how do I determine calorie count on homemade foods

mstormth
mstormth Posts: 119 Member
edited October 4 in Food and Nutrition
I always cook dinner at home - next to never do we eat out.

When I am cooking a meal, how do I know what calories are in my meal? Is there a website or a way to do this. Sometimes, my receipes, dinners etc do not match what I find on the search.

Today I am making tomatto and meat sauce.

I am using both crushed & diced tomatos
extra lean ground beef (strained any grease off)
Combined in:
Italian Season, Basil, Oregano
Onion (white)
green peppers
Celery

I bought some whole wheat pasta

Replies

  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
    theres a recipe feature on this site - just put in all the ingredients (total amounts) and then tell it how many servings it is. it calculates it out and saves it so you can use it in the future. i LOVE it, since i do almost all of our meals at home
  • Thomasm198
    Thomasm198 Posts: 3,189 Member
    I always cook dinner at home - next to never do we eat out.

    When I am cooking a meal, how do I know what calories are in my meal? Is there a website or a way to do this. Sometimes, my receipes, dinners etc do not match what I find on the search.

    Today I am making tomatto and meat sauce.

    I am using both crushed & diced tomatos
    extra lean ground beef (strained any grease off)
    Combined in:
    Italian Season, Basil, Oregano
    Onion (white)
    green peppers
    Celery

    I bought some whole wheat pasta
    Create a new recipe in the recipe tab and save it
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/box
    :flowerforyou:
  • TheBraveryLover
    TheBraveryLover Posts: 1,217 Member
    Log each ingredient and divide the serving size you eat. That's what I do. A little extra math but worth it.

    Edit: Didn't know about the recipe feature. Thanks all.
  • create a recipe, set the serving size and voila! Best thing ever! :-)
  • OMG! I never paid any attention to the recipe feature. I'm going to try it out today. Thanks!
  • bcp1971
    bcp1971 Posts: 1 Member
    I use the recipe feature and then make each serving one ounce. To do this just weigh the pan you will be using, then make the recipe and weigh the food in the pan (together). Subtract the ounces of the pan. Next divide the recipe by the number of ounces this leaves. For example if the pan is 12 oz and the pan and recipe are 38 oz, subtract the pan, leaving 26 and then enter 26 servings into the recipe feature. When you later eat the recipe, weigh it and enter the number of ounces as servings on your log. For example if you eat an 8 ounce serving, you will enter 8 as the number of servings. It's a bit of work but MUCH more accurate.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
    a lot of times ill cook up a sauce or soup/one dish meal and measure it all (either weight or measuring cup) and then do servings based on that. if its 8 cups, i do 8 servings, etc
  • CMmrsfloyd
    CMmrsfloyd Posts: 2,380 Member
    I absolutely love the recipe feature. There are a couple of things about it that could be better, but overall it's a great tool to have available. One thing that's nice is that even after you enter a recipe, if you make it a little different next time you can go in and edit the ingredients to it's accurate to whatever changes you've made. Or you can just create a whole new recipe. I like to make things in big batches (especially baked pasta recipes), then divide out my portions accordingly and freeze extras. I can lable the container and then when I pull it out a week later I know which recipe to enter it as. Very helpful.
  • mstormth
    mstormth Posts: 119 Member
    Create a new recipe in the recipe tab and save it
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/box
    :flowerforyou:
    [/quote]


    THIS IS GREAT!!! THANK YOU!!!
  • mstormth
    mstormth Posts: 119 Member
    I like to make things in big batches (especially baked pasta recipes), then divide out my portions accordingly and freeze extras. I can lable the container and then when I pull it out a week later I know which recipe to enter it as. Very helpful.

    I also make batches - mainly of my pasta sauce - never the same way twice.

    I do a huge pot, not sure on the actual service of the pot that I made, but I am guessing a small army... we normally feed family of four in about 7 sittings with my sauce..... give or take..
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