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Logging Jamaican meals

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Nbowen23435
Nbowen23435 Posts: 11 Member
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Does anyone find this as a challenge? My fitness pal has the most variety on any online food diary but the options vary so much when trying to log Caribbean meals. Most options for meat are by grams, when I am looking at ozs or section of meat.

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  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
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    Its hard but everything is there just takes a lot of searching, say for instance you have to type thigh skin roasted and in the list there will be one or two that are just an average piece no weight, same for other meat.
    Putting how it was cooked or butchered brings up more than just the shop values and weights.
  • CuffeStuff
    CuffeStuff Posts: 8 Member
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    Off all the apps I have tries (sparkpeople and caloriecount) this one actually has the widest range of jamaican foods, including mannish water and rice and peas! Its kind of why I settled on it.

    All else fails use the scanner or find a meal you think is similar enough. I have also done online searches and found quite a few
  • ackeebee
    ackeebee Posts: 1,042 Member
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    Hi Cuffestuff & Nbowen:smile: Welcome!
    I noticed you guys are new. Pls feel free to introduce yourself in the relevant topic:wink:

    Also we look forward to your participation in some of the other discussions
  • ackeebee
    ackeebee Posts: 1,042 Member
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    I must admit I do alot of quick add calorie entries when it comes to Jamaican foods as I often fear some of the items I see on here are over or under-estimated. I often just do a breakdown of the ingredients in my head and come up with a figure, adding some extra of course just in case.

    One item in particular that gets to me is the stew peas on here. I mean, it says "one spoon". I have no idea the size of that spoon so I prefer not to risk it.
  • SweetRushy
    SweetRushy Posts: 3
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    I DO LAST SUNDAY I WANTED TO LOGGIN ACKEE AND SALT FISH I HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO PICK BUT I WENT THE THE GYM THAT DAY SO I KNEW IF IT WASNT ACCURATE ID STILL BE FINE THATS THE BEST THING TO DO I BELIEVE>>>
  • fatgirlslove
    fatgirlslove Posts: 614 Member
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    I was just saying this to myself!
  • Nbowen23435
    Nbowen23435 Posts: 11 Member
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    Thanks
  • Nbowen23435
    Nbowen23435 Posts: 11 Member
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    I must admit I do alot of quick add calorie entries when it comes to Jamaican foods as I often fear some of the items I see on here are over or under-estimated. I often just do a breakdown of the ingredients in my head and come up with a figure, adding some extra of course just in case.

    One item in particular that gets to me is the stew peas on here. I mean, it says "one spoon". I have no idea the size of that spoon so I prefer not to risk it.

    Exactly my concern ackeebee. Its very subjective.
  • Nbowen23435
    Nbowen23435 Posts: 11 Member
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    thanks for the feedback guys. @Ackeebee, I would love to participate in other discussions but mostly I do MFP on my phone and it does not show the discussion boards. But I try and keep up while on the computer.
    My greatest challenge in losing weight has been able to track my traditional jamaican meals. Like for some reason curry chicken is in their by grams. Then a lot of our food calorie info is supplied by other my fitness pal members, which is subjective because some people cook rice and peas with butter and others use coconut milk. Dont get me started on our soups and callaloo etc.
  • ackeebee
    ackeebee Posts: 1,042 Member
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    Nbowen, I know exactly what you mean. Perhaps you should try creating your own recipes. I have done that for a couple of dishes
  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
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    I did my own recipe for soup, liver and onions and fried chicken coating, but everything else I just do off the site, if i was cooking more things I would sit down and do the recipes individually, but when I was in Jamaica for a month I didn't log a thing!
  • ackeebee
    ackeebee Posts: 1,042 Member
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    I have about 5 or 6 recipes which i have created including my own stew peas and rice and peas
  • Nbowen23435
    Nbowen23435 Posts: 11 Member
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    Yeah, One day I am going to set down and do it. Steam fish and chicken foot soup should be intersting to enter
  • chrisja
    chrisja Posts: 380 Member
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    Glad you all thought of using the recipe builder. It definitely is the way to go for our types of meals. Also sometimes some of our foods, especially fruits, are on here but by other names so sometimes we may have to google the alternate names for things to even know what to look for.

    Also maybe a digital scale that switches between oz/ lbs and gms/kgs is a good investment....this coming from the person who bought one but always seem to mess up when it comes to using it. BUT I am again on a mission after slacking up around Olympics, Paralympics and US Open tennis time. Now my body is showing the evidence of all that so MFP and my scale here I come again. Water is the only thing that never goes off for me even when I am not exercising or eating right.
  • Victorian131
    Victorian131 Posts: 130
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    Nbowen, I know exactly what you mean. Perhaps you should try creating your own recipes. I have done that for a couple of dishes

    I have tried that too, but it takes so long! It is frustratin trying to log because my Auntie doesn't measure anything, just the old way done by feel and taste, thats how I was taught to cook too. We never really know what/how much we are eating...just that its good! Its easier in the UK, most things come in tins over here. I do miss fresh ingredients though!

    Vic

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