Are you struggling to lose weight even though you track everything and eat low calories?
Replies
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When I first started MFP, I set my weekly weight loss to 2 lbs per week. The realty was that I lost 3 pounds a month despite weighing and logging all food. As I exercised each month and grew fitter, the amount of weight lost each month has increased. My experience runs counter to many on this site but I have read of others on here that lose small intervals at when they start instead of the large drops that others experience the first couple of months.3
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dragon_girl26 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »A tablespoon is only 15 grams if you're weighing water. It's always 15ml but different items have different densities.
A Tbsp serving of peanut butter is 15 grams...says so right on my label.
Your label is wrong. Or your peanut butter is water
scarlett_k wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »A tablespoon is only 15 grams if you're weighing water. It's always 15ml but different items have different densities.
A Tbsp serving of peanut butter is 15 grams...says so right on my label.
Your label is wrong. Or your peanut butter is water
My peanut butter shows 32 grams for a 2 Tbs serving so 15g for 1 would be in the right ballpark.
Yeah, I have several jars of different brands of pb in my cabinet and every one of them say 32g for 2 tbsp as well. I doubt every peanut butter jar is mysteriously wrong.
But that assumes that a) the spoon is a standard size and b) you don't pile on the peanut butter but only go to the edge and not over.1 -
dragon_girl26 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »A tablespoon is only 15 grams if you're weighing water. It's always 15ml but different items have different densities.
A Tbsp serving of peanut butter is 15 grams...says so right on my label.
Your label is wrong. Or your peanut butter is waterscarlett_k wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »A tablespoon is only 15 grams if you're weighing water. It's always 15ml but different items have different densities.
A Tbsp serving of peanut butter is 15 grams...says so right on my label.
Your label is wrong. Or your peanut butter is water
My peanut butter shows 32 grams for a 2 Tbs serving so 15g for 1 would be in the right ballpark.
Yeah, I have several jars of different brands of pb in my cabinet and every one of them say 32g for 2 tbsp as well. I doubt every peanut butter jar is mysteriously wrong.
But that assumes that a) the spoon is a standard size and b) you don't pile on the peanut butter but only go to the edge and not over.
Here in the US, home of the dipwit "tablespoon" type measure, there are standard measuring tablespoons that all have the same volume capacity, and "one tablespoon" would be understood to refer to those special spoons.
Anyone who cooks recipes using the dipwit tablespoons method understands that "one tablespoon" means a level tablespoon, unless it explicitly says otherwise. Specifically, it means one is intended to pack the spoon full, and scrape over the top of it with something flat like a knife, to remove the excess. "Measuring tablespoons" are normally designed in a way to facilitate this scraping process. This is the dumb way we usually standardize recipes here, without using a scale. 🤷♀️
None of this makes tablespoons less dipwit as a measuring scheme. But here, to anyone accustomed to the measure, your (a) and (b) would be implied and assumed when "one tablespoon" is referenced, such as on a peanut butter jar. 😉😆9 -
When I was starting out on MFP, and still in the obese range, I was a bit more "compulsive" with weighing my food and I had a self made rule of not eating any food until it was fully logged in my MFP diary. I also used to test log alternatives to get an idea of where I might end up for the day.... I am not doing any of this at maintenance, or even when trying to create deficits these days... it's more along the lines of keeping track of what was consumed and keeping myself aware.... relatively accurately
>
For me, the awareness and the consistent feedback on my body weight scale are the most important parts. I lost weight 10 years ago and maintained it for 5+ years (3 logging, 2 not logging) using this method. Unfortunately I stopped weighing myself and working out ... shocker ... the weight came back. I tried several times to just start eating better without logging and resuming workouts but it didn't work. What I've learned is that consistent logging (albeit estimates) allows me to see trends and mid course correct. Last night my wife and I had a really nice dinner out. We each had lobster bisque, an 8 ounce filet, loaded baked potato, wine and sautéed veggies. I have no way to log that dinner accurately but I logged it and now I'm over budget for the week. Last week I was also over budget for the week. For the next couple of weeks I'll try to get back on track by eating a little under and increasing my activity level.
