How and why to use a digital food scale

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  • DivineChoices
    DivineChoices Posts: 193 Member
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    Great post! Thank you for taking the time to write this up.
  • moomooatrice
    moomooatrice Posts: 14 Member
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    Hi there,

    I haven't purchased a scale yet - but your info was great!

    Thanks,
    :smile:
  • TechNerd42
    TechNerd42 Posts: 225 Member
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    One recommendation I make (and I do it myself) is to take the total weight of the ingredients before you cook, and how many servings you want, and then weigh it again after it is cooked. Divide the cooked weight by the uncooked weight (yeah, more math) to get the cooked to uncooked ratio, and then multiply that result by the uncooked serving size. This is very important, because the weight will change (usually get lighter after it is cooked, from lost moisture) which means that uncooked 100g serving is only 80ish grams cooked. For calorie dense items, that 20g makes a difference. Then you have the opposite. I've noticed potatoes absorb water, so after you drain them (I make mashed potatoes on occasion) they end up weighing more, which means a serving of them can be a little bit more (do you really wanna cheat yourself out of food you can eat?)

    It's a bit harder, I even made a spreadsheet, and listed the weights of the pots and pans I use the most so I don't have to worry about weighing them every time, but it is worth it to make sure you're getting the right amount of food.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Bumping to share later.
  • dynamoslim
    dynamoslim Posts: 4
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    This is very helpful, thank you!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Felt like this could use a bump today.
  • islandblush
    islandblush Posts: 11
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    Very awesome.
  • linztx
    linztx Posts: 101 Member
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    Great Info!
  • mygrl4meee
    mygrl4meee Posts: 943 Member
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    I have a tip for homemade meals. Say banana bread or even a casserole dish. I weigh the whole thing and call a serving one oz. Then log however many oz or servings I want. This keeps me honest as I grab a little bread and helps save leftovers in different sizes based on how many servings I can afford. So it may say I had 8 servings of pasta ECT.
  • Listeninguponyou
    Listeninguponyou Posts: 507 Member
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    I need to buy one of these! :O
    BUMP
  • jthooo
    jthooo Posts: 1 Member
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    Such useful information! Thank you!
  • Karababy51
    Karababy51 Posts: 124 Member
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    Maybe you live in Brobdingnag (Gulliver's land of the giants), and your idea of a "small" apple is what the nutrition label guy calls, "OMG! What IS that thing?"

    Literally laughed out loud when I read this. You have a gift for comedic writing. Anyway, thank you so much for this! I already knew most of it, but I can see how it'll be very helpful for those who don't. Thank you! :flowerforyou:
  • Keepcalmanddontblink
    Keepcalmanddontblink Posts: 718 Member
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    My weight loss really kick started into high gear after I got my food scale. I only paid $18 at Walmart and it weighs in grams, ounces, and has a tare button as well. Its really opened my eyes to how much/little you can eat when you are guesstimating.
  • monolith66
    monolith66 Posts: 168 Member
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    The supermarket weighs the meats I buy. I just go by their numbers and adjust from kg to grams. No food scale needed. I think food scales are useful when youre the type of person that buys meat in bulk and preps their weekly meals in tupperware (like a bodybuilder would) then weighing would make more sense.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,725 Member
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    The supermarket weighs the meats I buy. I just go by their numbers and adjust from kg to grams. No food scale needed. I think food scales are useful when youre the type of person that buys meat in bulk and preps their weekly meals in tupperware (like a bodybuilder would) then weighing would make more sense.

    Meat's the only thing you eat? The food scale helped me both ways. In some cases I could stand to eat a bit less, in other cases more. But I think this is a creative spin on things. Basically the butcher already weighed it for you and you log the whole batch by weight? Nice
  • joepage612
    joepage612 Posts: 179 Member
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    I use a 6$ mechanical food scale from target. it has a TARE capability using a knob to dial back to 0 to account for a containers weight. it shows grams and ounces. I also use a mechanical body scale. I've learned from experience that when my digital things run out of power getting a new battery is a headache.
  • clairenicole84
    clairenicole84 Posts: 19 Member
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    Very helpful. Thanks for posting.
  • debr1126
    debr1126 Posts: 28 Member
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    Negative grams! That's genius! I did not think of that!
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
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    Bump so I can read when I get a chance.
  • jmcdonald2011
    jmcdonald2011 Posts: 181 Member
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    I :heart: my food scale

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