Nutrition Lable (US) Question

tlp8rb

Are the nutrients listed on the label on boxes of semi-prepared foods (macaroni & cheese for example) based on the content of the package or are they based on the package directions? Again using the mac & cheese - my box says 250 cals for a 1 cup serving - 3 servings in the box. Directions add 1 tsp salt, 1/4 cup butter or margarine and 1/4 cup 2% milk. Are those things included in the 250 calories?

If I prepare the box and omit the salt, omit the butter or use 1 T of olive oil instead, and use skim rather than 2% milk, it will change the calories/nutrient information. It will lower the sodium by 1/3 of a teaspoon of salt, etc. There are 22 calories in a 1/4 cup of skim milk, but 31 in 2% - so using skim would reduce the per serving calorie count by 3. And eliminating the butter (408 in 1/4 cup) but using Olive Oil (1 T is 119 calories) would further reduce the calories. By making these changes, the calories per serving drop by almost 100 calories.

How about canned soups? The direction on a can of tomato soup say to mix with one can of water (or milk). When logging the soup, if you opt to use milk and many of us prefer it made that way, you also have to log the milk. Failing to do so is going to skew your calorie count at the end of the day.

Stuff I think about when I can't sleep.

MzBug

Usually the lable is "as is", meaning just the contents of the container. Sometimes you will see 2 values given on each line, the first being "as is" the second being "prepared" meaning if you make it exactly according to the directions given. Any variations you will have to account for.