Also, I'm about to go on spring break. I will log everything but when you are eating out for all meals over 4 days it's impossible to be precise. My strategy for vacations is to increase my activity level using all that free time. That's the advantage of being a runner, I can take my workout anywhere I go.
The awareness of these macro trends is far more important than knowing if my oatmeal was 150 calories as planned vs 178 calories.
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dragon_girl26 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »A tablespoon is only 15 grams if you're weighing water. It's always 15ml but different items have different densities.
A Tbsp serving of peanut butter is 15 grams...says so right on my label.
Your label is wrong. Or your peanut butter is waterscarlett_k wrote: »cwolfman13 wrote: »scarlett_k wrote: »A tablespoon is only 15 grams if you're weighing water. It's always 15ml but different items have different densities.
A Tbsp serving of peanut butter is 15 grams...says so right on my label.
Your label is wrong. Or your peanut butter is water
My peanut butter shows 32 grams for a 2 Tbs serving so 15g for 1 would be in the right ballpark.
Yeah, I have several jars of different brands of pb in my cabinet and every one of them say 32g for 2 tbsp as well. I doubt every peanut butter jar is mysteriously wrong.
But that assumes that a) the spoon is a standard size and b) you don't pile on the peanut butter but only go to the edge and not over.
Here in the US, home of the dipwit "tablespoon" type measure, there are standard measuring tablespoons that all have the same volume capacity, and "one tablespoon" would be understood to refer to those special spoons.
Anyone who cooks recipes using the dipwit tablespoons method understands that "one tablespoon" means a level tablespoon, unless it explicitly says otherwise. Specifically, it means one is intended to pack the spoon full, and scrape over the top of it with something flat like a knife, to remove the excess. "Measuring tablespoons" are normally designed in a way to facilitate this scraping process. This is the dumb way we usually standardize recipes here, without using a scale. 🤷♀️
None of this makes tablespoons less dipwit as a measuring scheme. But here, to anyone accustomed to the measure, your (a) and (b) would be implied and assumed when "one tablespoon" is referenced, such as on a peanut butter jar. 😉😆
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.12 -
FitAgainBy55 wrote: »claireychn074 wrote: »So when someone replies with the flowchart about CICO and asks if you’re weighing food, or suggests you open your diary so that they can spot logging mistakes, they’re doing that because they want to prevent you making the same mistakes they did. It can feel insulting when someone implies you don’t know how to log properly, I get that.
I must admit that I find that form letter response of the flow chart annoying. A high percentage of these 'trouble losing weight posts' aren't issues with logging -- they are issues with patience.
In my opinion, there are more people that misunderstand how to measure weight loss than there are people that misunderstand how to weigh granola
essentially the first point of the standard flowchart is to BE PATIENT.
Just because you find it annoying or insulting, does not mean that the answer is not in that chart 98% of the time.15 -
dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)4 -
From the title, I thought this was going to be a support post for people who lose very slowly, or have trouble losing because of health/metabolic/medication issues.
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scarlett_k wrote: »A tablespoon is only 15 grams if you're weighing water. It's always 15ml but different items have different densities.cwolfman13 wrote: »
A Tbsp serving of peanut butter is 15 grams...says so right on my label.scarlett_k wrote: »Your label is wrong. Or your peanut butter is water
The label might might not be that wrong. I looked up the density of peanut butter. Depending on the recipe, it seems to be anything between 1.01 g/ml and 1.1 g/ml. 1 tbsp of the less dense would be 15.15g, of the heavier one would be 16.5g. That's assuming a smoothed tablespoon, of course. Heaped you could easily be at 27g or 30g.
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callsitlikeiseeit wrote: »essentially the first point of the standard flowchart is to BE PATIENT.
Just because you find it annoying or insulting, does not mean that the answer is not in that chart 98% of the time.
