measuring cup vs. food scale

emilyhbroyles
emilyhbroyles Posts: 9
in Food and Nutrition
It seems like the size of measuring cups tends to vary depending on what brand you buy, so I decided to buy a food scale. Nothing fancy, just the digital one from Wal-mart for 20 bucks. However, it seems like I'm eating a lot more food than what I was eating whenever I just used the measuring cups. 8 ounces on the food scale is a lot more than what 8 ounces is in a measuring cup. This may be a dumb question, but which one should I trust, the measuring cups or the food scale? And Thanks for any advice you guys can give me.

Replies

  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    food scale. It's more accurate.
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
    interesting... i use measuring cups to measure my food and i would like to know this as well bc ive been considering switching to a scale
  • SillySkittles
    SillySkittles Posts: 202 Member
    I would definitely go with the scale. Depending on what type of food you're measuring, 8 oz in a measuring cup probably might not be 8 oz (if it's things that are chopped up or bulky...like grapes or almonds, etc., they leave a lot of empty space) thereby, it's not really 8 oz, it just takes up 8 oz of space...However, if you were measuring liquid or something very fine like flour or sugar...8 oz in a measuring cup should be the same as measured out on a scale...

    I'm not much of an expert, so if anyone needs to correct me definitely feel free...it just seems to make sense to me that way...
  • bigpaparome
    bigpaparome Posts: 2
    An ounce can be either a measure of volume or a measure or weight. The measuring cup measures by volume, whereas the scale goes by weight. As such, 8 fl. ounces as measured by a cup has no relation to 8 ounces as weighed by the scale.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    You are comparing things that are not comparable. It's apples and oranges. 16 ounces in a measuring cup in fluid ounces. 16 ounces on a scale is weight no fluid. 16 ounces of fluid can weigh different amounts depending on density. For example a cup/ 8 ounces of ice cream will weigh more than a cup/ 8 ounces of water.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    There's a difference between 8 fluid ounces (measuring cup) = volume and 8 oz on a scale (= weight). Figure out which one from the database you are using, and measure or weigh accordingly.
  • Flowers4Julia
    Flowers4Julia Posts: 521 Member
    Definitely the scale for my opinion.

    ....The way I see it in my mind...you could fill a one cup measure with any food.. you could loosely pack the cup or you could cram as much in there as you could squish it in.

    Or you could weigh it out

    That would be a good experiment !

    I only log measuring cup portions when I've gone out to a restaurant and have to guess.

    :drinker:
  • johnieC
    johnieC Posts: 38
    i use a 1/2c & a 1c measuring cup for things like rice, vegetables, sauces etc. but scales for everything else
  • msbunnie68
    msbunnie68 Posts: 1,894 Member
    Trust the food scale - it is far more accurate.

    Cups measure volume where as scales measure weight. A cup of flour and a cup of butter do not weigh the same amount. 100g of flour and 100g of butter does not take up the same amount of volume or space.

    for example:
    1 cup of flour: 125g
    1 cup of butter : 250g
  • gramacanada
    gramacanada Posts: 557 Member
    Liquids in a measuring cup. Dry foods on a scale.
  • baptiste565
    baptiste565 Posts: 590 Member
    You are comparing things that are not comparable. It's apples and oranges. 16 ounces in a measuring cup in fluid ounces. 16 ounces on a scale is weight no fluid. 16 ounces of fluid can weigh different amounts depending on density. For example a cup/ 8 ounces of ice cream will weigh more than a cup/ 8 ounces of water.
    i think the op is talking about measuring 1 cup, 1\2 cup, 1/3 cup
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    It seems like the size of measuring cups tends to vary depending on what brand you buy, so I decided to buy a food scale. Nothing fancy, just the digital one from Wal-mart for 20 bucks. However, it seems like I'm eating a lot more food than what I was eating whenever I just used the measuring cups. 8 ounces on the food scale is a lot more than what 8 ounces is in a measuring cup. This may be a dumb question, but which one should I trust, the measuring cups or the food scale? And Thanks for any advice you guys can give me.

    Eight ounces in a measuring cup ONLY applies to liquids, never solids, which will vary in weight depending on their mass. Eight ounces of grapes is probably not one cup, for example.

    A food scale is always more accurate, but measuring cups are OK to get pretty close.
  • emtjmac
    emtjmac Posts: 1,320 Member
    I use measuring cups and a food scale.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    As people have said, a measuring cup is in fluid ounces. They will not vary, because a cup is a cup. How you use the measuring cup will however. For example if you pack vs. not pack flour you will get a big difference in quantity.
  • emilyhbroyles
    emilyhbroyles Posts: 9
    Thank you. I knew that there was something to it like that (Volume vs Weight), but I just couldn't wrap my head around it. I've never been great shakes at math. Thanks for all your responses. I'm glad I asked, because I've been inadverently starving myself because I wasn't measuring correctly. I knew I felt hungry!!! haha.:laugh:
  • mem50
    mem50 Posts: 1,384 Member
    I go with my food scale.
  • reedkaus
    reedkaus Posts: 250 Member
    i'd say food scale...this pattern you're seeing is atypical of what most people see. odd indeed!
  • 12skipafew99100
    12skipafew99100 Posts: 1,669 Member
    There is a difference between dry food cups and liquid cups. I have a food scale too. They rock!
  • ReinasWrath
    ReinasWrath Posts: 1,173 Member
    One is weight and one is volume. Both are great tools but are needed at different times. For example for 8oz of noodles you'd want a scale (although since I am a cheapskate I use measuring cups and I am sure that is hurting me somewhere lol) but for say milk you'd want the cups. :flowerforyou:
  • SueGremlin
    SueGremlin Posts: 1,066 Member
    Fluid ounces and ounces by weight are apples and oranges. Two different things. Weight and volume are not interchangeable. You need both tools.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Also, you can get a good food scale for not a lot of money. I bought a nice digital one on Amazon for about $20 and I've had it for about three years. I just two days ago had to change the battery that it came with!

    The brand is Newline.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    i think you are confusing volume ounces with weight ounces...
  • naturallyadiva
    naturallyadiva Posts: 11 Member
    I am going to Bed Bath and Beyond tomorrow to get the Biggest Loser Scale, they have it for 19.99 and I am sure you can use one of those coupons they send in the mail as well.
  • NaurielR
    NaurielR Posts: 429 Member
    I am going to Bed Bath and Beyond tomorrow to get the Biggest Loser Scale, they have it for 19.99 and I am sure you can use one of those coupons they send in the mail as well.
    I have this scale and I love it! It works so well.

    Definitely go with the scale. You're right about the measuring cups: even though they should all be the same size, their true capacity varies. If I remember an article from "Cooks Illustrated", different models can vary by 20%

    Another advocate for the scale is Food Network. My mom loves a lot of their programs, and more than one chef has commented that scales are more accurate.
  • schparks
    schparks Posts: 74 Member
    I just bought a food scale on Amazon, it came to $7.50 (including shipping!), and I am soooo glad I did! Even things like bread, that give you calories "per slice", come to different weights on the scale, some above the serving size. I discovered that the rye bread I typically buy was actually about 1.25 servings per slice by weight for the center pieces. I eat this particular brand of bread almost every day!! If you are being extremely dilligent about calorie counting, those things add up.

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