Tablespoon vs. Tablespoon

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mustnothrowcantelopes
mustnothrowcantelopes Posts: 116 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay this is really bugging me. I bought a set of measuring spoons that are 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon , 1 tablespoon 5ml and 1 tablespoon 15 ml. Obviously one is bigger than the other but which do I use for measuring food and not liquid?
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  • ncboiler89
    ncboiler89 Posts: 2,408 Member
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    mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »
    Okay this is really bugging me. I bought a set of measuring spoons that are 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon , 1 tablespoon 5ml and 1 tablespoon 15 ml. Obviously one is bigger than the other but which do I use for measuring food and not liquid?

    Scale
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
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    Teaspoon is 5ml and tablespoon is 15ml. If you are going to measure food, use a scale.
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I agree, neither. Always use your scale.

  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »
    Okay this is really bugging me. I bought a set of measuring spoons that are 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon , 1 tablespoon 5ml and 1 tablespoon 15 ml. Obviously one is bigger than the other but which do I use for measuring food and not liquid?

    I imagine the 5ml T is actually a 1/2 T and as was shared by ncboiler89 a scale is best for solids. Far more accurate!
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I don't use a scale, I only use measuring spoons and cups.

    Most of the dry things that I use measuring spoons for are in the database already, for volume (in tablespoons, or teaspoons, or whatever). Just be a little stingy when you fill up the spoon (no rounded tablespoons, they should be filled flat & just beneath the line) and you'll be ok.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    I bought a teaspoon cookie scoop not for cookies, but for something else where I needed an exact teaspoon. Seems the cookie scoop was measured for "rounded teaspoons" which were really nearly two teaspoons. As ncboiler89 said, use your scales.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    A t. is a teaspoon and is 5 ml. A T. is a tablespoon and is 15 ml. Full stop.

    When possible though, use a food scale.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited April 2015
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    The ml does stand for milliliters, which is used for liquids, not dry foods, which are usually measured in grams.

    However, in the database, volume measurements are (usually, or often) given in "tablespoons" or "teaspoons", so it doesn't matter that your spoons say ml and not grams.

    If you type in "white refined flour - 1 tablespoon" using your ml-labelled spoon, it will be the right amount. (If you don't overfill the spoon.)
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    I don't understand the question. While it is better to measure solids by weight and not volume, if you eat a teaspoon of something, log a teaspoon of it. If you eat a tablespoon of something log a tablespoon of it. Neither is better for foods, they're just different measurement.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    blankiefinder wrote: »
    A t. is a teaspoon and is 5 ml. A T. is a tablespoon and is 15 ml. Full stop.

    When possible though, use a food scale.

    *nods*
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    Is the 5ml label tsp and the 15 labeled tbsp or some slight difference that you might be over looking?
  • OldHobo
    OldHobo Posts: 647 Member
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    mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »
    Okay this is really bugging me. I bought a set of measuring spoons that are 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon , 1 tablespoon 5ml and 1 tablespoon 15 ml. Obviously one is bigger than the other but which do I use for measuring food and not liquid?
    I've never seen spoons labeled that way but I'm sure you have:
    1. 1/4 teaspoon
    2. 1/2 teaspoon
    3. 1 teaspoon (approx. 5 ml)
    4. 1 tablespoon (approx. 15 ml)
    Obviously the second and third in the list should be double the previous one.
    The last spoon (tablespoon) should be 3 times the third (teaspoon). You can check by volume or weight as long you are measuring the same thing with all spoons.

    To those who are saying always use a scale I pose two questions.
    1. Which weighs more, a pound of feathers, or a pound of lead?
    2. What if your recipe called for a tablespoon of feathers and a tablespoon of lead?
    All dry measurements, used in cooking anyway, are related to weight; specifically the weight of water. The old expression "A pint's a pound the world around" refers to a pint of water. A pint (or a teaspoon) of fat weighs less than a pint (or a teaspoon) of water. Need proof? Fat floats. A tablespoon of dried herb, like sage for instance, weighs a lot less than a tablespoon of water.
    mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »
    ...but which do I use for measuring food and not liquid?
    So use all the spoons and your scale (if you have one) for measuring liquids and solids. Choose the one appropriate to the task.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    edited April 2015
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    j6o4 wrote: »
    Teaspoon is 5ml and tablespoon is 15ml. If you are going to measure food, use a scale.