@callsitlikeiseeit just because you find my opinion annoying, doesn't mean I'm not right 98% of the time
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L1zardQueen wrote: »FWIW, I had some frozen Buffalo chicken fingers the other day and according to the label 9 pieces weighed a certain amount but when I weighed the 9 pieces it came out almost double in weight. Weighing food is important especially if you not losing. It helps with making you aware that just because it is on a food label does not mean it is correct.
I hate items that say a number is x calories. My aunt always says it means 17 FULL SIZED chips, not 17 average chips (which it really is closer to by weight) and refuses to weight things.2 -
alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.4 -
From the title, I thought this was going to be a support post for people who lose very slowly, or have trouble losing because of health/metabolic/medication issues.
But it is! The solution often lies in tightening up ones logging. Or adjusting one's expectations. If you start a new thread and detail your issues, we may be able to help. If you do this, please change your Diary Sharing settings to Public:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings4 -
I'm in the UK and have always been baffled by the cup measures referred to in U.S. recipes.
How big a cup? A level cup? What does it mean?! I guess it's just what you're used to.
As a child when I was baking with my mother I was taught to use a food scale, because that's how you make a good cake.
So I knew early on just how important it was to weigh one's food 😆8 -
Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »I hate items that say a number is x calories. My aunt always says it means 17 FULL SIZED chips, not 17 average chips (which it really is closer to by weight) and refuses to weight things.
I know better. I would still go for FULL SIZED instead of average if I were relying on the number of chips in the "highly unlikely"
event that they were accidentally opened on the way home before a scale became available!
Surprisingly, to me, individually packed chocolates (f.e. Lindt, Ferrero, similar) seem to be on point when it comes to weight. But definitely not protein or energy or, for that matter, candy bars.4 -
littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »I'm in the UK and have always been baffled by the cup measures referred to in U.S. recipes.
How big a cup? A level cup? What does it mean?! I guess it's just what you're used to.
As a child when I was baking with my mother I was taught to use a food scale, because that's how you make a good cake.
So I knew early on just how important it was to weigh one's food 😆
I don't know what you do if not in the US.
Here in the US, there are "measuring cups" and "measuring spoons" that come in sets, all standardized. There are two types of "measuring cups": The ones intended for liquids are like a small pitcher, with a small spout for pouring; the ones for dry measure (like the spoon sets) come in a set of multiple sizes, and have a flat top so you can level them with a knife.
If the recipe says "1 Cup" or "1 Tablespoon", it always means level cup or tablespoon. If it's supposed to be a heaping measure (or anything other than level) it will say so.
It's not as precise as weighing (since flour or whatever can be more settled, or less, which makes a small difference), but it's plenty precise enough for most cases to work out fine, and achieve standardized results.
We're just weirdos.3 -
littlegreenparrot1 wrote: »I'm in the UK and have always been baffled by the cup measures referred to in U.S. recipes.
I don't know what you do if not in the US.
Here in the US, there are "measuring cups" and "measuring spoons" that come in sets, all standardized. There are two types of "measuring cups": The ones intended for liquids are like a small pitcher, with a small spout for pouring; the ones for dry measure (like the spoon sets) come in a set of multiple sizes, and have a flat top so you can level them with a knife.
If the recipe says "1 Cup" or "1 Tablespoon", it always means level cup or tablespoon. If it's supposed to be a heaping measure (or anything other than level) it will say so.
You can buy these measuring cups in the UK too, as well as measuring spoons; I have a set because I have a lot of recipe books from the US.
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Noreenmarie1234 wrote: »I hate items that say a number is x calories. My aunt always says it means 17 FULL SIZED chips, not 17 average chips (which it really is closer to by weight) and refuses to weight things.
I know better. I would still go for FULL SIZED instead of average if I were relying on the number of chips in the "highly unlikely" event that they were accidentally opened on the way home before a scale became available!
