Pasta...it makes me mad!!

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determined_01
determined_01 Posts: 147
in Food and Nutrition
Before I started MFP I was never really a huge pasta eater to begin with. I like to have it as a meal every now and again but prior to logging never paid a bit of attention to what I was consuming. Now since joining every time I log it in I seriously want to throw the computer...3.5 oz at 380 calories....really? That is a portion (a double portion I might add) the size of my fist while my husband eats a dinner plate full and I sit and cry inside because I dont even remember consuming my meal because it was so damn small. Does anyone know of any brands or alternatives to pasta that are a little more forgiving in the calorie department?
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Replies

  • nene01pop
    nene01pop Posts: 80 Member
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    why not eat something light before, for instance... steamed broccoli or a salad before spaghetti, then it won't be so discouraging. I am very finicky about changing all my foods so to speak... Saturday night... I wanted a Grilled Ribeye steak, so I cked the cal count, so I made a big salad and cut up the ribeye and had it on top... this way I get my steak, obtw- it was 6oz ribeye... just weighed and logged and went on.

    There are wheat noodles, but I can't suggest them... hubby won't let them in the house. :(
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,659 Member
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    do what the "Hungry Girl" does ...... have your serving of pasta, but bulk it up with all kinds of veggies :drinker:
  • Silverkittycat
    Silverkittycat Posts: 1,997 Member
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    ooohhhh pasta makes me happy. Cut the portion you're eating down?
  • territhefrog
    territhefrog Posts: 1,134 Member
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    You are not alone. My husband can eat almost anything without gaining weight. And here I am with a butt (______(______) like this and have to watch all my calories.
    The wheat pasta is supposed to be better for you in all ways. At least that's what I was told by a trainer 2 years ago...but he just might have been trying to make a sale. He was not very good. I didn't lose any weight when I went to him.
  • iKapuniai
    iKapuniai Posts: 594 Member
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    Here are some alternatives:

    -Peeled Zucchini
    -"Spaghetti" Squash
    -Shirataki Noodles/"Miracle Noodles"
    -Tofu noodles

    My all time favorite: Fiber Gourmet light pasta. It's REAL pasta, but it has more fiber added in so the fiber count is up while the calorie count goes down. It's 40% lower in calories than standard pastas, so you can have two servings for the calories of one. I like to use the penne pasta, it's like 260 calories for 4oz (compared to 260+ for 2oz), I like to add light alfredo sauce (70 cals) and a TON of broccoli - it comes out to be a HUGE serving of alfredo pasta for about 400 calories. Can't go wrong with that!
  • territhefrog
    territhefrog Posts: 1,134 Member
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    do what the "Hungry Girl" does ...... have your serving of pasta, but bulk it up with all kinds of veggies :drinker:

    Oh that's what I do. I love chunky veggies in sauce on my spaghetti! I don't even need meat if the veggies are chunky!
  • OTchic
    OTchic Posts: 205 Member
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    i would go ahead and add a salad and veggies on the side eat that first then ur pasta and ull be bloated full. i know i used to eat not just one plate but two plates before so i KNOW i was eating over 1000 calories plus my soda! OMG. and now well honestly ive had pasta once in 5 mths!!!! but i rather be more healthy than eat like u said one fist size and be like wheres my meal? and then id be all upset too.
  • mcaffreyg
    mcaffreyg Posts: 69 Member
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    barilla mini wheels! tiny pieces so it feels like so much!!!
    1.5 cups = 300 cals. so really not to bad. and it is a big ol' bowl of food
  • Sharonks
    Sharonks Posts: 884 Member
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    Make zucchini strips, boil them lightly, toss with your noodles and sauce. I've done it with cabbage too. Miracle noodles are low cal and low carb but don't taste the same.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
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    Spaghetti squash is the BEST alternative imo
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    I personally avoid pasta all together. To me it's just a waste of calories when I can have more proteing that will be more satisfying and keep me feeling fuller way longer! If I have to have a carb with a meal I look to whole grains due to their complexity and how they release slower in your system.
  • Celliott411
    Celliott411 Posts: 49 Member
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    Shiritaki Miracle Noodles! No calories and so good!
  • lauragoat
    lauragoat Posts: 196 Member
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    While we are talking about pasta....weigh it before cooking or after???? I have always wondered .....
  • mushroomcup
    mushroomcup Posts: 145 Member
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    I don't have any advice (sorry!), but let me tell you: I feel your pain. I am a pasta addict. Pasta is one of my favorite things... in the world. I can eat an entire pot of the stuff with just a little evoo and parm and be content with life (and even content with my lil post-pasta-munching-belly protruding above my pants). When I'm calorie counting, I just account for my gargantuan pasta portions ahead of time and eat light during my other meals. You could try shirataki noodles if you want a low cal option for a noodle-based dish, however the stuff tastes like dung in comparison to heavenly pasta... or maybe I'm just biased? ^_^ Good luck with your pasta woes!
  • vbrent07
    vbrent07 Posts: 115
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    Whole wheat spaghetti or veggie spaghetti. It is still high in calories though and the serving size is small but it is a little more filling. I think that the serving size is a little bigger though. I also make a huge salad with any pasta dish.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
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    While we are talking about pasta....weigh it before cooking or after???? I have always wondered .....

    Before :)
  • MonicaT1972
    MonicaT1972 Posts: 512
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    Another great option is spaghetti sqaush in it's place. Even my fussy teenagers will eat it and not complain!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    While we are talking about pasta....weigh it before cooking or after???? I have always wondered .....

    Before :)

    It doesn't matter - just make sure you look for an entry in the database that matches - you'll find both cooked and raw in there.
    (Because most of the entries in the database are user entered, you have no way to know what they intended if they didn't specify cooked or raw).

    The pasta I eat is around 200 cals for a cup. This is a moderate sized serve for me, and I usually add plenty of veggies to my sauces so I don't feel deprived eating 1 cup of pasta. Are you sure you're logging it accurately?
  • Cait_Sidhe
    Cait_Sidhe Posts: 3,150 Member
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    Pasta makes me happy. Are you measuring it dry or cooked? 2oz of dry spaghetti is plenty for me. 3.5oz of dry pasta seems like a lot. 3.5 oz of cooked pasta is hardly anything. Most of the nutritional info on pasta is dry/uncooked as it expands and weighs more when cooked because it absorbs water.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
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    i use dreamfields. less carbs =]

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