When To Weigh Food?

LindyNCL

Okay so this is probably super obvious (but it isn't to me!) but when should I weigh the food that I eat...

For example if I bake a potato do I log the pre-baked weight or the post-baked weight? They are about 20% different.

Also tuna steaks - do I weigh them frozen, thawed or after I have steamed them?

Thanks in advance.

janejellyroll

When possible, I weigh everything pre-cooking and find an entry that reflects the raw weight.

leggup

Pre-cooked is the general rule/what's on the packaging nutrition table. I think the exception is bacon? But I don't eat it, so search the forums

diannethegeek

The nutrition label is usually for the as packaged or raw weight unless it specifies otherwise (bacon is one of the notable exceptions). Raw is generally more accurate, but if you prefer or need to weigh something after cooking then that's fine. Just choose an accurate an appropriate entry in the database that specifies it's for the cooked weight, preferably matching the type of cooking you did (for instance, you wouldn't want a grilled entry if you boiled it, etc).

capaul42

Bacon will depend on where you live. In Canada it's labelled raw weight. It will specify.

Falklang

Always weigh before cooking and typically let things defrost before weighing to get a more accurate measurement.

wizzybeth

The USDA nutritional database has information for cooked Foods however you just have to search for cooked... Or baked... Boiled... Broiled... Etc

Unknown

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melissawill2017

This often confuses me when looking at calorie content/labels, so I don't necessarily stick with just one way of weighing food; I kind of use both. For example; I always weigh food such as pasta before cooking because it is such a big difference in weight cooked vs precooked; however I usually don't weigh meat out raw. If I were fixing a meal for just myself then I'd find it easier, but when I'm cooking dinner for my family I usually don't bother because I often cook recipes were meat is incorporated into something and also because it's just more convenient for me. I weigh most everything else that I eat so I don't find that my method derails me at all. I measure out oils, butters, condiments, dressings, etc. I weigh meat out after it's been cooked and I know there's a difference in calorie content but I mostly eat chicken so I'm not too worried about the extra calories.

SomeMorr

https://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/

USDA Nutrient database will give you information on different preparations of things such as steamed vs. raw broccoli