and force it into a measuring cup, then the pasta sauce, etc - just weight the pasta, click tare weight, put the sauce on, click again, add cheese, etc...0 -
How do you account for things made "family style" using cups? Take a scoop of pasta and force it into a measuring cup, then the pasta sauce, etc - just weight the pasta, click tare weight, put the sauce on, click again, add cheese, etc...
I wouldn't like that, personally. Although the vast majority of my stuff is weighed not measured by cups, I like using cups for soup because my ladle happens to be exactly half a cup and I'm using it to ladle my soup anyway. I do agree that weighing is more hassle free for other things, and much more accurate.
I like that we have choice, and I would like it to stay that way.
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Do you have a food scale? Use it to measure EVERYTHING that isn't a liquid. I even use the scale to measure my protein powder. "One scoop" could be 35g, it could be 50g, it all depends on how I do the scoop. I'd rather get a good and even 42g on the scale rather than trusting the scoop. Get a digital scale that has measurements for oz, g, lbs, and kg. That should help with your conversions.
And I've never ever had a problem finding milk in cups. Like I use 2% milk. I search for... "2% milk." And I'm always able to enter the amount in cups.
If the site doesn't have the conversions you need, use google.0 -
tracymayo1 wrote: »...are really getting to me. I really enjoy all aspects of this website. I love that they have so many food options. But the serving sizes are so irritating. What the heck is 1 serving? ML? I measure my milk by the cup! Why can't they have normal sized servings? I measure with cups and spoons (teaspoon/tablespoons) and weight by the oz. I have a hard enough time to find time to log BEFORE I eat, I don't have time to search for a converter too. Is this so much to ask for?! Please, tell me I'm not the only one. I guess I'll try to take time to input my own foods that I eat...once I find the place to do that! The bar code option is very cool!
Here is a weight converter for you. Bookmark it to convert when needed:
http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight_common.htm
Also, My food scale has the option to weigh in grams / ounces / pounds - maybe get one too so you can weight your food then record various types of weight?
Anything with 1 serving - you shouldn't use as it is someones specific recipe. You don't know what their serving is.
- Try to avoid the foods with a * before the description.. those are entries made by other users. The entries without the star are entries made by MFP and would have the most "confirmations" therefore are more accurate.
Thank you
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...are really getting to me. I really enjoy all aspects of this website. I love that they have so many food options. But the serving sizes are so irritating. What the heck is 1 serving? ML? I measure my milk by the cup! Why can't they have normal sized servings? I measure with cups and spoons (teaspoon/tablespoons) and weight by the oz. I have a hard enough time to find time to log BEFORE I eat, I don't have time to search for a converter too. Is this so much to ask for?! Please, tell me I'm not the only one. I guess I'll try to take time to input my own foods that I eat...once I find the place to do that! The bar code option is very cool!
If you don't have the time to log the item before you eat then why don't you try to plan your days ahead of time? If you need to convert let's say grams into ounces you can type the grams into Google's toolbar & ask to be converted into ounces & it will pop up at the top of the screen.
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...are really getting to me. I really enjoy all aspects of this website. I love that they have so many food options. But the serving sizes are so irritating. What the heck is 1 serving? ML? I measure my milk by the cup! Why can't they have normal sized servings? I measure with cups and spoons (teaspoon/tablespoons) and weight by the oz. I have a hard enough time to find time to log BEFORE I eat, I don't have time to search for a converter too. Is this so much to ask for?! Please, tell me I'm not the only one. I guess I'll try to take time to input my own foods that I eat...once I find the place to do that! The bar code option is very cool!
Well I measure milk using ml. People do things differently, get over it. There are loads of different entries with cups, metric and imperial measurements. Milk, and other generic USDA values usually list cups, average sizes and 100g. Those values are the most helpful for me because they have the most data.
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Google has a built in converter, it's brilliant. I use both US and metric measurements. It's rare I can't find an entry that has the right units to be honest, but if I can't, I convert it. Try it out, just type in:
convert 1 cup to ml
Or something like that. You can use it for everything from measurements to currencies.0 -
I use google's converter, too.RedheadQuine wrote: »Google has a built in converter, it's brilliant. I use both US and metric measurements. It's rare I can't find an entry that has the right units to be honest, but if I can't, I convert it. Try it out, just type in:
convert 1 cup to ml
Or something like that. You can use it for everything from measurements to currencies.
