MFP Encourages "Convenience" Nutrition

rml_16

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining?

No.

kgeyser

I pre-apologize for what is probably a mischaracterization of the topic on my part, but...

My intuition just tells me this is kind of just another I-don't-like-tracking-it's-all-about-quality-not-quantity threads, just in a slightly different disguise.

We just might have a winner here, folks!!

I was thinking that, or a good old-fashioned "I need someone else to blame because I ate eight burritos from the gas station last night" posts.

UpEarly

Nope... I totally disagree. I have never had any trouble finding any raw/USDA official entries in the MFP database. I don't eat very much packaged food, and MFP worked great for me.

3laine75

Totally disagree. Many have no clue about macros before joining this site. It's also very difficult to fill your diet with prepackaged foods if you're actively tracking sodium. Haven't heard of any other weightloss plans/diets or websites that help with this.

Teenie71

No, I dont think they encourage this at all, in fact, the exact opposite. That's my opinion anyways.

angdpowers

I don't feel that way at all -- actually never.

I key in everything on the computer (no scanning with phone) and really, no one is going to "encourage" me to eat prepackage stuff. I mean, they can try (ie tv, radio, magazines) but meh, using MFP or not, its the persons choice.

But yea, I've never had a problem finding good/accurate nutritional info on here for all my fresh produce & meat/poultry/fish.

Myhaloslipped

Not at all. MFP doesn't make my food choices for me. In fact, it makes it easier for me to count the calories in things I cook for myself.

WinoGelato

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining? It's easier to get nutritional information from those sources but you're really doing a disservice to your health!

Yes, "convenience" food is easier. By definition.

^THIS.

WinoGelato

Obviously MFP is in cahoots with all the evil processed "big food" conglomerates and secretly they are brainwashing people to eat fast food and frozen dinners. Wake up and smell the Waffle Taco people!

bcattoes

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining? It's easier to get nutritional information from those sources but you're really doing a disservice to your health!

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

bcattoes

MFP is a tool to use and you get out of it exactly what you put into it, if you are too lazy to weigh and log your food accurately who's fault is that? It takes me about 5 minutes to log my food for the day maybe 10 if I'm multitasking. Took me longer to backspace my snarky response to this than entering my food

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but most of the foods were packaged foods which, as the OP pointed out, are easy to log.

Briargrey

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining? It's easier to get nutritional information from those sources but you're really doing a disservice to your health!

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

I do it all the time, and I find it very user friendly. So I'd say it's not the tool (MFP) that encourages the 'convenience' nutrition, but the user. I add in meals that I do frequently so I just have one click to do it later. I add in recipes I make so I can add those easily. I've been doing this a year now, and I have no problem with recipes, meals, and whole foods/ingredients.

kevinsbarrett

The biggest thing I have learned on MFP is that losing or maintaining weight is all about choice. So they have made it easier to scan an item that you get at a grocery or convenience store - but what you put in your body is still your choice. I do not believe they are promoting prepackaged food, but its not up to them what you eat, it's up to you. There are literally thousands upon thousands of food entries from people that also promote not eating pre-packaged choices. It's still your choice.

bcattoes

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining? It's easier to get nutritional information from those sources but you're really doing a disservice to your health!

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

I do it all the time, and I find it very user friendly. So I'd say it's not the tool (MFP) that encourages the 'convenience' nutrition, but the user. I add in meals that I do frequently so I just have one click to do it later. I add in recipes I make so I can add those easily. I've been doing this a year now, and I have no problem with recipes, meals, and whole foods/ingredients.

I'm sure it is easier if you have recipes you frequently use. But, I never use a recipe. I am a 'little bit of this, little bit of that' type cook. And even trying to look up something as simple as a red tomato will yield more than a dozen entries, so you either randomly pick one hoping it is correct, or you have to go to another site to get the correct information, then come back here and weed through all the entries till you find one that is correct and complete, or add a new one and add to the mess.

I logged for over a year. I used the recipe feature, which in itself is problematic in that it won't let you change amounts of ingredients. But it just took so much of my time. It was like having a second job.

jofjltncb6

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining? It's easier to get nutritional information from those sources but you're really doing a disservice to your health!

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

If that is the case, this site seems like a less-than-ideal choice for you to use. Are there not more "user friendly" sites out there that you could use instead?

SPeffer1

Whether you follow this site, WW, or any other calorie/point counting website (or any diet really) it's what you make of it. I follow WW and track on here. I don't feel that either of the plans encourage convenience foods necessarily. I think some people flock to convenience foods because they are just that - convenient.