Surprisingly, to me, individually packed chocolates (f.e. Lindt, Ferrero, similar) seem to be on point when it comes to weight. But definitely not protein or energy or, for that matter, candy bars.
^^QFT!1 -
[/quote]You can buy these measuring cups in the UK too, as well as measuring spoons; I have a set because I have a lot of recipe books from the US. [/quote]
I bought some measuring cups (in the UK) a long time ago, just because I found that so many recipes on the the internet are US-written and I couldn't be bothered to convert. I've had my measuring spoons for at least 25 years.
Most recipes have non-liquid ingredients stated in grams (or ounces), but I certainly have plenty of books that call for a tsp of flour to be added when making a sauce or a tbsp of whatever. Similar to cups in the US, it's assumed the recipe means a level spoon unless it actually says heaped.
When I started tracking on MFP, for any recipes that call for a cup of something, I googled how much a cup of the particular ingredient should weigh - and then weighed out that much, and logged the ingredient in my recipe builder as the weighed amount. Ditto for any recipe that wants me to use a tsp of flour- I'll use a tsp of flour - but I'll weigh how much gets taken out of the bag of flour and log the amount in grams.4 -
Funny story about cook books.
Me and my MiL both got a similar cookbook from a, distant living, family member last year. (A non cooking person so probably liked the pictures and didn’t know that scale and cup use was different/a preference)
She opened hers and sighed, said she liked the recipes but probably wouldn’t use it much as the recipes use a scale. She doesn’t own one and has always used cups (going by her baking very successfully I may add)
I opened mine, giggled, mine was all cups, I don’t own cups and tend not to use recipes or cook books that do.
We swapped and were both thrilled to pieces with our gifts.
Cups vs scale is definitely a culture preference, to me. I use the method I was brought up with and taught because it comes natural to me now. Cups are awkward, fussy, and messy.
Cheers, h.
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kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.
And that was my next discovery! It's nice to cut those calories and to feel more economical.
I rarely use white sugar so usually just choose to buy brown. I use molasses exactly once a year for one type of Christmas cookie. I'm curious what you use it for if you don't mind sharing!1 -
kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.
So, I am dating a man who was not born in the US, and one of his biggest complaints is how sweet American baked goods are. I never really thought about it too much, but one time he asked me to make him an orange cake with no glaze, and to cut the amount of sugar in half. I was skeptical, but the difference was remarkable! I was able to detect more of the flavors of the cake without all of the overpowering sweetness in the way. Its been like an epiphany for me, especially since I am a baker and I don't usually deviate too much from the proportions in a recipe.12 -
alisdairsmommy wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.
And that was my next discovery! It's nice to cut those calories and to feel more economical.
I rarely use white sugar so usually just choose to buy brown. I use molasses exactly once a year for one type of Christmas cookie. I'm curious what you use it for if you don't mind sharing!
@alisdairsmommy: For my anemia, I have one tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and 1/2 t powdered vitamin C in warm water every morning. My brand contains 20% of the RDA of iron. (Always check; some brands, even if blackstrap, have way less iron.) This is one of many things I do to keep my iron up.
This is the first brand of blackstrap molasses that I can also use for cooking - others have been too bitter.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Slow-As-Blackstrap-Molasses-32-oz-Pack-of-6/17770607
For my insomnia, I make gingersnaps that include well, I'll just call it full strength CBD oil I have one of those most nights.
I make the Joy of Cooking's Guy Fawkes Day cake early every November.
I make the New York Times' Sticky Cranberry Gingerbread a few times per fall/winter.
I've experimented with other gingerbreads, but we all prefer the above, and live in Massachusetts in Cranberry County. Some years I pick my own cranberries at abandoned bogs. It's very fun to be able to say that I picked the cranberries that went into this dish!
Boston Brown Bread - where I am anyway, this comes in a can next to the baked beans in the supermarket, but is a very simple old New England recipe.
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/boston_brown_bread/
And since I always have molasses on hand, use it to make brown sugar out of white sugar.1 -
alisdairsmommy wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.
