How to track a salad when the calories in MFP vary BIG time??

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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Never use a random generic entry in the database when you can log what you actually ate. If you are making the salad log what you put in it.
  • SandyBVTN
    SandyBVTN Posts: 367 Member
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    That's why the zero function on a digital scale is the bomb, it's so easy to weigh everything by the gram while building the salad. And I love that I don't have to wash dozen measuring spoons every day. I would never track using other people's recipes, or restaurant foods (unless I'm eating at that specific restaurant).
  • boonsl
    boonsl Posts: 6
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    I always track my salad dressings separately and the salads I have been eating are very simple salads (no meat, croutons etc) Thanks everyone!
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
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    If this is a meal you have often, try instead to save it as a recipe. That way you look up all the ingredient calories just one time and save it. If you alter the salad significantly, you could just Quick Add the extra calories. I've done this with many common meals I have, such as Tuna salad sandwiches, or even my beef enchiladas that I make often.
  • boonsl
    boonsl Posts: 6
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    I will do that! Thanks :)
  • CyberTone
    CyberTone Posts: 7,337 Member
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    What others have said, when at home, use a mixing bowl and a scale.
    Place bowl on scale, tare, chop vegetable, weigh, record, tare, repeat ad terminus.
    Search MFP Food Database in the format "vegetable - raw" to get non-asterisked entries.

    Here is my usual daily lunch salad with items I keep on hand.

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  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    I used the recipe builder to make a base salad, then add or delete items as needed.
  • PammieSuzyQ
    PammieSuzyQ Posts: 100 Member
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    I make a huge steel bowl of salad to last for the week. I add each ingredient into a recipe, it's divided by 7 for servings. Each of these servings fills a plate, last week my "Everything But the Kitchen Sink Salad" was only 46 calories. To each of these servings I add and track separately, X number of grape tomatoes, half of an avocado, and 2 ounces of meat strips and 2 tbsps of dressing. Those are the real calories, total 351 calories.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
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    I input all ingredients separately, using the barcode scanner when I can.

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