I do eat some convenience foods and some packaged foods, but I'd say the majority of my foods aren't, and I cook from scratch quite a bit. I use the recipe builder a lot too!

It's all in how much effort you want to put into it.

Briargrey

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining? It's easier to get nutritional information from those sources but you're really doing a disservice to your health!

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

I do it all the time, and I find it very user friendly. So I'd say it's not the tool (MFP) that encourages the 'convenience' nutrition, but the user. I add in meals that I do frequently so I just have one click to do it later. I add in recipes I make so I can add those easily. I've been doing this a year now, and I have no problem with recipes, meals, and whole foods/ingredients.

I'm sure it is easier if you have recipes you frequently use. But, I never use a recipe. I am a 'little bit of this, little bit of that' type cook. And even trying to look up something as simple as a red tomato will yield more than a dozen entries, so you either randomly pick one hoping it is correct, or you have to go to another site to get the correct information, then come back here and weed through all the entries till you find one that is correct and complete, or add a new one and add to the mess.

I logged for over a year. I used the recipe feature, which in itself is problematic in that it won't let you change amounts of ingredients. But it just took so much of my time. It was like having a second job.

I am also a little of this, little of that person -- I mostly estimate my recipes as I do it, and for something low calorie (spinach), being off a bit isn't going to be killer, and for something higher calorie, I weigh it and get the right info in there. When I make it a second time, I may have used slightly different amounts, but I am a smart enough person to judge whether or not I think my original recipe is close enough or if it will be enough of a change that I need to do a second entry....or sometimes, I keep the original entry but tweak the serving size I gave myself (hey, do I think it's higher calorie this time, make it 1.5 servings of the meal instead of 1).

Again, it's a tool. You obviously don't like the tool and are looking for excuses for your failure with the tool. That's a shame. But don't try to make this about MFP being bad. It is a free database and tool -- it could use some improvements. But it isn't what is making you not want to log or eat convenience foods or whatever your excuse is. You are.

Even on a day when I have to enter in a complex 'recipe' it's not like a second job -- it doesn't take more than 10 minutes, seriously. I'm not concerned about it on a molecular level, I want to get it in a reasonably educated ballpark. If I find myself not losing or not maintaining depending on where I'm at in my journey, then I may decide to get more nitpicky, but otherwise, that works fine....and it's not rocket science.

jofjltncb6

MFP is a tool to use and you get out of it exactly what you put into it, if you are too lazy to weigh and log your food accurately who's fault is that? It takes me about 5 minutes to log my food for the day maybe 10 if I'm multitasking. Took me longer to backspace my snarky response to this than entering my food

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but most of the foods were packaged foods which, as the OP pointed out, are easy to log.

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but they were all blank.

firstsip

MFP is a tool to use and you get out of it exactly what you put into it, if you are too lazy to weigh and log your food accurately who's fault is that? It takes me about 5 minutes to log my food for the day maybe 10 if I'm multitasking. Took me longer to backspace my snarky response to this than entering my food

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but most of the foods were packaged foods which, as the OP pointed out, are easy to log.

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but they were all blank.

bcattoes

Does anyone else fell like this site lends itself to prepackaged foods and/or commercial dining? It's easier to get nutritional information from those sources but you're really doing a disservice to your health!

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

I do it all the time, and I find it very user friendly. So I'd say it's not the tool (MFP) that encourages the 'convenience' nutrition, but the user. I add in meals that I do frequently so I just have one click to do it later. I add in recipes I make so I can add those easily. I've been doing this a year now, and I have no problem with recipes, meals, and whole foods/ingredients.

I'm sure it is easier if you have recipes you frequently use. But, I never use a recipe. I am a 'little bit of this, little bit of that' type cook. And even trying to look up something as simple as a red tomato will yield more than a dozen entries, so you either randomly pick one hoping it is correct, or you have to go to another site to get the correct information, then come back here and weed through all the entries till you find one that is correct and complete, or add a new one and add to the mess.

I logged for over a year. I used the recipe feature, which in itself is problematic in that it won't let you change amounts of ingredients. But it just took so much of my time. It was like having a second job.

I am also a little of this, little of that person -- I mostly estimate my recipes as I do it, and for something low calorie (spinach), being off a bit isn't going to be killer, and for something higher calorie, I weigh it and get the right info in there. When I make it a second time, I may have used slightly different amounts, but I am a smart enough person to judge whether or not I think my original recipe is close enough or if it will be enough of a change that I need to do a second entry....or sometimes, I keep the original entry but tweak the serving size I gave myself (hey, do I think it's higher calorie this time, make it 1.5 servings of the meal instead of 1).

