Resource for serving sizes?

Heather_MXP

I'm trying to enter a basic boneless, skinless chicken breast in my food journal. The only serving size options I can find are ounces or grams. If I don't have a food scale, how do I figure out what I should enter in my food journal? Is there some resource out there that lists the average portion sizes of general things like chicken breasts, etc?

jemhh

You really need to get a scale. In the meantime, google "serving size chart." If you look at the image results you'll get lots of visual cues for estimating serving sizes.

But you really need to get a digital scale.

MindyBruno

The best thing you can do is buy a scale and weigh everything you eat. It can be a pain in the behind and time consuming but it really really is the best way to do it. Good luck

kshama2001

Do get a digital food scale - it makes logging food so much easier!

Meanwhile, the system entry "Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted" includes cups.

In general, you know you have found a system entry when the description is long and the units of measure are many.

Ninkyou

jemhh wrote: »

You really need to get a scale. In the meantime, google "serving size chart." If you look at the image results you'll get lots of visual cues for estimating serving sizes.

But you really need to get a digital scale.

Yeah, this.

You can only really guess. The problem with using things like image charts (online) that I've seen are the "fitting in your palm" kind of measurement. Everyone's hand's are different sizes. So "4oz" for me would be different than "4oz" for my husband, etc. Which is in no way accurate.

socioseguro

I second the need for a food scale. I started with a cheap analog one I bought at the local supermarket. It did the job for a while until I acquired a digital one.
If I am eating out and I can not get calorie information from the restaurant web page, I calculate my fist size as 3-4 oz, but it is just an approximation.
Get yourself a food scale, you will not regretted.

Nachise

I was told that 4 ounces of chicken or any meat would be the size of a deck of cards. Get a scale. It makes life so much easier.

jemhh

HappyCampr1 wrote: »

Nachise wrote: »

I was told that 4 ounces of chicken or any meat would be the size of a deck of cards. Get a scale. It makes life so much easier.

I thought this too. But, when I got a scale, I discovered I wasn't eating as much chicken (and therefore less protein) than I thought. I'd been cheating myself the whole time. The scale was nice because I got to eat more.

Yeah, I'd say that visual estimates are good when they are used the minority of the time. Going out to eat? Use the deck of cards comparison. At a party? Compare a piece of cheese to the size of a domino. So on and so forth. But, for the majority of your measurements, weighing is preferable.

MarcyKirkton

I use amount listed on the package.