And that was my next discovery! It's nice to cut those calories and to feel more economical.
I rarely use white sugar so usually just choose to buy brown. I use molasses exactly once a year for one type of Christmas cookie. I'm curious what you use it for if you don't mind sharing!
Like kshama, I appreciate blackstrap molasses (carefully selected brand) for not only the iron, but also a useful amount of potassium and other micros, plus the great taste. I put about a tablespoon of it in my oatmeal every day, for the nutrition and that pleasant, rich slightly-sweet flavor. Some brands, as she says, are bitter, or have an unpleasant sort of acrid/burnt taste. That one she's getting from Walmart is a great price!
I kind of chortle at the "must avoid added sugar" threads, because I'm *adding* this sugar to *improve* my nutrition (some days, it's the only added sugar I eat).
Unlike kshama, I do keep both white sugar and dark brown sugar in the pantry. I rarely use the white sugar, but I swear, in a tight jar it will keep for centuries. Usually I prefer dark brown in a lot of baked goods, for the slightly richer flavor. I also cut sugar but 1/3 even up to 1/2 in recipes, where it's not a structural ingredient, and find I usually prefer the resulting product over the hyper-sweet version. (I'd swear recipes, on average, have gotten sweeter and sweeter over the years, but maybe it's just that my mom had a light hand with sweeteners, too. 😆)2 -
dragon_girl26 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.
So, I am dating a man who was not born in the US, and one of his biggest complaints is how sweet American baked goods are. I never really thought about it too much, but one time he asked me to make him an orange cake with no glaze, and to cut the amount of sugar in half. I was skeptical, but the difference was remarkable! I was able to detect more of the flavors of the cake without all of the overpowering sweetness in the way. Its been like an epiphany for me, especially since I am a baker and I don't usually deviate too much from the proportions in a recipe.
My daughter lived in Chicago for 6 months.
She noticed bread was sweeter tasting in US than in Australia - I presume due to higher sugar content.0 -
dragon_girl26 wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.
So, I am dating a man who was not born in the US, and one of his biggest complaints is how sweet American baked goods are. I never really thought about it too much, but one time he asked me to make him an orange cake with no glaze, and to cut the amount of sugar in half. I was skeptical, but the difference was remarkable! I was able to detect more of the flavors of the cake without all of the overpowering sweetness in the way. Its been like an epiphany for me, especially since I am a baker and I don't usually deviate too much from the proportions in a recipe.
Ha! From a continental European perspective: I found most snacks, cakes, etc far too sweet in the UK. Overall I found sweet things much more tasty and palatable from the cheap stuff shelf at Aldi and Lidl as they contained a lot less sugar. Gosh, I was so disappointed a few times when I bought super expensive pralines from artisan shops: full of sugar, and where's the chocolate taste? I think I would be a very sad bunny in the US
Btw, scale for recipes all the way!3 -
Strudders67 wrote: »I bought some measuring cups (in the UK) a long time ago, just because I found that so many recipes on the the internet are US-written and I couldn't be bothered to convert. I've had my measuring spoons for at least 25 years.
I got my set of measuring cups from Canada, and use them to avoid converting internet-based recipes to dl. But then I still sometimes end up having to google stuff like "stick of butter in grams," because that's not how butter is sold where I live in Europe!
I'm not a very good baker and think it might be easier to succeed following recipes that used weight instead of volume. I mean, that's what I keep hearing: baking requires a lot precision. But so few recipes I've found are weight-based and I wonder why that is.1 -
In my effort to achieve a higher level of accuracy in baking/cooking, I recently bought a set of measuring spoons with a pinch (1 ml), tsp (5 ml), and tbsp (15 ml). Previously I've just been winging it, eyeballing spices and seasonings with a "yeah, that looks just about a teaspoon's worth" mentality.
But then I found that a lot of recipes call for amounts like "half a tsp" so then I end up basically still just guesstimating.
