When Pasta says "Serving Size: 2 oz. (56g - about 1/7 box)

PhotographerOfNature
PhotographerOfNature Posts: 452 Member
edited September 22 in Food and Nutrition
2 oz (56 g about 1/7 box) is 200 calories. Does it mean 2 oz before cooking or after cooking? I am always confused about this. I wish it would specify.

Replies

  • JustAmy
    JustAmy Posts: 291
    They mean 2 oz dry, uncooked.:happy:
  • I'm pretty sure it's dry...
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
    The way to tell is to look at the net weight of the box. If the box contains about 14 ounces of pasta (2 ounces X 7 servings) then it is dry weight. If the box contains something drastically different from 14 ounces of pasta, then take that weight and divide it by 7.

    E.g. If the box contains 14.5 ounces of pasta, then 2 ounces of uncooked pasta is one serving. If the box contains 3.5 ounces of pasta, then a serving is 3.5 ounces/7 = .5 ounces of uncooked pasta.
  • 2 oz dry is the same as wet or cooked. But the next time you cook pasta and you know you cooked 2 oz. Measure the cooked pasta into a large measuring cup and you will be able to see how much pasta you can eat when you go out to eat.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
    A good rule of thumb is that a half cup of cooked pasta = 2 oz dry.
  • Great! Thanks everyone! :drinker:
  • mamacremers
    mamacremers Posts: 183 Member
    2 oz dry is the same as wet or cooked. But the next time you cook pasta and you know you cooked 2 oz. Measure the cooked pasta into a large measuring cup and you will be able to see how much pasta you can eat when you go out to eat.

    I disagree, in my experience, 2 oz dry is about 4 oz cooked.
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
    2 oz dry is the same as wet or cooked. But the next time you cook pasta and you know you cooked 2 oz. Measure the cooked pasta into a large measuring cup and you will be able to see how much pasta you can eat when you go out to eat.

    I disagree, in my experience, 2 oz dry is about 4 oz cooked.

    Yes, the pasta absorbs an appreciable amount of cooking liquid while it cooks, a certain quantity of dry pasta will always be heavier after cooking. Your 1:2 ration sounds about right in my experience.
  • It's 2oz dry which equals about 1 cup cooked.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    2 oz (56 g about 1/7 box) is 200 calories. Does it mean 2 oz before cooking or after cooking? I am always confused about this. I wish it would specify.

    It might not be very "scientific" but when I buy pasta, I normally separate it when I first get it home. If it's something like spagetti noodles, I normally get out 4 glasses and put equal amounts of the whole box of pasta in each glass. That's enough for 2 people to eat a meal from one "glass" of pasta, and even though it's technically 1/8 of the box doing it that way, it just makes it easier for me. Also, it makes the calorie count a little lower.

    And as a side note, if you use angel hair instead of actual spagetti noodles, it appears that you are getting more. Two ounces of angel hair fills up a plate better than 2 ounces of spagetti.
  • rnroadrunner
    rnroadrunner Posts: 402 Member
    2 oz (56 g about 1/7 box) is 200 calories. Does it mean 2 oz before cooking or after cooking? I am always confused about this. I wish it would specify.

    It might not be very "scientific" but when I buy pasta, I normally separate it when I first get it home. If it's something like spagetti noodles, I normally get out 4 glasses and put equal amounts of the whole box of pasta in each glass. That's enough for 2 people to eat a meal from one "glass" of pasta, and even though it's technically 1/8 of the box doing it that way, it just makes it easier for me. Also, it makes the calorie count a little lower.

    And as a side note, if you use angel hair instead of actual spagetti noodles, it appears that you are getting more. Two ounces of angel hair fills up a plate better than 2 ounces of spagetti.
    great idea about the angel hair. Thanks
  • chicabean420
    chicabean420 Posts: 173 Member
    2 oz (56 g about 1/7 box) is 200 calories. Does it mean 2 oz before cooking or after cooking? I am always confused about this. I wish it would specify.

    It might not be very "scientific" but when I buy pasta, I normally separate it when I first get it home. If it's something like spagetti noodles, I normally get out 4 glasses and put equal amounts of the whole box of pasta in each glass. That's enough for 2 people to eat a meal from one "glass" of pasta, and even though it's technically 1/8 of the box doing it that way, it just makes it easier for me. Also, it makes the calorie count a little lower.

    And as a side note, if you use angel hair instead of actual spagetti noodles, it appears that you are getting more. Two ounces of angel hair fills up a plate better than 2 ounces of spagetti.

    GREAT IDEA!
  • potluck965
    potluck965 Posts: 529 Member
    This is the kind of thing that drove me to a food scale. I never thought I would be that obsessive about things, but I found it quite amazing how real weight differed from my best guesstimate. It made a big difference in things for me.

    And my pasta package says 2 oz dry or 1 cup cooked, but I imagine the cooked might differ if you like your pasta really soft. That's why I like to weigh it dry before cooking.

    Man, have I gotten obsessive :ohwell:
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