Pasta, how I loathe thee...

Options
245

Replies

  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    Options
    I switched to Spaghetti squash for my pasta. Cook a half a squash in the micro and fork out the squash. Put veggies in a skillet with olive oil and then add them to Newman's Own sauce on top and you have a filling 260 calorie meal. I always lost weight the next morning.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
    Options
    Weigh it dry - it's still depressingly small though.
  • TXGirl78028
    TXGirl78028 Posts: 37
    Options
    What a timely post - I had pasta last night for the 1st time since starting to use MFP. I also weighed the pasta after cooking and was sad to see the amount that was 2 oz. I'll weigh pre-cooking next time. 2oz cooked was so sad I upped it to 4 oz cooked (counted the calories, but perhaps I put too many since the measure should have been dry) and was satisfied - although it tasted so good I'd have loved to have more, but I resisted. I put a chicken breast and some sauce with it. Would have had a side salad, but my calories for the day wouldn't allow for more.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Options
    In order to ensure a full serving of pasta is big enough to constitute a proper meal, I make my own sauces and use chunks of vegetables, such as tomato and mushroom. It really adds to the density.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Options
    depends on if the nutritional info says cooked or raw, raw is best because everyone cooks pasta differently

    The nutritional info didn't specify :\

    For things like rice and pasta it's ALWAYS dry unless otherwise specified.
  • futuresize8
    futuresize8 Posts: 476 Member
    Options
    Bump up the pasta by adding big chunks of vegetables (my favorites are red peppers, onions, mushroom and zucchini) that you saute with just a touch of olive oil.

    Add that to half the amount of rigatoni you'd usually use, some sauce and fresh grated parm (tastes stronger when it's freshly grated so you don't need as much) and some sauce.

    You won't be disappointed!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Options
    Yesterday, we had pasta for the first time since I got my food scale.

    I'm shocked at what a single portion of pasta is. Shocked and disgusted. And disappointed. I AM supposed to weigh it cooked, right?
    No!

    Weigh it uncooked. If it's cooked, you want about a cup for a single serving. And that should take up about a plateful spread out.
  • SrMaggalicious
    SrMaggalicious Posts: 495 Member
    Options
    I started eating spaghetti squash instead and made my own sauce using the recipe builder thingy on here. I now prefer the spaghetti squash over the real thing. and I have my sauce frozen so I can have it in an instant.

    I cant wait for fall - I have 3 spaghetti squash plants going

    ^^Same. I love spaghetti squash...now if I ever eat pasta, I literally feel hung over the next day...it does some crazy stuff to my body. I have an AWESOME sauce I eat with it...soooo yummy. and you can eat BUCKETS of it...
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    Options
    Dry weight usually.

    100g of uncooked pasta will have far more calories than 100g of cooked pasta.

    This is because much of the weight of cooked pasta is actually the water it retains in cooking.
  • JosieRawr
    JosieRawr Posts: 788 Member
    Options
    Nope- love it... work out for it... EAT it... yummmmmmmm. I do add spinach(added directly in) and veggie sides and other things to help stretch the meal out so that it takes longer to eat and helps give my full cues time to kick in... I don't even bother trying to have a small portion though, I'll just keep coming back.. I get one big portion with all of my add ons and chow down! :)
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Options
    What a timely post - I had pasta last night for the 1st time since starting to use MFP. I also weighed the pasta after cooking and was sad to see the amount that was 2 oz. I'll weigh pre-cooking next time. 2oz cooked was so sad I upped it to 4 oz cooked (counted the calories, but perhaps I put too many since the measure should have been dry) and was satisfied - although it tasted so good I'd have loved to have more, but I resisted. I put a chicken breast and some sauce with it. Would have had a side salad, but my calories for the day wouldn't allow for more.

    Sorry, but that last sentence is just nuts to me. A cup or so of homemade salad with a half tablespoon of dressing is about 50-60 calories. If you're still hungry have a salad. Even use "light" dressing if you have to. Moderation is key, not over restriction.

    OP: I usually eat 1.5 servings of pasta and just bulk up my sauce with lots of meat and veg. That's my dinner tonight, actually. :D
  • shrinkingshreya
    shrinkingshreya Posts: 118 Member
    Options
    I could never, ever give up pasta. Most of my life I ate it 4 times a week I scaled it back to 2 times a week and I usually eat a 4 oz portion and fit it into my daily goals. But your right! It is sadly small when you eat it in moderation. I knew deep down inside I could never give it up so I found a way to make it fit into my goals.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    Options
    One way to make pasta go further is to toss it with vegetables. While the pasta is boiling, saute veggies like mushrooms, bell pepper (I like red but green or any other color is fine), etc., and add them to bulk up the pasta. Another trick is to throw some green beans or other frozen veg in with the pasta part way through the boiling so the pasta and veggie mix is ready at the same time.

    Lately, I've been experimenting with making fresh pasta that replaces some of the flour with beans. My most recent batch of orrecchietti made with chick peas, spinach, egg, and whole wheat flour worked out pretty well and has about 3/4 the calories and carbs of regular spinach pasta. And, no, it doesn't taste very much of beans.
  • sheedy17
    sheedy17 Posts: 128
    Options
    Have you ever tried spaghetti squash? Much healthier and you really can't tell the difference, its a nice sub for pasta fans
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
    Options
    rice and pasta are in the same boat… about the same amount of calories per 2 ounces uncooked. I just use that small amount or just don't eat it. sad i know.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
    Options
    100g dried pasta is around 350 calories. I have that as a portion sometimes - not so bad when you've earned exercise calories for it.
  • SteampunkSongbird
    SteampunkSongbird Posts: 826 Member
    Options
    Weigh it dry. The increase in weight for pasta/rice is just water, which doesn't affect calories, so weighing before is the accurate way. I think a standard portion of pasta is about 70-100g (dry); since learning about portion control, I discovered I was eating over double the amount of pasta I ought to have been!
  • Creiddylad
    Creiddylad Posts: 27
    Options
    I did 'Slimming World' a couple of years back and on their plan you could eat as much pasta as you liked. Just the pasta that is - not the sauces/cheese or whatever that goes with it. I could never get my head around that - how it could be unlimited on their plan and classed as a 'free food' but it is? You have to follow certain rules and guidelines about your overall day's food intake and what you eat alongside the pasta, but yes - the pasta itself is not restricted.

    I lost weight too! Didn't stick with it though - going to the classes and the weigh ins etc., it just wasn't my thing,
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    Options
    Actually I read that 2oz of dry pasta = about 5 oz cooked. This thread may help:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/216638-uncooked-pasta-to-cooked-pasta
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    Options
    Yes you are supposed to weigh it dry but that's of course difficult when you are cooking for a family, unless you want to cook your portion separate.

    This is useful, it tells you the approximate cooked volume for the dry weight for each pasta type:

    http://www.barilla.com/faq?p=measuring

Categories