Pasta Dry vs Cooked ( Calories )

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Gee_24
Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi! Ive been searching online and on the boards here but most answers are inconclusive thus far.

My problem: I want a whole ox of Kraft Cheesy Pasta. In MFP a whole box: Kraft - Cheesy Pasta, 1 container (190 g as prepared ea.) 429 calories.

Seems small for a large plate of cheesy pasta! Now that 190g is the dry pasta. When I cook it I assume it will double and more to weighing around 450g, Does this mean I have to re-adjust the calories from 428 to 800-ish? Or are the calories in dry pasta the same once cooked as we are only adding water? Then again, as the weight is doubling from 190g to 450g I'd assume it IS going to be more calories?

PS: I looked it up online. One website says there are over 1000 calories in one whole box of Kraft Cheesy Pasta. That sounds a little more accurate to me. If thats the case, I'm not touching the stuff!

Please help, my head hurts.

Replies

  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    It should be between 1000-1300 calories for a normal size package of mac & cheese.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    It should be between 1000-1300 calories for a normal size package of mac & cheese.

    Wow. And I've had one whole box at least twice in the last 3 months logging it as 428. I suppose it hasnt done me any harm so far but I will decide against it tonight I think.
  • The_Enginerd
    The_Enginerd Posts: 3,982 Member
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    Yep, that entry does sound off. 429, maybe for a tiny box, LOL.

    Cooking pasta only add water to the weight, the calorie count stays the same. How much water is absorbed depends on how much it is cooked, so it varies. It is more accurate to go by dry weight, and all packages of pasta I have seen give dry weight in the serving size.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Pasta is pretty much pasta. 200g of (dry) pasta from pretty much anyone is going to be about 700 calories on its own, without anything on it or with it. And that "cheesy" sauce is just loaded with cals...
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Damn. Why are the nutrition logs so wrong?

    The back of the pack, the website, and MFP are giving the wrong information. Saying that after butter and milk we're only having 428 calories per BOX. Whereas per serving, about 162g ( dry ) they claim its around 300-ish.

    Very annoyed as like I said I have had this a few times recently.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    If you have an image or photo of the nutritional info on the package, we might be able to decipher it. I couldn't find it on the Kraft website.

    I do share your frustration, though. Not long ago I came across a package of hot dogs that gave nutritional information based on a serving size of 1/3 of a hot dog. I mean, come on, who serves up a hot dog in thirds?

    Gah.
  • calliekitten9
    calliekitten9 Posts: 148 Member
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    I find the same thing with Popcorn...I have found people enter the Unpopped total which is skewed.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Here we go:

    d720128b-2554-42d9-a5af-13642742db51_zpsec54a68e.jpg
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    Damn. Why are the nutrition logs so wrong?

    The back of the pack, the website, and MFP are giving the wrong information. Saying that after butter and milk we're only having 428 calories per BOX. Whereas per serving, about 162g ( dry ) they claim its around 300-ish.

    Very annoyed as like I said I have had this a few times recently.

    User error ....... sometimes people enter bad information. I pulled in an entry for peanuts that were low fat / high carb ......um NO!
  • hardenedheartx
    hardenedheartx Posts: 42 Member
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    The nutrition facts are per 100g prepared....were you multiplying the facts for the whole box? There could be the error
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    That label is confusing, I agree. Nowhere does it say how many grams "as prepared" in a box or how many servings in the container. Nor does it appear to give information for dry weight.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Thanks everyone. Im having something different until I can afford the calories.
  • ndwildbill
    ndwildbill Posts: 74 Member
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    When the box says "as prepared" I assume that means ready to eat. I use a scale to weigh one servings worth, and use the calories on the box for one serving as prepared. If one serving doesn't look like enough (even though it should be) I weigh out more, do the math and add the additional calories. I'm learning that a digital scale is a good friend indeed.
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    Why are you eating the entire box?
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Why are you eating the entire box?

    Because I want to? lol

    Seriously though, I won't make it and then chuck the rest in the bin. Theres no way cheesy pasta will keep even if I wrap it up and put it in the fridge.

    I don't want to use half the pasta or half the sauce mix as I might use too much / too little of the powder and have it go wrong then I'm screwed for dinner.

    I find the portion perfect. Most people say its too big, I can handle it just fine. When I have a big plate of something I skip breakfast or lunch.
  • CindaWhite
    CindaWhite Posts: 104 Member
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    Why are you eating the entire box?

    This! Seems rather nutritionally imbalanced for a meal...
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Cracked it. Roughly 1050.

    I shall be leaving it for a while. haha!

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