I got a food scale

sjp_511
sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I got a food scale as a Christmas gift. I used it for the first time this morning to weigh out my chicken for my lunch. I have always read that 4 oz of chicken is less than you think which has apparently led me to overestimate how many ounces of chicken I put in my lunch salad. I was shocked at how much more chicken I get for 4 oz!

I am curious to see how much a food scale is going to change my perception of portion sizes.
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Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Yes you're in for a surprise!
  • ScottH_200
    ScottH_200 Posts: 377 Member
    I was surprised too. Especially with ground beef. A cooked 4 oz burger patty is huge!
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Yes you're in for a surprise!

    Yep.
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    I also got a digital food scale for Christmas (I did have a non-digital one. Not particularly good for measuring an ounce of chips or cheese...). So far it's been so exciting! And I've actually been amazed at how much more I get of those things that were hard to weigh before, like chips and cheese. A serving of shredded cheese is actually quite a bit!

    I've been so excited that I've been going a little overboard with the weighing :laugh:
  • No_Finish_Line
    No_Finish_Line Posts: 3,661 Member
    I was surprised too. Especially with ground beef. A cooked 4 oz burger patty is huge!
    when they give you the nutritional info for ground beef, is the serving size weight before or after cooking?
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    I was surprised too. Especially with ground beef. A cooked 4 oz burger patty is huge!
    when they give you the nutritional info for ground beef, is the serving size weight before or after cooking?

    I believe it's before cooked unless otherwise stated. If you're going by the package, it's almost always uncooked. If you're searching for an equivalent on MFP, it should have "cooked" or "grilled" in the title to indicate that the meat is for 4 oz after being cooked.
  • cavia
    cavia Posts: 457 Member
    It was a big eye opener for me. My idea of a portion size was more like 2 or 3.
  • veggiebuckeye
    veggiebuckeye Posts: 115 Member
    My food scale was life changing.
  • kbolton322
    kbolton322 Posts: 358 Member
    I got a digital scale for christmas... I was so happy to get it.. I've had a reg one but this one is so much better...
  • shoing
    shoing Posts: 114 Member
    I have been weighing my food on a digital scale & I'm still amazed at how much of some items you get and only a couple of ounces. Yesterday I weighed my cream cheese and only used 1/2oz. instead of the 1oz. I've been logging. You tend to over estimate if not weighing. The kids laugh at me weighing stuff. I bought a set of measuring cups and spoons to take to school to weigh out snacks so I don't have to guess any more.
  • BreeJaxon
    BreeJaxon Posts: 128
    Awww man it makes me want to go buy one today!! I think I just may :)
  • daniellabella986
    daniellabella986 Posts: 325 Member
    Ohhh you are definitely in for a shock when it comes to proteins. 4 oz. of ground turkey is surprisingly a lot though. But everything else is a surprise - it's amazing when you realize how much of a change you'll see by weighing things out. Wait till you start weighing out your veggies, the portions are insanely huge for a small number of calories! Make the most of that gift, it's definitely a great one.
  • Lynn_babcock
    Lynn_babcock Posts: 220 Member
    It's on my wish list! They aren't too expensive either. I'm using an old office postal scale.. non-digital. It's probably pretty accurate but I want one that'll give the gram measurements too since that's the most common weight type I've seen in foods in the database. Glad you got one.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    I was so excited the other day - the package of cheese said a serving was one slice - but going by weight it was 1.5 slices. Made my whole day. I also got excited when the piece of ham I selected was exactly an ounce.
  • judyde
    judyde Posts: 401 Member
    I was so excited the other day - the package of cheese said a serving was one slice - but going by weight it was 1.5 slices. Made my whole day. I also got excited when the piece of ham I selected was exactly an ounce.
    Ha ha, that's funny! I love cheese as well. And I was surprised by how large a portion is of 4 oz of meat.

    I'm eating my Xmas leftovers for the next several days. I tend to weigh things out in advance and put it into tupperware containers or baggies with the weight on them. Makes it easier to have it all done for a while.

    I got 2 scales on amazon.com - one for the kitchen, and one travel size one, for a total of about $25 incl shipping. No excuse not to have one!
  • wilmnoca
    wilmnoca Posts: 416 Member
    Awww man it makes me want to go buy one today!! I think I just may :)
    Me too!
  • jennifer_a00
    jennifer_a00 Posts: 186 Member
    I love my food scale! Everybody should have one. Have fun, it's an eye opening experience.
  • molonlabe762
    molonlabe762 Posts: 411 Member
    I need one badly, i cant stand when i look things up on here and all i can find for portion sized are grams and ounces.
  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
    Have the old fashioned non digital type. Had it for years. Only recently started using it. Would like a digital one though. I would probably be weighing everything just because I could. I might need a support group. Over weighers anonymous! :huh:
  • mistress8956
    mistress8956 Posts: 265 Member
    Mine is supposed to come in the mail today! I'm really excited lol
  • Dreya711
    Dreya711 Posts: 79 Member
    Now I have to get one...I was thinking I needed one, because I had no idea how many ounces my pork tenderloin was last night so guessed. I'm convinced now I need one!
  • Needachange84
    Needachange84 Posts: 310 Member
    Makes me want to go out and buy one!! Any opinions on what brand?
  • waltcote
    waltcote Posts: 372 Member
    Getting a digital scale might actually make me lose even more weight! By the time I weigh everything, then log it! i might lose my appetite.:bigsmile:
  • spaingirl2011
    spaingirl2011 Posts: 763 Member
    I just got a digital food scale yesterday. Can't wait to see what comes from it!
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
    I recently got a food scale as well (a few weeks ago). Something I've noticed is that I was overestimating portions of ground beef but underestimating portions of chicken breast.
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
    I like to play little games with myself to see how close I come to putting X amount of food on the scale and seeing how accurate I am. It's an extra bonus when I am exactly there. I'm getting quite accomplished with getting one ounce of cheddar cheese exactly right.
  • uclaxtina
    uclaxtina Posts: 67 Member
    Makes me want to go out and buy one!! Any opinions on what brand?

    I'm looking to get one too. Any recommendations on which brand to get?
  • mistress8956
    mistress8956 Posts: 265 Member
    $10 on amazon weight masters prochef kitchen scale
  • echofm1
    echofm1 Posts: 471 Member
    I got the Taylor 3831BL Bl 6.5lb Digital Food Scale for Christmas and it's been working great. Plus I just looked up reviews and it's got 5 stars on Google's reviews
  • jess17587
    jess17587 Posts: 153
    It is the worst/best thing in my life because the pros are I am completely in control of my calories and know all the know but the cons are that now I weight everything even peas and spread, there is nothing I don't weight and if i can't weight it i don't eat it which makes going out difficult and it takes the ability to know what you body needs away from you because you constantly being told what your amount is from lables and having to messure it out because you cant trust your self to know your portion which makes maintance hard because your body needs to learn to regulate its calories because all the public dont eat exaclly 1000 calories a day...

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