Dispensed Milk or Cream Portions!

Options
PAV8888
PAV8888 Posts: 13,740 Member
edited May 2018 in Health and Weight Loss
I drink a lot of coffee.

I often get it from places that don't use single portion creamers... in fact the machines they use often dispense automatic 'shots' that vary in size according to the cup you've ordered.

And there is no guarantee that each individual machine is accurately calibrated! My local McD's dispenses slightly more than what their customer service suggests.

So, this is what McDonald's Canada "officially" dispenses per cup size (medium iced coffee gets a medium shot for the "summer drink" crowd!)

Small: 23ml Medium: 35ml Large: 45ml XL: 55ml

And, of course, you don't always have to order a single, or double shot... you can even order a HALF shot! Most crews will downsize by one (i.e. a large cup will get a medium shot) when you order a half shot... so not quite half!

Many stores still carry 18% individual serve creamers (about 9ml per creamer), but I haven't run into any with 2% single serve packs.

Does anyone know the dispensing size for Tim Horton's? For any other places? I tend to go with 9ml containers whenever they're available, in spite of the waste this generates.

«1

Replies

  • PokeyBug
    PokeyBug Posts: 482 Member
    Options
    I know it's a PITA if you're really busy, but if you want to get really precise, why don't you brew your own and add your own creamer?
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,740 Member
    edited May 2018
    Options
    PokeyBug wrote: »
    I know it's a PITA if you're really busy, but if you want to get really precise, why don't you brew your own and add your own creamer?

    I do :smiley: At home I drink it black cause I mix my 21g of caffeinated coffee and 22g of decaffeinated coffee grounds and 38oz water the exact way I want it!

    But I am NOT always at home! :anguished: And did I mention iced coffee in the summer? :wink:

    But it is a more general question when it comes to places that dispense their milk or creamer automatically. What is a "single shot of milk"?

    Unless I am the only person who consumes a significant portion of their daily calories from coffee and whatever else goes in it!
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    Options
    I can't offer a solution but isn't that always the problem with restaurant food? The employee in the back that likes bacon decided to be generous and now your salad is 60 calories more than you thought. Mayo is not measured for sandwiches. Momentarily neglected potatoes that stay in the oil past their water evaporation stage soak up more oil. The list of possibilities goes on and on.

    The nutrition guide for any finished food from a restaurant is an estimate.
  • bioklutz
    bioklutz Posts: 1,365 Member
    Options
    You could always keep a small container of 2% in a cooler and take it with you. :wink:
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,740 Member
    edited May 2018
    Options
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Personally, I just go with the web site estimates - close enough for gubmint work. The more of the stuff one drinks, the closer the law of large numbers comes to applying. How large is your estimated daily error potential from this source? How does that compare to other uncontrollable error sources in CI or CO?

    What web site estimates? That's a part point of the post. To source more info. Most placeses do not include the information. For McDonald's I emailed customer service. Was hoping others had done that already for other places...
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    Options
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Personally, I just go with the web site estimates - close enough for gubmint work. The more of the stuff one drinks, the closer the law of large numbers comes to applying. How large is your estimated daily error potential from this source? How does that compare to other uncontrollable error sources in CI or CO?

    What web site estimates? That's a part point of the post. To source more info. Most placeses do not include the information. For McDonald's I emailed customer service. Was hoping others had done that already for other places...

    I know Dunkin provides nutritional info for a coffee with skim milk and with whole milk, does McDonalds not do that? It's been awhile since I've gotten coffee there, but I thought it did.
  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 13,740 Member
    Options
    kimny72 wrote: »
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Personally, I just go with the web site estimates - close enough for gubmint work. The more of the stuff one drinks, the closer the law of large numbers comes to applying. How large is your estimated daily error potential from this source? How does that compare to other uncontrollable error sources in CI or CO?

    What web site estimates? That's a part point of the post. To source more info. Most placeses do not include the information. For McDonald's I emailed customer service. Was hoping others had done that already for other places...

    I know Dunkin provides nutritional info for a coffee with skim milk and with whole milk, does McDonalds not do that? It's been awhile since I've gotten coffee there, but I thought it did.

    Maybe now some of their apps do (or at least you can figure out how many calories they're adding by manipulating the +/- of the various configurators they use). But their printer sheets didn't use to. I also haven't seen the info in the Tim Horton Nutritional guides. Maybe I am just missing it?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    Options
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Personally, I just go with the web site estimates - close enough for gubmint work. The more of the stuff one drinks, the closer the law of large numbers comes to applying. How large is your estimated daily error potential from this source? How does that compare to other uncontrollable error sources in CI or CO?

    What web site estimates? That's a part point of the post. To source more info. Most placeses do not include the information. For McDonald's I emailed customer service. Was hoping others had done that already for other places...

    I know Dunkin provides nutritional info for a coffee with skim milk and with whole milk, does McDonalds not do that? It's been awhile since I've gotten coffee there, but I thought it did.

    Maybe now some of their apps do (or at least you can figure out how many calories they're adding by manipulating the +/- of the various configurators they use). But their printer sheets didn't use to. I also haven't seen the info in the Tim Horton Nutritional guides. Maybe I am just missing it?

