Most ridiculous serving size?

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Replies

  • luckyshilling
    luckyshilling Posts: 229
    I have a bag of croutons in the cabinet... serving size 2 tablespoons. How are you supposed to measure that when most of the croutons won't even fit properly in an actual tablespoon? Why not just say "serving size about 2 croutons"? On top of that -- while it's obviously healthier to go with none anyway -- what kind of salad that includes croutons only uses two of them?

    ^^^OMG THIS^^^
  • obrientp
    obrientp Posts: 546 Member
    This is why people give up, you know. Not only do you have to research the database or internet or packaging for nutritional information, you have to use practically every measuring tool know to man to get the right serving, then you've got be able to log it in accurately. Every meal, every day. After a while it gets to be too much. People get burned out. They just want to eat. No hassles. It takes real commitment to do what we are doing. I just wish that I could all be simplified somehow, but i think this is as close as it's going to get.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    This is why people give up, you know. Not only do you have to research the database or internet or packaging for nutritional information, you have to use practically every measuring tool know to man to get the right serving, then you've got be able to log it in accurately. Every meal, every day. After a while it gets to be too much. People get burned out. They just want to eat. No hassles. It takes real commitment to do what we are doing. I just wish that I could all be simplified somehow, but i think this is as close as it's going to get.

    That's pretty much the weight watchers business model, right there.
  • weinbagel
    weinbagel Posts: 337 Member
    Pop Tarts. 2 come in the pack. Serving size is 1. Who eats just 1 pop tart?

    haha we used to have pop tarts as dessert as kids, and we were only allowed one. the second one would go in the butter compartment in the fridge!
  • furniem
    furniem Posts: 145 Member
    I have a bag of croutons in the cabinet... serving size 2 tablespoons. How are you supposed to measure that when most of the croutons won't even fit properly in an actual tablespoon? Why not just say "serving size about 2 croutons"? On top of that -- while it's obviously healthier to go with none anyway -- what kind of salad that includes croutons only uses two of them?

    THIS!!! drives me bonkers! I like croutons but come on 2 tablespoons when the things are square! And there is no way 2 croutons is going to cut it for me in a really big bowl of salad.
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 Member

    I agree about the part where they don't want you to see the ridiculous amounts of calories. I do not agree on the MISLEADING though. If you do simple math, it is easy to figure out.

    Except that it IS very misleading when they "choose" the serving size so that they can put 0 grams of fat...
    Calories from fat
    21 CFR 101.9(c)(1)(ii) Less than 0.5 g fat "Not a significant source of calories from fat"

    Less than 1/2 gram fat per serving when the container has 3 servings... you can "do simple math" to it all you want but if they say 0 grams of fat and you triple it... you're still thinking 0 grams of fat when its from 0 up to 1.4 grams for that food item. Do that across all your foods...

    One particular example "butter or butter replacement sprays"
    That means that in the entire bottle there are 813 total calories from 90 grams of fat. Now you may be wondering why it is they can list it as 0 calories.
    The FDA labeling law says that if there’s less than 1/2 gram of fat in a serving, a food can be labeled “Fat-Free.” The catch is, nobody regulates what the food companies refer to as a serving size.
    That's where the 100 gram serving size nutrition standards are "more helpful" if they have to present as if you were having 100 grams instead of 28 grams 3.6 servings 1.8 grams of fat.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Looking at a box of cookies last night, one servicing size was 7 1/2 cookies...little, itty, bitty cookies (think animal cracker size). Who would just eat 1/2 a cookie.

    Cereal is the one I can't do. I was one of those growing up that would use an old butter tub for a cereal bowl. 1 little cup as a serving size...can't do it.

    YUP Cereal is a *kitten*! One cup! ONE! One freakin cup is supposed to do the trick?! NO! I REFUSE! Must..have..two..or..more..

    I have a cup of Kashi Go Lean almost every day. I add fruit to it, either about 10 blackberries a good handful of blue berries. 6-8 strawberries or maybe a half banana. IT's the 4oz of milk you are supposed to have with it that is just too small. I have 6oz...
  • MaydayParadeGirl
    MaydayParadeGirl Posts: 190 Member
    Pop Tarts. 2 come in the pack. Serving size is 1. Who eats just 1 pop tart?

    I know, right? You'd leave one lonely Poptart and no one wants that. :<

    I tried the other morning I was like 'I'm already cheating and eating a poptar which i sbad for me' then I just stared at the other one and justified eating it by going 'well it's going to go stale and I don't have any ziplock bags so I HAVE to eat it or I'm a horrible person'...and thus both poptarts end up in my belly.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    1/4c of granola.

    Are you kidding me? Is this serving size for a hamster?
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Worst thing I came across were vegetarian meatballs. I figured 38 Kcal for a serving was ok.
    Wasn't until I got home and looked at the back that I noticed 1 serving was 1 meatball. And the packet has 12 of the suckers. And you can't store it for more than a day or two once it's opened.
    Like, wtf?
    And who only eats 1 meatball anyway?

    I did once. Granted, it was the size of a softball, and I didn't finish it, but it was only *1*.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    1/4c of granola.

    Are you kidding me? Is this serving size for a hamster?

    tumblr_m9qtvkIXlk1r6ozp9o1_500.gif
  • RivenV
    RivenV Posts: 1,667 Member
    1/4c of granola.

    Are you kidding me? Is this serving size for a hamster?

    tumblr_m9qtvkIXlk1r6ozp9o1_500.gif

    Lol'd so hard.
  • middyfire
    middyfire Posts: 12 Member
    I've had this soup sitting on my desk at work for ages. It's one of those "single serv" microwavewable ones with a lid.

