Measuring food

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  • pumalama
    pumalama Posts: 140 Member
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    I just got a food scale (they're not that expensive). My question is: Do I measure my meat raw or cooked? A 5oz steak raw ends up being a lot less once it's cooked.

    Great question! I'd like to hear the answer to that too ...

    You should weigh meat BEFORE cooking it. It usually loses some water weight during cooking, but the calories remain the same. Pasta, rice, quinoa, etc. should be weighed dry.

    and select a raw meat/quinoa/rice entry, not a cooked one. It is sometime not clear which one is which in the database and that's why I look at published tables of food composition to confirm the numbers when they seem off. I bought one at a governmental publication store (Canada) and I have another one as a textbook.
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
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    Funny this topic pops up. Was considering getting scales for the kitchen!
  • Snail313
    Snail313 Posts: 214 Member
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    I estimate the weight of meat based on how much I prepare and what portion of the prepared meat I eat. So, If I cook a one pound package of chicken and I eat 1/4 of it, I enter 4 ounces of chicken in my diary.

    ^^^i do this

    I do plan on buying a scale when I am not broke, lol.
  • cowgirlup327
    cowgirlup327 Posts: 58 Member
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    Admittedly not a precise method, for meat I usually eyeball the serving size. For example, I purchase boneless/skinless chicken breast strips. The serving size is 4 ounces. Depending on the total package weight, I'll use whatever fraction of the package would equal about 4 ounces. For other food items that give serving size as a specific number (like 14 pretzel sticks) or an easily measurable amount (1 cup of dry cereal), I count or measure the food.
  • stepharega
    stepharega Posts: 211 Member
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    I always measure my meats.. I should really measure everything though. Like I had some peanut butter..just scooping it out with pretzels. I guessed on that :frown:
  • BuckeyeBabe10
    BuckeyeBabe10 Posts: 204 Member
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    LOVE my food scale - helps me feel confident in my healthy eating plan and that I'm sticking to it. For me, I enjoy getting out the scale to measure my frozen strawberries for my smoothie (so I hit the exact gram amount as established by the serving size versus just the cup amount), to measure out a proper portion size for shrimp, for meat, and for most things that prove to be a bit difficult with just measuring cups and spoons.

    If you have the funds to do so, I'd definitely invest in one - they can be pretty cheap to higher priced depending on what you get (and what you need). I got mine from Bed, Bath and Beyond for $15-25 dollars (somewhere in that range).

    Good luck!
  • jdploki70
    jdploki70 Posts: 343
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    I measure portions for recipes, but not for portion control. What I mean is, if I make stir fry, I use 2 cups of rice, a 4 cup bag of veggies, and about 12 oz of meat (that's already portioned), so when I serve myself up and take a quarter of it, I'm getting a cup of cooked rice, a cup of cooked veggies (which shrink a lot), and 3 oz of meat. I don't add the calories from spices and the like, as they are inconsequential in the overall scheme of things.
  • MyHighestPraise
    MyHighestPraise Posts: 87 Member
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    I use my food scale for EVERYTHING!! I love it!!

    ^^This! It's soooo much more accurate! PS. I leave mine in grams and have an "ounces to grams" converting tool on my quick links for the times I need to convert. http://www.metric-conversions.org/weight/ounces-to-grams.htm

    Makes it much easier to work grams...

    Catherine

    Edit to add that while I was in the beginning of weighing everything I was amazed at how often my estimate was wrong - in either direction! I learned so much about it then, and continue to weigh everything now. Of course there are many things I no longer have to weigh because I have learned the correct measurement. If I'm eating or drinking it, I'm logging it, and if I'm logging it, it's going to be as accurate as I can get it.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Actually for meat, I don't bother because the weight of the meat is always on the package. So if I cook dinner with a pound of hamburger, I figure in 1/4 of meat because I eat 1/4 of it.

    Sometimes I guess. I don't have money to buy a scale.
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
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    I have a digital scale (the kind with no bowl, you use your own) and it cost me £8 from Asda. It's awesome, wouldn't be without it. What I thought was 100g of roast chicken breast "pre-scale" was about 50g. So much for my estimated protein at that time! :ohwell:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    just eat healthy friends :happy:

    Cannibalism freaks me out though, and I feel that if I'm eating healthy friends I ought to eat the unhealthy ones too, just to be fair.

    Seriously, though, I'm glad that it works for you to eyeball your food. For me, weighing works well and I'll keep doing it.


    I had to read this twice! :laugh: :laugh:
  • FiercelyBeautiful
    FiercelyBeautiful Posts: 590 Member
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    I measure everything! I like the accuracy, I started off with a cheapo cup scale with the lines and have since upgraded to a more advanced digital one and I will NEVER go back!
  • CynGoddess
    CynGoddess Posts: 188 Member
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    I measure everything. I use scales
  • LastMinuteMama
    LastMinuteMama Posts: 590 Member
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    I usually cook up my chicken and then measure out proportions into containers for the week....I suppose I could weigh it raw, cook it up and then divide it up evenly. But, when I cook an entire chicken for the up coming week's chicken salad, well, now I've got bones to account for.

    I'm going to stick with measuring the cooked chicken. I did read that if 4oz (for example) is a serving size then it would be about 3oz cooked. Who knows, I can't beat myself up over this. I just think it's less messy to weigh the meat cooked...and it's working for me.

    I think the most important thing is to be CONSISTENT with your method of measuring :smile:
  • Theresafinallygetsitright
    Theresafinallygetsitright Posts: 157
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    Yep, I have a scale and measure everything I am not certain about and often find that my estimates are right :). I would spend the $30 again.
  • devil_in_a_blue_dress
    devil_in_a_blue_dress Posts: 5,214 Member
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    I have a scale and would not be without it. I was really fooling myself by just measuring (you know heaping tablespoons, cups that weren't leveled off). Now I am aware of when I am doing things like that and know exactly how much I am consuming.
  • HMLouise
    HMLouise Posts: 5
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    Hello,
    Yes i measure everthing. If you don't have a food scale i suggest you get one. You can get them for good deals online. I was shocked at how much meat i was actually eating :( Chicken is great, lean protein, but you can also be eating too much- like I was. The chicken breasts that you can get at a grocery store are usually about 2 servings. I hope this helps!
  • mellynat
    mellynat Posts: 345 Member
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    buy a scale. i couldn't believe how wrong i was with estimating how much meat and other foods i was eating. its worth the $20.. I use mine for almost everything,,
  • mamabear0222
    mamabear0222 Posts: 455 Member
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    I just bought one tonight.... I cant wait to see how close/far off I was!

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