How to figure the calories on homemade food?

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Roni_M
Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
OK... I'm probably one of those needy newbies but I can't figure out how to figure the calories on a home cooked dinner. I'm making a roast beef (top sirloin I think?). I cook it in the over with seasoning and a bit of water. This will be served with garlic mashed (hubby's favorite) and a vegetable (probably broccoli). I am not sure how to do portion control and calorie counting for this!

I will likely load my plate with broccoli (it's my favorite!), have 1/2 scoop potatoes and two thin slices of beef. Although that sounds pretty reasonable I don't know how to calculate it for my food diary. There are several restaurant versions of a roast beef dinner... should I just use one of those as a ballpark? I am confused! LOL

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  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
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    Go to food--> my recipes (I believe). You can add your own recipes and it will figure out the nutrition information for you :D
  • Xtina_Beba
    Xtina_Beba Posts: 218
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    I use measuring tools (weight scale, cups & tablespoons) and I know it is a time consuming method but it works for me. Before I bought the tools I just followed the nutritional guidelines and facts on the products and try to eye ball it
  • Xtina_Beba
    Xtina_Beba Posts: 218
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    Go to food--> my recipes (I believe). You can add your own recipes and it will figure out the nutrition information for you :D

    That too! :)
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
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    I go to my recipes, in put all the ingredients and the number of servings and it gives me a number.
  • VVEXVVEX
    VVEXVVEX Posts: 132 Member
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    For foods like sliced meat, you really want a scale. It's amazing how much variance I find from my guesstimates, even after months of doing this.
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
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    Thank you! I'll try the recipe thing...the measuring and what not is a little too much for me. If I can't figure it out I'll just have the broccoli!! LOL
  • amberrrogers
    amberrrogers Posts: 98
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    seriously go to tools and then click on the recipe calculator. I do this with everything I make homemade! And I weigh everything too to be sure I am accurate
  • Roni_M
    Roni_M Posts: 717 Member
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    Thank you all so much! The recipe thing worked perfect. I admire you guys who have the decipline to weigh and measure everything but I know at this point that would quickly discourage me.

    Most of the time my girls are not home and it's just me and the hubby. He loves pasta and I'm not a fan so I cook for him and cook a single serving of something else for me. That makes measuring easy because most packages have weight on them or a breakdown for a single serving... I have managed thus far to scan or search and match it up by the labels values. The recipe feature worked wonderfully...it included all the spices and everything! Great feature =)

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