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rgauthier20420 wrote: »God forbid people outside of the US use this site and app. We're just about the only ones not using the metric system btw. If you're serious about using the site/app than you'll find time get everything in.
That's my goal for this weekend! 0 -
So I have the opposite problem. With cups and oz and whatnot. I live in a metric world. As I have seen suggested elsewhere, as it is possible to convert between the systems, it shouldn't be impossible for MFP to integrate a converter into the program. I'm not a programmer or anything, but I don't think it should be too hard. Just imagine, finding an entry in a unit you don't use and by a click converting it to your measurement... I can dream I guess...0
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As others have said, if you bother to find the good entries they typically have a range of units, including cups (if you must), ounces, and 100 grams.
Look for the ones without asterisks.0 -
250ml = 1 cup.
You're welcome!
Love, Canada
Also, free conversion apps for your phone make things easier.
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Sometimes I have to hunt a bit before I find an actual weight/measurement. I also do a lot of creating my own NI based on specific weights and measurements.0
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It's member driven. If you don't like the serving sizes offered, then add your own. Show some gratitude rather than entitlement.0
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I had the same issues when I started. You just need to look around more and find the right one. With more experience it will get easier and easier.0
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There is no such thing as a "standard" serving size. Serving sizes of package goods are chosen by their manufacturers and often are specifically chosen to avoid unpleasant numbers. For example, a food listed per serving as "fat free" may actually have some fat in it but the manufacturer was able to "round down" to zero for a small enough serving.
For other than packaged items that don't have a measurement you need, you can always add one using the NDL/FNIC database for reference. A vegetable like red bell pepper is hard to measure by the cup, for example. The NDL/FNIC for them shows that 100g of raw red bell pepper is 31 calories.
To figure out the calories for your recipe, just weigh your chopped bell pepper and do some arithmetic. If, for example, your pepper cut up weighs 125 grams, the number of calories is 1.25 times 31 or 38.75 calories.
Adding 100 gram amounts from NDL/FNIC for foods that don't include it would be a good favor for all of us. I'll try to start doing it more regularly. Anybody else in?0 -
Once you use the site for a while finding the correct entry is a breeze. If you're looking for grams on fruits and veggies add USDA to the name. Also helps to use the plural form of the word - blueberries vs. Blueberry. For milk (or anything with a bar code) try using the bar code scanner first. 90% of the time the right item comes up. When I use the bar code scanner on something like salad mix and the grams entry doesn't come up I just do a search and 99% of the time someone has added it to the data base with the grams entry. Once you have used the correct entries a time or two they'll come right up in your frequent list. Or as others have said - add it yourself!! I also have a conversion chart hanging inside my cupboard that tells all the conversions from teaspoons/tablespoons to cups, etc. Super handy - I use it all the time. http://thats-what-she-said.ca/genius-will-want-hang-kitchen/
Spend less time finding excuses and more times finding solutions and you'll be a lot more successful.0 -
As much as possible, I weigh food in grams as it is more precise. I try to find entries that are one gram and then make my serving size how many grams I ate. As an American, I do measure liquids in cups because that is what I'm used to. As long as it's accurate, I'm fine. But we would all do well to know enough math for our daily lives!0
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Make sure that your profile settings are for cups/tablespoons, etc. It may be showing you metric measurements because that's what you have listed in your settings.0
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Create your own private database:
Foods > My Foods > Create Food
Use websites like USDA, skipthepie, or nutritiondata to verify produce/meat/things not packaged. Use stuff on the label for everything else. I calculate calories from the item's macros, set my serving sizes to grams/ml unless it's only available in oz on the packaging, weigh everything.0 -
This site is used by non-Americans who don't use cups and ounces (and, according to a recent thread, are baffled when they get to learning that a cup changes based on what you're measuring, lol.) they're not converting and their system makes more sense, anyway. It's also used by Americans who prefer to use the metric system. You may find a lot of entries that use metric stuff.
If you want to save yourself the hassle, just use the ml and grams. Go to the dollar store and buy a measuring cup with both ounces and ml on it. Most liquid measuring cups have both. Get a food scale - you can buy them at Wal-Mart or on amazon. They're not very expensive. Weigh in grams.
I enter all my own stuff. It's no slower than cruising through and trying to find one that works. Plus, every time you eat that thing again, you already have it. 0
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