    I've never even seen a Tom Hortons! But yes, on Dunkin you can play around on the website to add and subtract ingredients and see how it affects the nutrition info, but it's probably not on the static nutrition chart with all the numbers.
  • kpsyche
    kpsyche Posts: 345 Member
    Options
    In Australia a white coffee bought from a shop is usually 1 or 2 shots of espresso and the rest is milk. Oddly we can buy lattes as well but as far as I can tell they're exactly the same as a flat white :|
  • vanmep
    vanmep Posts: 406 Member
    Options
    A Timmies medium regular is 105 calories. In Ontario all restaurants must provide nutrition info and most of it is accessible online.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    Options
    Oh Pav, I have no words of wisdom, but you and your coffee habit... oh dear. You would give my husband a run for his money.
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
    Options
    You are going to drive yourself crazy if you try to be too specific for what sounds like an occasional treat. I would just log what it says on the website and be done with it. If it was an every day thing and we were talking about a 100+ calorie swing, sure, be specific, but a few calories every once in a while shouldn't really matter. As long as the scale is moving in the right direction, you are doing great. Don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    Options
    AnvilHead wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    kimny72 wrote: »
    PAV8888 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    Personally, I just go with the web site estimates - close enough for gubmint work. The more of the stuff one drinks, the closer the law of large numbers comes to applying. How large is your estimated daily error potential from this source? How does that compare to other uncontrollable error sources in CI or CO?

    What web site estimates? That's a part point of the post. To source more info. Most placeses do not include the information. For McDonald's I emailed customer service. Was hoping others had done that already for other places...

    I know Dunkin provides nutritional info for a coffee with skim milk and with whole milk, does McDonalds not do that? It's been awhile since I've gotten coffee there, but I thought it did.

    Maybe now some of their apps do (or at least you can figure out how many calories they're adding by manipulating the +/- of the various configurators they use). But their printer sheets didn't use to. I also haven't seen the info in the Tim Horton Nutritional guides. Maybe I am just missing it?

    I've never even seen a Tom Hortons! But yes, on Dunkin you can play around on the website to add and subtract ingredients and see how it affects the nutrition info, but it's probably not on the static nutrition chart with all the numbers.

    Do you even Canada? :D

    LOL, maybe that's why I can't find them :lol:
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    Options
    You are going to drive yourself crazy if you try to be too specific for what sounds like an occasional treat. I would just log what it says on the website and be done with it. If it was an every day thing and we were talking about a 100+ calorie swing, sure, be specific, but a few calories every once in a while shouldn't really matter. As long as the scale is moving in the right direction, you are doing great. Don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be.

    Pav said in his OP that he does this often and I'm confident that his question about the calories is significant. He's not exactly known around these parts for exaggeration.

    @PAV8888 I don't have any help for you either, but you sound like one of those people who can chug a large espresso drink and be asleep 5 minutes later. I had a small serving of froyo the other day that turned out to have coffee in it and I was awake most of the night. I envy you guys sometimes.

    Good luck in your quest for information.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,019 Member
    Options
    NovusDies wrote: »
    I can't offer a solution but isn't that always the problem with restaurant food? The employee in the back that likes bacon decided to be generous and now your salad is 60 calories more than you thought. Mayo is not measured for sandwiches. Momentarily neglected potatoes that stay in the oil past their water evaporation stage soak up more oil. The list of possibilities goes on and on.

    The nutrition guide for any finished food from a restaurant is an estimate.

    ^^This.

    After many years in the restaurant industry, I can attest that even *though* portion sizes are controlled and there is an answer to what the exact amount should be...that ain't gonna ever happen.

    I'd bet that you could ask for your cream to be on the side and add it yourself. Then you could carry a digital scale and/or a teaspoon and measure it correctly.


    FWP
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    edited May 2018
    Options
    You are going to drive yourself crazy if you try to be too specific for what sounds like an occasional treat. I would just log what it says on the website and be done with it. If it was an every day thing and we were talking about a 100+ calorie swing, sure, be specific, but a few calories every once in a while shouldn't really matter. As long as the scale is moving in the right direction, you are doing great. Don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be.

    I do weekly Fitbit challenges with Pav and chat a lot. He's always getting coffee. This is not the occasional thing. Not in the least. He's a connoisseur and can compare the coffee from several different places on his daily rounds because he's familiar with it all. Deeply familiar.

    He also knows I am giving him the business right now ;)
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    edited May 2018
    Options
    You are going to drive yourself crazy if you try to be too specific for what sounds like an occasional treat. I would just log what it says on the website and be done with it. If it was an every day thing and we were talking about a 100+ calorie swing, sure, be specific, but a few calories every once in a while shouldn't really matter. As long as the scale is moving in the right direction, you are doing great. Don't make this any more difficult than it needs to be.

    I do weekly Fitbit challenges with Pav and chat a lot. He's always getting coffee. This is not the occasional thing. Not in the least. He's a connoisseur and can compare the coffee from several different places on his daily rounds because he's familiar with it all. Deeply familiar.

    He also knows I am giving him the business right now ;)

    Hmmm, so @PAV8888 is there one specific place you go into really frequently? If you get a cashier that you recognize, maybe you could ask them! Make a little bit of a joke out of - Since I seem to be living off this stuff, I was curious how much milk goes into it. Maybe you can get a tour :smiley:
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
    Options
    I had the same issues/fear when it came to my morning coffee and adding creamer, so I decided to control it myself. I get my coffee black, add some sweet n low, then when I get to work I add the half n half I keep in the fridge that I can measure out exactly one tspn of. Now I know exactly how much is in there and I control the calories and measurement.