Counting potato chips will drive one crazy

Robin_Anne

So, do I need to get a food scale for potato chips? First of all, yes, I know it's a processed food, high in sodium, oil and will kill me eventually. But push that aside for a moment and who else is annoyed that a bag of chips will say, "about 9 chips"?

You all know that as you count them out on a plate or a small bowl that the chip size varies. Some are "half chips" or mini chips. The entire exercise is exhausting. Anything else is easy to count with measuring cups or such (strawberries, deli meat, almonds, tomatoes, etc).

I think the chip mega-companies should come up with a bag that buzzes when you've taken out one ounce of chips or maybe shocks you (like a dog collar). Because if you have a big bag of chips, your pre-frontal cortex is telling you to stop and measure whereas your sub-conscious is telling you to push those chips in and worry about the consequences later.

If you're going to reply with any kind of spartan or shamed filled diatribe about self control, please refrain. This is for out of the box thinkers, only. Kidding. You can insult away.

kazzsjourney

I always measure when i can....its way more accurate....9 chips if u are like me i would pick the 9 biggest ones...which would mean it will be a different measurement then 9 small ones lol

Ready2Rock206

Yup - food scale - because sometimes you get lucky and get more than 9! :drinker:

Robin_Anne

Come on now, when the bag is 1/3 full, you know you push together three "minis" and say, "that counts as one." Remember, one one is looking at the bowl but you in the kitchen. ha, ha

Robin_Anne

Found some food scales at a cooking store....I may invest if not for my love of potato chips. Good to know that you may, in fact, get more!

victoire713

What I just started doing was just grabbing a handful of crisps and calling it even and good. No more, no less. Although my track record with that means cheating here and there to squeezing in a few extra crisps when I shouldn't be doing so.

mamosh81

food scale is one of the best weight loss equipment i bought so definitely YES

airangel59

I actually do weigh em out, found most of the time I was cheating myself by not eating the full ounce of them. Tonite I weighed them 2x as I felt for sure the scale was lying in grams...got same thing in ounces lol....as I got more chips than the 11 that was listed.

For sure you have to weigh those wee little busted off chippies...no way do I throw those out but again, not gonna sit and try to construct a Dorito ® out of them, LOL

katebowen37

I've been thinking about a food scale anyway. Besides chips (I hear ya!) I try to portion my meat but how many ounces is this chicken breast? Ya know, this monster one that looks like it came off a T-Rex? And I think a scale might help me portion out spaghetti noodles better too, seeing as their portion size is ounces (Um, what?)

StrongAndHealthyMommy

I've been thinking about a food scale anyway. Besides chips (I hear ya!) I try to portion my meat but how many ounces is this chicken breast? Ya know, this monster one that looks like it came off a T-Rex? And I think a scale might help me portion out spaghetti noodles better too, seeing as their portion size is ounces (Um, what?)

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Robin_Anne

So right about chicken and spaghetti noodles. I saw this wooden circle thing at an Italian store where you'd fit one, two, three servings of noodles into it and it would show you one ounce, etc. I didn't buy it and then when I went back, they'd sold out.

Also, with meat, they say to eat a deck of cards-sized piece of meat (which seems small but obviously, I need to work on portion control).

So, it sounds like there's a ton of reasons to get the food scale.

nobbta

I weight everything! But I have a new found respect for y'all who weigh chips! I actually don't eat them lie because there's no way I could stop at the serving size. It's all or nothing when it comes to the worlds most delicious snack, and then add dip!

Go you good things!

Warchortle

I get eye rolls when I count chips, but then usually I say **** it anyway and just log an entire bag because I'll eat an entire bag.

iwillbetinytea

I wouldn't bother eating 9 potato chips...have some salted air popped popcorn instead, loads more for your calories. Potato chips are pointless.

Not to mention lower fat, you can decide how much salt, or add something completely different. They have no oil on them, they're not deep fried, you can share them with your hamster...

Vailara

Just buy them in smaller packets! The "value" ones from Tesco, Asda, Morrisons, etc. are around 100 calories a packet. It's easier to add a packet or half a packet than to weigh or count. I'm assuming that supermarkets everywhere sell these (they're in multipacks, the cheapest ones you can buy), but maybe not?

_Zardoz_

You can't accurately calorie count without scales. Cups for items amounts can vary enormously as it depends how much someone can push into the cup or how the item is cut.

Robin_Anne

I get eye rolls when I count chips, but then usually I say **** it anyway and just log an entire bag because I'll eat an entire bag.