    Good catch! I didn't even think to notice that!
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    OldHobo wrote: »
    mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »
    Okay this is really bugging me. I bought a set of measuring spoons that are 1/4 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon , 1 tablespoon 5ml and 1 tablespoon 15 ml. Obviously one is bigger than the other but which do I use for measuring food and not liquid?
    I've never seen spoons labeled that way but I'm sure you have:
    1. 1/4 teaspoon
    2. 1/2 teaspoon
    3. 1 teaspoon (approx. 5 ml)
    4. 1 tablespoon (approx. 15 ml)
    Obviously the second and third in the list should be double the previous one.
    The last spoon (tablespoon) should be 3 times the third (teaspoon). You can check by volume or weight as long you are measuring the same thing with all spoons.

    To those who are saying always use a scale I pose two questions.
    1. Which weighs more, a pound of feathers, or a pound of lead?
    2. What if your recipe called for a tablespoon of feathers and a tablespoon of lead?
    All dry measurements, used in cooking anyway, are related to weight; specifically the weight of water. The old expression "A pint's a pound the world around" refers to a pint of water. A pint (or a teaspoon) of fat weighs less than a pint (or a teaspoon) of water. Need proof? Fat floats. A tablespoon of dried herb, like sage for instance, weighs a lot less than a tablespoon of water.
    mustnothrowcantelopes wrote: »
    ...but which do I use for measuring food and not liquid?
    So use all the spoons and your scale (if you have one) for measuring liquids and solids. Choose the one appropriate to the task.

    Many items such as peanut butter, will list a serving size as 1 T (19g) or something like that. In that case, use a food scale, or you will probably be very off in your serving size.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    If you aren't aware, the labels of many products are extremely misleading. When both measures are listed (tablespoons, cups) and also the weight, the weight is the only accurate measure. I have found that out with many items, most notably popcorn. In any event, I use measuring spoons and cups when following an American recipe that measures that way and scales for all other eating purposes.
  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
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    j6o4 wrote: »
    Teaspoon is 5ml and tablespoon is 15ml. If you are going to measure food, use a scale.

    This!

    And buy a food scale.
  • Dreamyriver
    Dreamyriver Posts: 91 Member
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    And of course, to add to the confusion, entries in the database could be in metric tablespoons (20ml) or American tablespoons (15ml) ... use your scale where you can!

    (Don't get me started on the varying volumes of cups across the world)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    Dreamyriver wrote: »
    And of course, to add to the confusion, entries in the database could be in metric tablespoons (20ml) or American tablespoons (15ml) ... use your scale where you can!

    (Don't get me started on the varying volumes of cups across the world)

    There's a metric tablespoon?! I'm not American, but I always took a tablespoon to be 15ml
  • Dreamyriver
    Dreamyriver Posts: 91 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Dreamyriver wrote: »
    And of course, to add to the confusion, entries in the database could be in metric tablespoons (20ml) or American tablespoons (15ml) ... use your scale where you can!

    (Don't get me started on the varying volumes of cups across the world)

    There's a metric tablespoon?! I'm not American, but I always took a tablespoon to be 15ml

    Here in Australia, they use a 20ml metric tablespoon.

    They have to be different to everyone else :smile:
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Dreamyriver wrote: »
    And of course, to add to the confusion, entries in the database could be in metric tablespoons (20ml) or American tablespoons (15ml) ... use your scale where you can!

    (Don't get me started on the varying volumes of cups across the world)

    There's a metric tablespoon?! I'm not American, but I always took a tablespoon to be 15ml

    Why can't we all just have the one measurement for the same things?

    Madness!

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