Weighing salad dressing

SarahStarr86
SarahStarr86 Posts: 121 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone! I've noticed recently learned the importance of weighing everything. Question, how would I weigh salad dressing. I use the Bolthouse Ranch and it says a serving size is 2 TBSP (which is what I've been doing) and it also gives a ML serving size but how do I weigh ML? Thanks for any suggestions!
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Replies

  • kaylajane11
    kaylajane11 Posts: 313 Member
    Use measuring spoons/cups for liquids and a food scale for solids. :)
  • SarahStarr86
    SarahStarr86 Posts: 121 Member
    Use measuring spoons/cups for liquids and a food scale for solids. :)

    See I've been using the measuring spoons but I've seen people say in the past that measuring spoons are unreliable so I didn't know if I should be doing something different. Thanks!
  • LeoT0917
    LeoT0917 Posts: 206 Member
    I just use a table spoon to measure my salad dressing. In the grand scheme of things, unless you're eating nothing but salad dressing for your daily caloric intake, it probably won't make a difference if you are eating a calorie deficit. Sometimes you're going to measure out a little less sometimes a little more.
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  • nowine4me
    nowine4me Posts: 3,985 Member
    Measuring spoons are fine for liquids.
  • _runnerbean_
    _runnerbean_ Posts: 640 Member
    Put your salad without dressing on the scale. Reset the scale to zero (tare) then pour on your dressing. The weight will ne shown.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Use measuring spoons/cups for liquids and a food scale for solids. :)

    See I've been using the measuring spoons but I've seen people say in the past that measuring spoons are unreliable so I didn't know if I should be doing something different. Thanks!

    For liquids measuring spoons & cups work fine. It's solids and semi-solids that are tricky.
  • SarahStarr86
    SarahStarr86 Posts: 121 Member
    Thanks everyone! I will continue with my measuring spoons!
  • Saaski
    Saaski Posts: 105 Member
    Put your salad without dressing on the scale. Reset the scale to zero (tare) then pour on your dressing. The weight will ne shown.

    This. That's how I weigh any food that I add things too. Say I'm making oatmeal. I weigh the oats, reset the scale, weigh my cocoa (favorite additive!), reset the scale, set it to ml and weigh my milk, etc.

    Funnily enough, I found out that I was underestimating a lot of my "liquids" (milk, peanut butter), though I was overestimating some of my solids (oats, cereals)
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Use measuring spoons/cups for liquids and a food scale for solids. :)

    See I've been using the measuring spoons but I've seen people say in the past that measuring spoons are unreliable so I didn't know if I should be doing something different. Thanks!

    They are unreliable for solid foods or foods where how tightly you pack the cup is a factor (e.g. ice cream, which is calorie dense and where accuracy is more important). This is why I much prefer weights for baking, as things like powdered sugar, flour, and brown sugar are very sensitive to how tightly packed the cup is and they can affect the results. For liquid measurements, they are perfectly reliable as long as you are using them correctly. However, you can still use weight if you know the density and can covert that to weight. Water is 1 gram/mL. The Bolthouse Ranch is pretty close to the same density based on my measurements (I weighed out 2 tbsp and it came out to 30g). I do it by weight now because it's way easier and one less dish to worry about.
    your scale may already come with a ML option
    Some scales have a "mL" option, but it only works if it knows what you are weighing. The scale can only measure weight. It converts this to mL based on the density.
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  • SarahStarr86
    SarahStarr86 Posts: 121 Member
    Saaski wrote: »
    Put your salad without dressing on the scale. Reset the scale to zero (tare) then pour on your dressing. The weight will ne shown.

    This. That's how I weigh any food that I add things too. Say I'm making oatmeal. I weigh the oats, reset the scale, weigh my cocoa (favorite additive!), reset the scale, set it to ml and weigh my milk, etc.