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Strudders67 wrote: »I bought some measuring cups (in the UK) a long time ago, just because I found that so many recipes on the the internet are US-written and I couldn't be bothered to convert. I've had my measuring spoons for at least 25 years.
I got my set of measuring cups from Canada, and use them to avoid converting internet-based recipes to dl. But then I still sometimes end up having to google stuff like "stick of butter in grams," because that's not how butter is sold where I live in Europe!
I'm not a very good baker and think it might be easier to succeed following recipes that used weight instead of volume. I mean, that's what I keep hearing: baking requires a lot precision. But so few recipes I've found are weight-based and I wonder why that is.
Thats interesting because I always just assumed that baking books were published with weights in the UK. Certainly there are plenty of authors who have UK and US versions of their books (which annoys me because I wish the baking books in the US at least listed weights along with the "dipwit" cups.) I just convert it my head but it still is something that baffles me too. I ordered a book recently that spent the first half of the book extolling the virtues of weighing ingredients..but then when I got to the recipes, no weights were listed in the book.. I'm like..why make such a fuss about weighing for accuracy in baking, then publish your books without weights?3 -
kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »alisdairsmommy wrote: »dragon_girl26 wrote: »
😅🤣
I just had to laugh about the "dipwit" tablespoons, because you're so right on that. 😂😂😂
Yeah, it may be great for spices and some liquids, but just trying to measure out chunky peanut butter with those things is ridiculous. I'd put measuring cups in your dipwit category too. I can pack a ton of ice cream into a 1/2 cup if I'm dedicated enough.
Or "packed" vs "unpacked" brown sugar. Have I smushed it in the cup well enough to count as packed? (Actually, one of the first things I started doing when I was trying to reduce sugar was just always doing unpacked when baking. I don't notice a taste difference at all.)
When I measured produce in cups I was always stress about how tightly to pack them. Big relief when I switched to a food scale!
I don't buy brown sugar anymore - I use 1 C of white sugar plus 1 T (20 g) molasses. I buy molasses by the case so always have this around.
I have found that most American recipes for baked goods can have the sugar reduced by 1/3 with no harm to the recipe, and often an improvement.
And that was my next discovery! It's nice to cut those calories and to feel more economical.
I rarely use white sugar so usually just choose to buy brown. I use molasses exactly once a year for one type of Christmas cookie. I'm curious what you use it for if you don't mind sharing!
@alisdairsmommy: For my anemia, I have one tablespoon of blackstrap molasses and 1/2 t powdered vitamin C in warm water every morning. My brand contains 20% of the RDA of iron. (Always check; some brands, even if blackstrap, have way less iron.) This is one of many things I do to keep my iron up.
This is the first brand of blackstrap molasses that I can also use for cooking - others have been too bitter.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Slow-As-Blackstrap-Molasses-32-oz-Pack-of-6/17770607
For my insomnia, I make gingersnaps that include well, I'll just call it full strength CBD oil I have one of those most nights.
I make the Joy of Cooking's Guy Fawkes Day cake early every November.
I make the New York Times' Sticky Cranberry Gingerbread a few times per fall/winter.
I've experimented with other gingerbreads, but we all prefer the above, and live in Massachusetts in Cranberry County. Some years I pick my own cranberries at abandoned bogs. It's very fun to be able to say that I picked the cranberries that went into this dish!
Boston Brown Bread - where I am anyway, this comes in a can next to the baked beans in the supermarket, but is a very simple old New England recipe.
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/boston_brown_bread/
And since I always have molasses on hand, use it to make brown sugar out of white sugar.
That's really interesting about the iron, never knew that!
I have been adapting a lot of my recipes to use maple syrup or honey instead of sugar, because I can buy them locally sourced and that's important to me. The maple tree farm had a whole thing about how it was healthy and had all these nutrients, and I'll admit I rolled my eyes at it a bit - after all, it's sugar, not a vitamin! But maybe I should pay closer attention!
Thanks for the recipe suggestions! I'm always up for trying something new.
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