Do you use digital kitchen scales for things like rice etc?

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claire_donegal84
claire_donegal84 Posts: 47 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Do many of you guys use a digital kitchen food scale? Did you find it helped/did you notice much difference in portions etc when you started using one?

I might buy one this weekend. I think I'm over or under estimating food portions, especially things like rice/cereal/couscous/potatoes etc...

(I have a regular weighing scales I use for baking etc but its not accurate enough to use for everyday items i'm trying to portion control).
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  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    I use it for everything unless it is prepackaged. I use it for rice, veggies, meat, condiments, nuts, everything.
  • Eneelu
    Eneelu Posts: 20 Member
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    I use it for everything that isn't repackaged. I know myself and if I didn't weigh all my food I would cheat.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    No question... buy a food scale. Eyeballing, I find, can be twice as much as reality, and measuring cups are notoriously inaccurate... awful.

    Nothing will help you visualize a realistic portion than a food scale, which is an invaluable tool in real life situations where you won't have one available.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I use it for everything unless it is prepackaged. I use it for rice, veggies, meat, condiments, nuts, everything.

    Same here. I'd hate to think how far off my calories would be with cups or just guessing alone especially with higher calorie foods.
  • mikejmu
    mikejmu Posts: 3 Member
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    I use my digital cooking scale all the time. The one I bought is $25 and I got it at Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001N07KUE/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001N07KUE&linkCode=as2&tag=dcgu-20

    I don't use it for weighing rice, but it's sensitive enough for even the smallest measurements. Love it!
  • joyfuljoy65
    joyfuljoy65 Posts: 317 Member
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    Yes! And believe me it makes your eyes open wide when you weigh your 'portions' out!!

    When I first weighed out some breakfast cereal (40g), I thought - surely not...... have i something else on the scales? But I was actually eating nearly 3 x the recommended portion sizes before hand thinking that was normal (it probably is for most people!!)

    It takes a bit of getting used to proper portion sizes, but I have found that now I am happy with those portions and am still losing weight slowly at a stage where in previous diets I would have given up ages and ages ago (7 mths in and counting).

    There is no cheat to this weight loss malarky...... it really is expending more energy than you take in..... so if you can ensure that your portion sizes are weighed correctly it makes it so much easier.
  • shorty35565
    shorty35565 Posts: 1,425 Member
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    Yep, I use it for rice, sauces, everything. I dont use my measuring cups.
  • claire_donegal84
    claire_donegal84 Posts: 47 Member
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    thanks!
  • vicky1804
    vicky1804 Posts: 320 Member
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    Yes definatly get some, I picked mine up for £3.99 I think and they work great.

    Definatly helps me understand a portion size, esp like other have said when it come to cereal, pasta and rice.

    I was easily eating 2-3 portions and not even realizing it.
  • claire_donegal84
    claire_donegal84 Posts: 47 Member
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    Thanks for this.

    I'm definitely going to buy one today!

    I'll see what they have in Argos (I live in Ireland)
  • Kimjanebrooks
    Kimjanebrooks Posts: 253 Member
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    I use Rosemary Conley measuring cups for rice and pasta etc. Very convenient and can be bought on website without joining.
  • GemskiB
    GemskiB Posts: 95 Member
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    I use it for everything, the battery died recently and I had to wait on delivery from buying a new one online. I was guessing my rice and pasta etc and when I got them back I checked... I was a good 30-50% over estimating. Yes it's time consuming, but it's way more accurate. Good luck!
  • masongirl79
    masongirl79 Posts: 7 Member
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    Bought one last week. I usually measure my foods w/ measuring cups. I was shocked when I weighed out my cereal this morning. I have been WAY off. BUY A FOOD SCALE!
  • juliesmithdiet
    juliesmithdiet Posts: 33
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    Yes and I was stunned at how off I was with guessing the portion !
  • Marie_25
    Marie_25 Posts: 67 Member
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    Definitley get a set. Mine weighs in grammes, ml and lb's, and you can press the reset button and just keep adding more ingredients in the same bowl! Love them, and they were under £10.

    It has made me realise how massively wrong you can get it! Cheese is the best example i can give, Grate a bit of cheese, about 25 grammes (or so you think) weigh it and find out it's twice as much! Doh!! Lesson learned.

    Good luck x
  • mogletdeluxe
    mogletdeluxe Posts: 623 Member
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    I swear by my kitchen scale. My original idea of what 100g actually was is embarrassing - more like 500g at least!
  • Pookylou
    Pookylou Posts: 988 Member
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    Thanks for this.

    I'm definitely going to buy one today!

    I'll see what they have in Argos (I live in Ireland)

    Mine was from Argos - Salter digital, really simple to use! I weight EVERYTHING!
  • KazSmith68
    KazSmith68 Posts: 85
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    Digital scales are awesome, I don't know where I would be without them...They are a MUST!
  • claire_donegal84
    claire_donegal84 Posts: 47 Member
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    Looking forward to getting one later today... I'm sure I'll be surprised at what I'm currently over or under estimating as a portion of something! :noway:
  • EmAgain
    EmAgain Posts: 6
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    There is a massive discrepancy between what cup measures purport to measure and what it actually does. There are so many variables to make it inaccurate like how you smooth the top, or how packed the food is and individual differences in 'cup' measure. the only truly accurate way to measure things is via electronic scales and in grammes then you are getting exactly what you are putting in your diary :)

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