How do you measure this?

weight957

Let's say I make a sandwich, do I weigh out every ingredient and add into MFP individually or do I just put a similar sandwich thats in the MFP database? Same with fried rice, I usually put in a lot of different vegetables.

maureenkhilde

I would weigh out each part individually. For example when I make stir fry vegetables, I weigh each type of vegetable I am using. Plus look up info for any sauce, or liquid I am using. For a Sandwich same thing, your bread, the meat, cheese all would be separate, and whatever else you put on it. But once you built it you could save it in your recipes so next time it would be there to use.

BarbaraHelen2013

If you used an existing sandwich entry there would be no way to know what that person used to make their version. What sort of bread, how much filling...did they use butter or spread, if so, how much?
Definitely weigh and log everything individually! My diary looks like a shopping list most days, a very long list! I’ll have logged every gram of maybe 7-10 different veg in a vegetarian bake plus another set of entries for my salad on the side!

For things like your fried rice I’d agree creating a recipe in the recipe builder is the way to go. Then on subsequent occasions all you need to do is go into that recipe and edit the precise weights of your ingredients, add any in if there’s stuff in the fridge you’re using up, and setting to 0 anything that you’re not including on that day.

Jackie9003

I log and weigh everything I prepare, it was a bit faffy at first but now I'm used to it it's become second nature.
It's the only way to know it's accurate.

sytchequeen

when I was trying to lose I measured every single ingredient individually, in maintenance I find near enough is good enough. As the others state, if you are actively losing you need to be precise, especially when you get nearer to goal with less to lose.

callsitlikeiseeit

everything individually

ptrcmcc6

I usually do everything individually but for things I make/eat quite often, I put them in my recipes so it's easier if/when I eat them again. For instance, this morning, I make myself a mozzarella cheese omelet using 3 eggs, 1 tblsp. 1/2 & 1/2, and 1 oz. of mozarella cheese. I then put that into my recipes so I don't have to post everything separately in the future. I also used a tsp. of butter to grease the pan but I counted that separately because most of the time, I'll use cooking spray.

denjan333

Everything individually as YOU made it. I will use database recipes for some online recipes, if I make it exactly like stated. But a sandwich? How would you even know what is similar? The differences could lead to several hundred calories more or less. If you’re going to use the app to log your food, you have to be accurate, or you’re defeating the purpose of it.

cbihatt

The recommendation would be to always weigh each ingredient separately and to use the recipe builder (or the meal option) to make it quick and easy.

That said, I have used generic database entries on occasion. I think if it’s something that you eat often, you should definitely weigh it all out. But, if you made it on a whim and don’t typically eat it, I would not take the time to build the recipe. But, that’s just me. I tend to take a very laid back approach to tracking my food. It works for me, but it is definitely not the popular advice given here on MFP.

AnnPT77

Sandwiches are so easy to weigh!

Put the plate on the scale. Zero it.

Put the bread on the plate. Note the weight. Zero the scale.
Put the mayo or mustard or whatever on the bread. Note the weight. Zero the scale.
Put the cheese on the sandwich, note, zero.
Meat, note, zero.
Etc.

Some people don't bother to weigh the low-cal veggie adds (lettuce, tomatoes, etc.), they just ballpark them and add some calories. I do weigh them, but partly because it's easier for me to do the above on autopilot and not think about whether I'm adding a higher-calorie thing (weigh) or a very low calorie thing (ballpark). YMMV on that part.

LyndaBSS

Log every item individually. Period.

lorrpb

Once you weigh it you can save it as a recipe or copy items and meals from a previous day. Assuming you make it the same way most of the time.

Dreamwa1ker

Sandwich - I weigh and enter each item as I make it. The barcode scanner makes this pretty fast (just make sure the entry it picks matches the label numbers). If I'm going to make basically the same sandwich the next day, I'll use the copy meal function, then click into each entry to edit the weight as I'm making the sandwich next day, so goes even faster. You can also use "remember meal" for things you eat frequently for same type of quick access - I still adjust the weights though because you don't always make it exactly the same.

For something where I make multiple servings (which is what I would normally be doing with fried rice) - I weigh/measure it all before I start cooking while I'm prepping/chopping everything, and enter that in the recipe builder. Then I weigh the finished product in grams and enter that as the number of servings for the recipe. Then when you load your plate you can weigh how much of the cooked product you are having and enter that as the number of servings of the recipe you are eating. If it's something like soup I may measure the finished item in cups instead of weight which may be less accurate but is easier when I'm making a gigantic batch in the slow cooker to freeze in mason jars. Edit your recipe title to include what kind of serving size you are using for later (e.g. Kung Pao Chicken (1g serving) or Harira soup (1 cup serving))

StaciMarie2020

Useful things to have in the kitchen, in addition to the kitchen scale: a small dry erase board and dry erase marker. I have a small set that is magnetic and sticks to the side of the fridge. I tend to prelog my planned meal. But as I'm making it - I'll jot down notes about actual weights and then use that to go back to edit my log.

weight3049

Dreamwa1ker wrote: »

Sandwich - I weigh and enter each item as I make it. The barcode scanner makes this pretty fast (just make sure the entry it picks matches the label numbers). If I'm going to make basically the same sandwich the next day, I'll use the copy meal function, then click into each entry to edit the weight as I'm making the sandwich next day, so goes even faster. You can also use "remember meal" for things you eat frequently for same type of quick access - I still adjust the weights though because you don't always make it exactly the same.

