Making a boxed food for 1st time; kcal question?

Entroopia

Husband was curious to try a boxed food and I have never really made them before?

It is Rice Bowl New Orleans Style Dirty Rice Mix. You have to add ground beef to it and I don't know if the meat counts in the kcals? It says that per serving size the mix is 140 and prepared it is 300. Is the prepared counting the meat or not?

Mentiri

Prepared counts whatever meat, oil, etc. you are directed to add as part of the standard directions, but not anything listed as an option, typically.

IammeCA

I would assume so considering the calorie difference between the two.

I love dirty rice but proper dirty rice should be made with finely chopped chicken livers/hearts/gizzards not ground beef.

999tigger

From the way you describe it the meats included in the prepared version. I would tend to portion the amount of mix I was using and then weigh the additional ingredients I actually used.

Entroopia

Mentiri wrote: »

Prepared counts whatever meat, oil, etc. you are directed to add as part of the standard directions, but not anything listed as an option, typically.

I'm not sure now because on the front of the box it says "Add Meat to make a meal" and then on the box under the directions it says *To make a complete meal, lightly brown 1 pound ground beef and drain.

So I don't think the meat is counted in the prepared?

Kalikel

Have to say I envy you. Somebody raised you right! I lived off restaurant and boxed meals for so very long.

If it instructs you to put the meat in, the prepared will count the calories. You could also make a recipe here and enter the meat separately from the boxed, as two different ingredients, in which case you would use the box, not the prepared, instructions from the box. If it calls for a pound and you used 2.17 pounds (like the grocery stores like to do) I'd do it as a recipe.

I always make the grocery store cut me a pound if my recipe calls for a pound, lol.

Entroopia

IammeCA wrote: »

I would assume so considering the calorie difference between the two.

I love dirty rice but proper dirty rice should be made with finely chopped chicken livers/hearts/gizzards not ground beef.

We just wanted to try a boxed food, I don't really mind if it isn't authentic lol. We don't usually eat meat other than some chicken now and then since I'm in university, it's expensive, and we usually don't even really want it. But maybe sometime in the future?

Entroopia

I was only going to add like half a pound to it so I'll just add the meat kcals to the prepared just in case. Better under than over I guess.