Measuring food... Weight VS Volume

APBTChampion
APBTChampion Posts: 93 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Alright, so I've been measuring my food diligently for a while, and this morning I happened to look at the back of the cereal box.

It says a serving size is 1 cup (34g)... so, out of sheer curiosity, I weighed 1 cup worth of cereal. Turns out it's 15g. WTF?
I did this with another cereal (because I like to mix and match, I'm all crafty like that), and my 1 cup is less than half of the weight they state.

So should I be paying attention to weight or volume?! Because if I can actually have 34g of cereal, I've been severely cheating myself every day... and I'm gonna be pissed. (All that cereal totally belongs in my tummy!!!)

Thoughts?

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    I use weight, I think it's more accurate and honest. If I use cups it's too easy to heap it up and I think most manufacturer's info is based on the weight not the volume.
  • lindseym18
    lindseym18 Posts: 48 Member
    Weight is definitely a lot more accurate than volume! I always go with weight.
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    I was just wondering about this, i just got a scale & the measuring cups vs. the weight on the scale is not matching up.
  • APBTChampion
    APBTChampion Posts: 93 Member
    AH HA!!! So I have been cheating myself!

    Well, I guess I will measure out the weight and see how much it'd be via volume that way...

    Thank you! <3
  • shanmackie
    shanmackie Posts: 194 Member
    always use weight !:)
  • sandyrrt
    sandyrrt Posts: 255 Member
    Always use weight whenever you can:)
  • ObtainingBalance
    ObtainingBalance Posts: 1,446 Member
    I get so confused by this.

    But, the cereal says one serving is a cup of it... you saying you weighed it and it was only half of the serving size means... you would use two cups to have one serving? Doesn't seem right.

    Just see how fast the "8 serving(s)" go on that box of cereal. Or if it only makes it to 4 when you are weighing it instead.

    I usually weigh nuts or fruit (like cutting an apple and weighing it )

    Hope to see some good responses on here...
  • Emtabo01
    Emtabo01 Posts: 672
    I've always thought what cereal company's call a serving was really small! I'll have to use my scale next time, so excited - I want that cereal in my belly too!
  • fludderbye
    fludderbye Posts: 457 Member
    unless its a liquid i always always always measure by weight !!! i usually find i get less then how much they say-

    but weight if more accurate
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,419 Member
    They're selling us air. I knew it. Just like they sell us water from our municipal water supply - that we could get for next to nothing at our own houses..... :angry:
  • APBTChampion
    APBTChampion Posts: 93 Member
    I get so confused by this.

    But, the cereal says one serving is a cup of it... you saying you weighed it and it was only half of the serving size means... you would use two cups to have one serving? Doesn't seem right.

    Just see how fast the "8 serving(s)" go on that box of cereal. Or if it only makes it to 4 when you are weighing it instead.

    I usually weigh nuts or fruit (like cutting an apple and weighing it )

    Hope to see some good responses on here...

    Oh yeah, imagine my surprise... lol I measured out a cup, and then poured it onto my kitchen scale. I think it must be because of the shapes, etc. Like, I'm sure Grape Nuts is probably a lot closer to the weight according to volume, because it's smaller and fits in closer so you can fit more into a cup. But, take... I don't know, Fruit Loops! You can't fit many into a cup... (okay, there's never enough room for all my fruit loops...)
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I go by weight when it's an option.
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    If you have a particular cereal you eat regularly, I would portion it all out into cheap sandwich bags by weight, then see if the number of servings you get that way matches the number on the box. I found grape nuts are reasonably accurate by cups (well half cups) but Total is completely inaccurate buy cups but accurate by weight. And Kashi Go Lean did not match either for some reason.
  • APBTChampion
    APBTChampion Posts: 93 Member
    If you have a particular cereal you eat regularly, I would portion it all out into cheap sandwich bags by weight, then see if the number of servings you get that way matches the number on the box. I found grape nuts are reasonably accurate by cups (well half cups) but Total is completely inaccurate buy cups but accurate by weight. And Kashi Go Lean did not match either for some reason.

    Ooh, that's a really good idea. I could do that and then just stick them back in the box... pull out a serving at a time. That way I'm not measuring all groggy in the morning, which usually leads to me spilling cereal on the floor (the dogs are cool with it, of course). lol

    Thanks!
  • erinsueburns
    erinsueburns Posts: 865 Member
    No problem, I'm all about prepping for later convenience :) I do this for beef jerky and nuts too lol.
    If you have a particular cereal you eat regularly, I would portion it all out into cheap sandwich bags by weight, then see if the number of servings you get that way matches the number on the box. I found grape nuts are reasonably accurate by cups (well half cups) but Total is completely inaccurate buy cups but accurate by weight. And Kashi Go Lean did not match either for some reason.

    Ooh, that's a really good idea. I could do that and then just stick them back in the box... pull out a serving at a time. That way I'm not measuring all groggy in the morning, which usually leads to me spilling cereal on the floor (the dogs are cool with it, of course). lol

    Thanks!
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    Measuring cups are for liquid... scales are for solids.

    That is the only way to measure your food accurately.
  • staceypunk
    staceypunk Posts: 924 Member
    So I can eat twice the amount of cereal. That would be so awesome. I'm going to weigh out the peanut butter toast crunch cereal. Anyone have that?, it's really good.
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    Measuring cups are for liquid... scales are for solids.

    That is the only way to measure your food accurately.

    So has anyone ever checked the weight on frozen meals or other items?

    This thread got me thinking about it, out of curiosity I weighed my lunch which was a Kashi pasta dish. It came up a full 20 grams lighter than the package states is in one serving. Now I am wondering if i should just leave it entered in my diary as the whole meal or adjust by weight......opinions?
  • Saiava
    Saiava Posts: 68 Member
    Wow, certainly has me thinking about that one. Bumping for more opinions.
  • APBTChampion
    APBTChampion Posts: 93 Member
    Haha, I've never checked the prepackaged meals, but it wouldn't surprise me if they're not giving you all they say that they are! (Sneaky little b@stards.)

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