Go by the weight of the package or scales?

lworby69
lworby69 Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
hello,

I just wondered if you guys go by the weight on the label on the back of food, or actually by weighing it on the scales. Because it seems for example when i cooked quorn steak strips the pack said 300 grams but the scale said 400. not sure which one to go by?

any advice?
lucy :)

Replies

  • SimoneBee12
    SimoneBee12 Posts: 268 Member
    The scale. The scale is always right. The package is exactly the same for everything, despite the product changing each time. The producers just need to have more than what's on the package in it. So more then 300g. They don't care about people counting calories.

    Weigh everything. Never trust packaging, or measuring cups.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited June 2015
    If it is a manufactured single serving item like a Lean Cuisine, I go by the package. If it is a multiple serving or something locally packaged (like meats), I weigh it. If it is a single food item, like a beef roast or strawberries, I will use the info from the USDA that is in the MFP database. Things like bread, potato salad, spaghetti sauce, etc., I take the nutrition info that is on the package, but weigh my serving.

    Hope this makes sense.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
    If it's a single serving item, I just go by what the package says right now. That is, if the package says something like "1 serving, 68g," I log it as such.

    The problem with following the label is companies need to have at LEAST that amount in the package - it could be 10%-20% more. Depending on the item, that could make a difference in your weight loss. If I find that I'm not losing as expected, I'll start weighing those, too, and making sure I'm logging the exact amounts.

    For something like meat, I don't necessarily eat whatever portion they list as a serving anyway. I'll weigh my meat raw, make note of its weight, and then log whatever portion I eat after I've cooked it.

    Hope that helps.

    ~Lyssa
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I use the scale the first time I buy it to see how reliable the info is.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Scale definitely. Just this morning I ate a Trader Joe's shortcake... label said 270 calories for 71g. The thing was 87g. 50 more calories than what the labels said... it adds up...

    The only packaged things I've noticed seem to be constantly under are yogurt cups, so I just don't bother weighing them and log the whole thing.

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