Counting Pasta

redawakening
redawakening Posts: 3 Member
in Food and Nutrition
it may be time for me to invest in a food scale, but was wondering how you count pasta (multigrain, of course).

Most of the things that I look up through the food database is measured in oz. But, right now I am just limited to my measuring cups.

Does anyone have a conversion rate to oz. or cup. Or suggestions on how I should be measuring this.

Thanks!

Replies

  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    Your pasta is measuring by weight and it would depend entirely on the pasta how that would equate in cups.
  • kentmac
    kentmac Posts: 101 Member
    You can eyeball how much of the package you're using. A package generally has 7 servings, so do your best to take 1/7th of it when you give yourself a serving and you know how many calories are in it!

    I highly recommend getting a scale though, it's much more accurate than using your eye or even using measuring cups.

    Hope that helps!

    Kent Mccann
    Personal Trainer + Nutrition Coach
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    Make an OK sign with your hand. The pasta that will fit in the hole made by your thumb and index finger is one serving. I saw this on daytime TV. Also, get a scale. I got a Taylor analog scale at target for $5 and it has served me just fine. No need for a digital for most people IMO.
  • mom2handh1975
    mom2handh1975 Posts: 224 Member
    You can search the database for "generic pasta" and get a lot of results for cooked pasta. Give that a try. Hope you find what you're looking for. :smile:
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,259 Member
    I can tell you that 2 oz. of pasta is about a 1/2 inch diameter circle. But I had to break down and get a scale anyway because I also weigh my veggies and meat.
  • brittany103
    brittany103 Posts: 96 Member
    Definitely depends on the type if pasta but penne and ziti like pastas that have 8 servings per box are about 3/4 cup dry and about 1 cup cooked.
  • Sarahwillow
    Sarahwillow Posts: 56 Member
    8 ounces is one cup, so 4 ounces in half a cup. On the package of pasta I have in the very back of the pantry, I had to dig for this package it is measure by 5/8 inch of non cooked pasta is one serving or 200 calories...I hoped this helps you!
  • dedee32282
    dedee32282 Posts: 28
    Make an OK sign with your hand. The pasta that will fit in there is one serving. I saw this on daytime TV. Also, get a scale. I got a Taylor analog scale at target for $5 and it has served me just fine. No need for a digital for most people IMO.

    I used to use strategies like that (a serving is the size of a baseball, etc) but it really depends on the size/shape of the pasta! It's a HUGE pain...but I usually weigh what I make before cooking so there's no guesswork involved!
  • aims17
    aims17 Posts: 5 Member
    You can divide up the package and get a close estimate. Say it's a 6 oz box, divide it evenly into 6 zip lock bags. If you use 1 bag when you cook it, you will know you cooked 1 oz.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    8 ounces is one cup, so 4 ounces in half a cup. On the package of pasta I have in the very back of the pantry, I had to dig for this package it is measure by 5/8 inch of non cooked pasta is one serving or 200 calories...I hoped this helps you!

    Eight ounces to a cup is liquid volume, not weight.
  • StephanieEmpson
    StephanieEmpson Posts: 170
    Goggle it
  • MichelleLaree13
    MichelleLaree13 Posts: 865 Member
    This might seem a little OCD but you can take the whole bag or box and look at how many servings are in it. Say there are eight. You just count out the pasta into eight piles and that will be a serving. If I go through this much trouble counting, I would write the number of pasta pieces that equaled a serving and write it on the box or somewhere so I never had to count out more than a serving at a time. If youre a big pasta eater you could just toss individual servings into baggies so you can make quick meals in the future.
  • sem021966
    sem021966 Posts: 21
    8 ounces is one cup, so 4 ounces in half a cup. On the package of pasta I have in the very back of the pantry, I had to dig for this package it is measure by 5/8 inch of non cooked pasta is one serving or 200 calories...I hoped this helps you!


    This is actually for liquid ounces, not the same as dry (weight) oz. Best way is to go by the package info - most will list both cups and either grams or oz equivalent. Here is a website I use to convert grams to oz (or vice versa): http://www.worldwidemetric.com/measurements.html or get an inexpensive scale. I got my digital scale at CVS for about $9.

    Another good website I use for doing conversions to the units I find for foods in the database is this one: http://www.onlineconversion.com/cooking_volume.htm

    Good luck!!
  • Katbody10
    Katbody10 Posts: 369 Member
    Depending on the brand and packaging .. I would simply see how many servings there are in a box or package .. so many different types of pastas.. spaghetti, shells, rotini, etc.. - as a few have mentioned before .. divvy up into bags .. ie. 6 oz in the package .. 6 fairly even bags of pasta.

    I know it's a pain at first.. and definitely get a food scale .. there are really good ones out there that are reasonably priced:

    http://www.oldwillknottscales.com/cooking-food-kitchen-scales.html?gclid=CN3_lZf6hrMCFQTZQgodjCYAMw

    has alot of different types of scales :flowerforyou:
  • redawakening
    redawakening Posts: 3 Member
    Thanks everyone. I will definitely be looking at gettiing a scale the next couple of days. And, will check out some of the conversion sites that were mentioned. I was actually working with thin spaghetti

    As one person mentioned, it just a hassle in the beginning stages of the weight loss journey. I am not a big cooker to begin with, so to do the measuring before I actually prepare it will take some getting used to.

    Just wish you could magically measure things by eyeballing.. :(
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    You can eyeball how much of the package you're using. A package generally has 7 servings, so do your best to take 1/7th of it when you give yourself a serving and you know how many calories are in it!

    I highly recommend getting a scale though, it's much more accurate than using your eye or even using measuring cups.

    Hope that helps!

    Kent Mccann
    Personal Trainer + Nutrition Coach

    That's interesting because every package of pasta that I remember buying has contained 8 servings. A serving is 2 oz dry. Since I cook for four, I always eyeball half the package, then give everyone an equal amount so that I end up with one serving. I don't recall ever seeing a 14 oz package of pasta, only 16 oz packages. Weird. :tongue:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    Make an OK sign with your hand. The pasta that will fit in the hole made by your thumb and index finger is one serving. I saw this on daytime TV. Also, get a scale. I got a Taylor analog scale at target for $5 and it has served me just fine. No need for a digital for most people IMO.


    Now there's a good idea! I might check Target for that one. I have been having trouble justifying the expense of a digital one.
  • gamagem
    gamagem Posts: 87 Member
    I've weighed it out pre-cooked then put it in a measuring cup afterwards and it's right at about a cup. 5 oz cooked=2 oz uncooked.

    P.S. A digital scale is so worth it. I bought one that measures in grams and oz plus it has a Tare weight as well. We started with a non digital scale and it worked, but was a pain.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
    I've weighed it out pre-cooked then put it in a measuring cup afterwards and it's right at about a cup. 5 oz cooked=2 oz uncooked.

    P.S. A digital scale is so worth it. I bought one that measures in grams and oz plus it has a Tare weight as well. We started with a non digital scale and it worked, but was a pain.

    So far, I have only been measuring volume with cups/spoons. Also, I take note of packaging and try to buy something that is divisible by four. Meat is pretty easy because I always know the weight from the package. I remember years ago when my mom used to weigh her food. They didn't have digital scales back then. So far, it seems to be working, but it's always something in the back of my mind if I suddenly stop losing.

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