    Funnily enough, I found out that I was underestimating a lot of my "liquids" (milk, peanut butter), though I was overestimating some of my solids (oats, cereals)

    Yes! I do exactly that when I'm weighing solids. My scale doesn't have the ML option but now that I know 1g=1Ml for my dressing, I will use the grams on my scale. Thanks everyone!
  • Here is how I weigh liquids. I first use a liquid measure to measure the liquid, then I weigh it to see what the weight is. I make a note of that weight and then going forward weigh the salad dressing, coffee creamer etc... so I don't have to always use measuring cups and spoons for the liquids.
  • DaniG_1987
    DaniG_1987 Posts: 40 Member
    One thing I do to measure my salad dressing is I measure it in a ramekin (or really small bowl) (using my food scale and the grams setting--clearing out the weight of the ramekin first) and then I dip my fork in the dressing before adding the salad bite to the fork. I find it makes the dressing go way further (usually I don't even finish it off) and I still get the flavor with every bite.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    your scale may already come with a ML option

    Which really only works with water, FYI... and is the same as grams. So it's basically completely useless, as other liquids will be denser and weigh more per ml.

    OP, I weigh it. Easier, less dishes, and frankly I can never get all the dressing off the spoon if it's chunky anyway.

  • MrsKila
    MrsKila Posts: 320 Member
    Hello everyone! I've noticed recently learned the importance of weighing everything. Question, how would I weigh salad dressing. I use the Bolthouse Ranch and it says a serving size is 2 TBSP (which is what I've been doing) and it also gives a ML serving size but how do I weigh ML? Thanks for any suggestions!

    Hello. I also newly found out the importance of weighing my food. I have now been weighing my food for about a year now. Get a small cheap kitchen scale that converts ounces, grams, and ml. I purchased one and that contributed to breaking my weight stall. Good luck.
  • ms_smartypants
    ms_smartypants Posts: 8,278 Member
    Next to the 2 Tbsp. on your salad dressing ..it should give you a number with grams ......I know mine states 28grams so I put my salad bowl with the salad on the food scale...tare it out and then measure 28grams of dressing
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    Next to the 2 Tbsp. on your salad dressing ..it should give you a number with grams ......I know mine states 28grams so I put my salad bowl with the salad on the food scale...tare it out and then measure 28grams of dressing
    For most soups and liquids, this is not the case (for nutrition labels in the United States, other countries have different labeling laws), it will usually state mL instead of a weight.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Ah ok. Yeah we usually get a grams option here in the states. I just put my salad on the scale and weigh the dressing as I pour it on.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Did they change the label? My bottles always said 30 grams for 2 tablespoons.
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  • SarahStarr86
    SarahStarr86 Posts: 121 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Did they change the label? My bottles always said 30 grams for 2 tablespoons.

    Haha! Yeah I was wrong, actually...it was my Hidden Valley that had ML. My Bolthouse, which is my new found fave, does actually have grams. Thanks! I feel silly now.
  • Unknown
    edited February 2017
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  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Did they change the label? My bottles always said 30 grams for 2 tablespoons.

    I seem to remember a gram weight too.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Did they change the label? My bottles always said 30 grams for 2 tablespoons.
    Indeed it does! Most dressings do not and give mL instead!
    4feqophy6mkw.jpg
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  • SarahStarr86
    SarahStarr86 Posts: 121 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    Did they change the label? My bottles always said 30 grams for 2 tablespoons.
    Indeed it does! Most dressings do not and give mL instead!
    4feqophy6mkw.jpg

    Haha! Yeah I was wrong, actually...it's my Hidden Valley that has ML. My Bolthouse, which is my new found fave, does actually have grams. Thanks! I feel silly now. I had to go look again, my bad!
  • Aetheldreda
    Aetheldreda Posts: 241 Member
    edited February 2017
    Glad you got things sorted out OP.
    I have often been confused by the whole ML thing for any liquids that are not water/milk/alcohol.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    I have seriously hated salad dressing of any kind until I tried the Bolthouse yogurt line. Delicious and calorie friendly? Dream come true for me.
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