Again, it's a tool. You obviously don't like the tool and are looking for excuses for your failure with the tool. That's a shame. But don't try to make this about MFP being bad. It is a free database and tool -- it could use some improvements. But it isn't what is making you not want to log or eat convenience foods or whatever your excuse is. You are.

Even on a day when I have to enter in a complex 'recipe' it's not like a second job -- it doesn't take more than 10 minutes, seriously. I'm not concerned about it on a molecular level, I want to get it in a reasonably educated ballpark. If I find myself not losing or not maintaining depending on where I'm at in my journey, then I may decide to get more nitpicky, but otherwise, that works fine....and it's not rocket science.

There is no need to get your panties in a wad. I found it to be like a second job. You saying it wasn't really won't change that. You like it, fine, I never said it's a bad tool in general. Most of my MFP friends use it with success.

The OP asked if anyone else felt the way she did and I answered that I did. Because I did. What you do or how you feel is not relevant to my experience. I make no excuse because I need no pardon.

And it's not a shame that logging here was no help for me, I lost most of my weight without MFP and I've avoided obesity without MFP for over 1/2 a century, so not logging is not a big thing for me.

bcattoes

MFP is a tool to use and you get out of it exactly what you put into it, if you are too lazy to weigh and log your food accurately who's fault is that? It takes me about 5 minutes to log my food for the day maybe 10 if I'm multitasking. Took me longer to backspace my snarky response to this than entering my food

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but most of the foods were packaged foods which, as the OP pointed out, are easy to log.

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but they were all blank.

Yeah, I covered that earlier. I stopped logging because it was taking too much time. I need that time for the forums.

miniimuscles

I don't agree. MFP is a tool. Do with it what you will but it's up to the person to choose to eat something they can scan the nutrition information from versus enter it themselves. And not everything packages is bad nutrition wise... it's just a feature to save time.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

MFP is a tool to use and you get out of it exactly what you put into it, if you are too lazy to weigh and log your food accurately who's fault is that? It takes me about 5 minutes to log my food for the day maybe 10 if I'm multitasking. Took me longer to backspace my snarky response to this than entering my food

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but most of the foods were packaged foods which, as the OP pointed out, are easy to log.

I just glanced at a couple of days of your diary, but they were all blank.

Yeah, I covered that earlier. I stopped logging because it was taking too much time. I need that time for the forums.

:laugh:

deksgrl

I literally just found out yesterday that my phone has a scanner thing. So all this time I have been logging the old fashioned way.

rml_16

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

I'm not really sure what you want. You're cooking your own foods and I assume these are recipes you're putting together, no?

What kind of website is available elsewhere that knows what's in your personal recipe before you input it?

All whole, unprocessed foods are available in the MFP database, but it can't prepopulate specific ingredients and amounts without user input. And if it could, I would be kind of frightened.

MelsAuntie

Yes, it sure does. Very annoying, though I can see how just copying down brand name info is easier for whoever programs the database. I have to add "generic" or "homemade", or I get 75 brand name choices.

bcattoes

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

I'm not really sure what you want. You're cooking your own foods and I assume these are recipes you're putting together, no?

What kind of website is available elsewhere that knows what's in your personal recipe before you input it?

All whole, unprocessed foods are available in the MFP database, but it can't preopoulate specific ingredients and amounts without user input. And if it could, I would be kind of frightened.

What do I want? Well, in my perfect world I would type in "green bell pepper" and have one entry come up and tell me the correct nutritional composition of the average green bell pepper.

Edited to specify that the entry would be correct.

SPeffer1

Still better than me - I learned in this thread!! (Well that didn't quote correctly - this was in response to the just learning about the scanner yesterday).

rml_16

Yes, 100% This is the reason I no longer log my food. When you eat a variety of home prepared foods from whole ingredients this site is not user friendly for logging meals.

I'm not really sure what you want. You're cooking your own foods and I assume these are recipes you're putting together, no?

What kind of website is available elsewhere that knows what's in your personal recipe before you input it?

All whole, unprocessed foods are available in the MFP database, but it can't preopoulate specific ingredients and amounts without user input. And if it could, I would be kind of frightened.

What do I want? Well, in my perfect world I would type in "green bell pepper" and have one entry come up and tell me the nutritional composition of the average green bell pepper.

There isn't a website available that will do that for you. However, I have bought green bell peppers that were the size of two apples and green bell peppers that were the size of a peach. So which one would be correct in your scenario?

FlyersGirlrc

I agree that WW pushes processed, packaged foods. I came to MFP because I can incorporate almost any food into my daily diary, barcode or not. I don't eat out as much as I used to but when I do it is really great to find nutritional information here.