Who cares about eye rolls! Tell them if they want to see you lean and sleek, then get used to some counting. I've got the skinniest friends on gluten free this or cave men that, telling me to eat as much as I please....but they have been thin and I have been chubs so I need to watch the calorie intake. For all I know, that's their only meal that day and we fall into the trap and overeat.

Just do what you gotta do for you.

onyxgirl17

I got some snack size bags to self-regulate. Chips are one thing I can put away if I'm not careful. Especially with a good dip omg mmmmm lol. Nope haven't "binged" since I started watching what I ate last May. Haven't had more than two servings of chips in one sitting. Self-control is a beautiful thing.

Robin_Anne

Let's just state for the record that chips + DIP has to be another thread topic. Now, all that I can think about is ranch dressing or onion dip. LOL

Robin_Anne

I actually do weigh em out, found most of the time I was cheating myself by not eating the full ounce of them. Tonite I weighed them 2x as I felt for sure the scale was lying in grams...got same thing in ounces lol....as I got more chips than the 11 that was listed.

For sure you have to weigh those wee little busted off chippies...no way do I throw those out but again, not gonna sit and try to construct a Dorito ® out of them, LOL

This is the best response ever. Love it!

Lunachic77

Chips & Salsa are the most threatening thing to me...my kryptonite. You can keep your cake, cookies & sweets...chips are where it's at. I love them so much. Doritos, Lays, Cheetos...I gotta be careful with them, so I choose not to have them around. Because I truly can't stop at a handful.

trudijoy

i either measure, or buy kids lunchbox sized packets which are a controlled serving thats not off the scale in the bad stuff but still satisfies you.

caranais

so unfair that the "easy" things to measure - strawberries, tomatoes etc are the things that it doesn't matter so much if we go over!! the things we need to measure are the most difficult. Just another ploy to make our lives more difficult !! :ohwell:

Robin_Anne

Chips & Salsa are the most threatening thing to me...my kryptonite. You can keep your cake, cookies & sweets...chips are where it's at. I love them so much. Doritos, Lays, Cheetos...I gotta be careful with them, so I choose not to have them around. Because I truly can't stop at a handful.

Dear God, if it came between world peace or queso and tortilla chips (sub in guacamole), I fear I would crumble.

What's the saying, "You can't eat just one chip." By the evil Lays chips corp.

mockchoc

I'm not really a chip person but now I'm hungry. Thanks.. Going out to dinner soon and trying not to snack before 3 courses!

Robin_Anne

so unfair that the "easy" things to measure - strawberries, tomatoes etc are the things that it doesn't matter so much if we go over!! the things we need to measure are the most difficult. Just another ploy to make our lives more difficult !! :ohwell:

I smell a Conspiracy theorist? You are right on the money.

ron2e

Potato chips (crisps) were my downfall, pre MFP I was eating as many a five 35 gm packs a day, no wonder I was putting on weight! Now (with the help of hypnotherapy) I have them only very occasionally and to be honest, they don't taste as good as they used to (that will be the guilt then!)

Lobster1987

yea, I agree with the above poster who said it's easier to just buy those little snack size bags of chips so you don't have to count out those blasted chips....less of a pain...

It IS more expensive, but less calorie counting and less of a hassle...and it's easy to just throw in your lunch bag and you can just stop with the one bag of them and not continue eating out of a giant bag of chips.

AmberleyAngel

Oh goodness, chips are my fave junk food. I adore them. Since I started losing weight I haven't dared go near them. There are packets in the pantry but I'm too afraid to open one. So popcorn is my once or twice a week treat.

What's the saying, "You can't eat just one chip."

Um, yeah - I went to a pot luck dinner two weekends ago and ate ONE chip. Ate my main meal and then ran away (walked home) because I couldn't face the table loaded with desserts. But yeah, one chip...lol.

mkeller234

Yeah, you are doing it all wrong. Just eat the whole bag and there are no more questions.

All kidding aside. Yes, definitely get a food scale. I bought mine for weighing my coffee but now use it mostly for food. I use it daily. Removing some of the guess work has been comforting to me.

I tried two different scales and only kept one. I've been satisfied with the American Weigh SC-2kg. It's 17 dollars, can be calibrated, uses standard AAA batteries and even comes with a couple of trays.

dianamatienzo

Treating oneself to junk food every once in a while is nothing bad Anyway, I would just weigh them. Weighing food is the most accurate way of accounting for it. Even using measuring cups and such can be VERY inaccurate. Definitely invest in a food scale!