For something where I make multiple servings (which is what I would normally be doing with fried rice) - I weigh/measure it all before I start cooking while I'm prepping/chopping everything, and enter that in the recipe builder. Then I weigh the finished product in grams and enter that as the number of servings for the recipe. Then when you load your plate you can weigh how much of the cooked product you are having and enter that as the number of servings of the recipe you are eating. If it's something like soup I may measure the finished item in cups instead of weight which may be less accurate but is easier when I'm making a gigantic batch in the slow cooker to freeze in mason jars. Edit your recipe title to include what kind of serving size you are using for later (e.g. Kung Pao Chicken (1g serving) or Harira soup (1 cup serving))

Wow, I didn't even realize there was a barcode scanner!

And thank you everyone else for the suggestions

AnnPT77

StaciMarie2020 wrote: »

Useful things to have in the kitchen, in addition to the kitchen scale: a small dry erase board and dry erase marker. I have a small set that is magnetic and sticks to the side of the fridge. I tend to prelog my planned meal. But as I'm making it - I'll jot down notes about actual weights and then use that to go back to edit my log.

I like that idea!

Another option, what I do now, is to use junk mail envelopes as a notepad-substitute.

Then, because I'm a little eccentric this way, I sometimes use the filled-up envelope pieces as collage elements or background starters in my mixed-media visual journals, or other misbegotten arts and crafts project.

For more tips about using the scale efficiently, check out the thread below (and contribute your ideas, if you have new ones) - I promise it's about scale how-tos, despite the silly clickbait title.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10498882/weighing-food-takes-too-long-and-is-obsessive

(Spoiler: It's not obsessive, and it's not always and universally necessary. But if you're gonna use the scale, by all means learn the tips & shortcuts! )

heybales

weight3049 wrote: »

Dreamwa1ker wrote: »

Sandwich - I weigh and enter each item as I make it. The barcode scanner makes this pretty fast (just make sure the entry it picks matches the label numbers). If I'm going to make basically the same sandwich the next day, I'll use the copy meal function, then click into each entry to edit the weight as I'm making the sandwich next day, so goes even faster. You can also use "remember meal" for things you eat frequently for same type of quick access - I still adjust the weights though because you don't always make it exactly the same.

For something where I make multiple servings (which is what I would normally be doing with fried rice) - I weigh/measure it all before I start cooking while I'm prepping/chopping everything, and enter that in the recipe builder. Then I weigh the finished product in grams and enter that as the number of servings for the recipe. Then when you load your plate you can weigh how much of the cooked product you are having and enter that as the number of servings of the recipe you are eating. If it's something like soup I may measure the finished item in cups instead of weight which may be less accurate but is easier when I'm making a gigantic batch in the slow cooker to freeze in mason jars. Edit your recipe title to include what kind of serving size you are using for later (e.g. Kung Pao Chicken (1g serving) or Harira soup (1 cup serving))

Wow, I didn't even realize there was a barcode scanner!

And thank you everyone else for the suggestions

Be aware that a manufacturer will keep a SKU on a product and have changed the makeup of it many times.
Difference ingredient amounts, different serving size, different package size, ect.

Which means the Nutritional info in the database is no longer accurate.

So you still have to confirm the food entry the scanner brings up matches the label in front of you.

If you tend to make similar sandwiches just different quantity of same products - good news is these items will show up under your Frequently used items, so after getting current weights for this sandwich, you only have to find your items and change the serving size - have calculator available too.

cbihatt

heybales wrote: »

Be aware that a manufacturer will keep a SKU on a product and have changed the makeup of it many times.
Difference ingredient amounts, different serving size, different package size, ect.

Which means the Nutritional info in the database is no longer accurate.

So you still have to confirm the food entry the scanner brings up matches the label in front of you.

Absolutely true. Happened to me just yesterday. I scanned a barcode and the calorie amount that showed up on MFP was 10 calories less than what showed on the box. I kept the scanned amount and then did a quick add for the extra 10 calories.

Dreamwa1ker

cbihatt wrote: »

heybales wrote: »

Be aware that a manufacturer will keep a SKU on a product and have changed the makeup of it many times.
Difference ingredient amounts, different serving size, different package size, ect.

Which means the Nutritional info in the database is no longer accurate.

So you still have to confirm the food entry the scanner brings up matches the label in front of you.

Absolutely true. Happened to me just yesterday. I scanned a barcode and the calorie amount that showed up on MFP was 10 calories less than what showed on the box. I kept the scanned amount and then did a quick add for the extra 10 calories.

Yes unfortunately this happens all the time - so it's become habit to quickly glance at the nutrition label to ensure a match. When I have a computer handy I try to be a good samaritan and update the entry in the database.

corinasue1143

Something I have a lot, like fried rice, I will make a recipe for it on MFP. Then when I make it again, I go into the recipe and change the amounts. When I add a different vegetable, I edit to add that vegetable. If I don’t use it next time, I will just edit the amount to 0. That way I can see what different things I have added before/could add when I make it again.