    Serving size 250 ml, size of container 398ml

    First of all, 398? Couldn't fit the extra 2?
  • squiggyflop
    squiggyflop Posts: 148 Member
    1/10th of a muffin. Wtf
  • RumpusP
    RumpusP Posts: 163 Member
    1/10th of a muffin. Wtf

    I'm trying to picture that and I'm pretty sure that doesn't even come out to one bite.

    Unless we're talking about one of those mega-muffins.
  • skjsbp
    skjsbp Posts: 8
    LOL. Love this one. xD

    I wish peanut butter had a larger serving size, and fewer calories.

    ...Then again, I have a problem with anything that has multiple servings per container. I tend to just eat until it's gone. I used to be able to eat a whole big bag of potato chips without any "adverse effects". I wish I still could!
  • skjsbp
    skjsbp Posts: 8
    1/4c of granola.

    Are you kidding me? Is this serving size for a hamster?

    tumblr_m9qtvkIXlk1r6ozp9o1_500.gif

    Haha. That's perfect!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Bump.

    Bought Ezekiel muffins. Serving size is half a muffin. They're not even cut in 2 of anything. Really?
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Pretty much any cookie. Depending on brand serving size is anywhere from 3 cookies to just one single solitary cookie. WTF?

    Also, does anyone remember back when Progresso Soup used to label their cans of soup as containing 2.2 servings? They revised that a few years back to say "Approximately 2 servings" but yes, they used to say 2.2 servings. .2 serving of a can of soup?
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I buy those soups at wegmans occasionally for an easy lunch, and they always say that the container has 2.5 servings in it. I've yet to even get 2 servings out of it. As a matter of fact, I'm quite sure that you couldn't even fit 2 servings in the container!
  • favhrnstr
    favhrnstr Posts: 55
    These are hysterical! Especially the fractional cookies and the 200/263 ml drink.

    Nature Valley bars are like Pop-Tarts, packed 2/pack with a serving size of 1. Even the commercial says "convenient 2-pack" and shows this beautiful couple splitting a pack. So apparently you have to be in a relationship to enjoy Nature Valley bars...
  • wmstormvet
    wmstormvet Posts: 145
    Thanks everyone, these made me giggle!! :laugh:
  • RHSheetz
    RHSheetz Posts: 268 Member
    Because i did not read through the whole 19 pages of this thread, I am not sure if anyone actually said this..

    Serving Sizes (in the US) are set by the government. The serving size for Chocolate is 40g (I think), so any bar or candy serving size is based on 40 grams. Which is WHY you get some really strange serving sizes. The Goverment is also moving towords a "Total Calories in Container" for those items that are Logically One serving (i.e. a Bottle of Soda, a Candy Bar, a Small bag of Chips)...
  • worldsbestauntie
    worldsbestauntie Posts: 280 Member
    Cereal is the one I can't do. I was one of those growing up that would use an old butter tub for a cereal bowl. 1 little cup as a serving size...can't do it.

    I bought a box of Corn Flakes and found myself getting excited when it said a serving was 1 1/4 cups.
  • 37434958
    37434958 Posts: 457 Member
    Once I bought this really large chocolate bar and then the serving size was 10 pieces, O.O Which is half the bar.
  • paintlisapurple
    paintlisapurple Posts: 982 Member
    Someone else may have already posted this (I didn't bother to read every single post), but...pizza. 1/6th of the pizza is usually a serving. Um...well...I don't know about anyone else, but when I cut pizza it first works to halves, then fourths, then eighths. Where the heck did sixths come from????
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Because i did not read through the whole 19 pages of this thread, I am not sure if anyone actually said this..

    Serving Sizes (in the US) are set by the government. The serving size for Chocolate is 40g (I think), so any bar or candy serving size is based on 40 grams. Which is WHY you get some really strange serving sizes. The Goverment is also moving towords a "Total Calories in Container" for those items that are Logically One serving (i.e. a Bottle of Soda, a Candy Bar, a Small bag of Chips)...

    I didn't know about that. It makes sense... I guess. In a twisted sort of way.
  • explosivedonut
    explosivedonut Posts: 419 Member
    Bump.

    Bought Ezekiel muffins. Serving size is half a muffin. They're not even cut in 2 of anything. Really?

    The gluten free ones? Go with Glutino English Muffins. They taste better than regular english muffins. And the serving size is one muffin!
  • ecdce
    ecdce Posts: 129 Member
    Ramen noodles. Much like the poptart debacle, except there's a one packet of seasoning, a solid block of fried noodly goodness, 2 servings, and no reasonable way to divide the servings and store the remainder. Am I supposed to make the entire block and split it with someone? Or am I supposed to break the block evenly and only cook half? Do I keep half in the fridge? Or throw it at the neighbor kids? I know most people don't use the entire seasoning packet (because, really, enough salt to kill off a village of snails), but couldn't you seal the center of the packet so there are two compartments, in the unlikely event I manage to divide the block of solid noodles? And maybe even include some cooking directions for a single serving?

    Aw, **** it. I'll just eat both servings. Well played, Top Ramen, well played.
  • jackjackattck
    jackjackattck Posts: 117 Member
    Healthy Choice microwave bowl of tomato soup. 130 calories per serving, and there are two servings in the small bowl! Who is going to microwave soup and only eat half? What do you do with the rest, throw it away? Not to mention who will be satisfied on only half a container of soup.

    Personally, I believe these serving markings are just the advertising ploy to make you think you are eating something really low calorie when you aren't. Most people would eat the entire container of soup, so why not just advertise it as 260 calories per container?

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