USING A FOOD SCALE

healthy_juls
healthy_juls Posts: 36 Member
in Food and Nutrition
For meat; do you weigh it before or after cooking for portion size? Any other helpful tips on using one?

Replies

  • Just_Jon
    Just_Jon Posts: 108 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.
  • CherylAnne1988
    CherylAnne1988 Posts: 161
    that is good to know. i have been doing it before I cook.
  • helyla
    helyla Posts: 162 Member
    new to the whole food scale things so bumping for replies!!
  • toutmonpossible
    toutmonpossible Posts: 1,580 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    Does the same rule apply for pasta? That is, the measurement is for the cooked portion?
  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    Not true. Calories on meat at for raw meat, unless otherwise specified.
  • Angylgrrl
    Angylgrrl Posts: 159 Member
    I almost always weigh before and make sure to use the MFP database entry for raw meat. I am not sure which is the 'right' way (or if there even is one), but whenever you go somewhere with a burger or steak something, they almost always say it's the weight before cooking, so that makes me think it's the norm.
  • deannakittygirl
    deannakittygirl Posts: 228 Member
    I always weigh meats uncooked. I use raw entry for diary. ex. chicken breast raw.
  • Just_Jon
    Just_Jon Posts: 108 Member
    Which is why I said "usually". When it says "Chicken, breast, roasted", I weight it cooked. :)
  • xxnellie146xx
    xxnellie146xx Posts: 996 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    Does the same rule apply for pasta? That is, the measurement is for the cooked portion?

    Weight pasta before it's cooked. Depending on how long you cook it, it will hold different amounts of water, which can give the same amount of pasta different weights.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
    before
  • msudaisy28
    msudaisy28 Posts: 267 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    I don't think that's true. Meat is typically listed as raw, unless it specifically says, cooked (grilled, roasted, broiled, etc). Think about at a restaurant when you order an 8 oz steak or a 1/4 lb hamburger - that is pre-cooked weight.
  • sharleengc
    sharleengc Posts: 792 Member
    You're supposed to weigh meat before you cook it for a serving size. Personally, I spent a couple days weighing a serving size and cooking it separately and then weighing it after cooking it. Now I just do a cooked weight because I made that type of comparison and made a chart for the type of meat that I buy. For example, my ground turkey is 4oz uncooked and 2.2 oz cooked. BUT this is not the same for every meat as you have to pay attention to the fat percentage and even the brand.

    I use it for everything and now I'm at the point where i don't always have to because I've done it so long my eyeballing is usually pretty close.
  • BodyCombatGirl73
    BodyCombatGirl73 Posts: 96 Member
    I always weigh following prep. Seemed to work for me (been in maintenance for 8 months now).

    Other advice - weigh everything. The hardest ones to figure out are cooked pasta/rice since the nutritional info is done on the dry weight and most people are not preparing just one portion. Although I have seen some people prepare theirs separately so that they have full control on the true calories consumed. I would approximate and it seemed to work.

    Good luck! :happy:
  • Fr3shStrt
    Fr3shStrt Posts: 349 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    Not true. Calories on meat at for raw meat, unless otherwise specified.

    Yep. This.

    I weight just about everything before preparing/cooking. I love my scale. I hardly use measuring cups any more.
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    Does the same rule apply for pasta? That is, the measurement is for the cooked portion?

    Meat is always measured Raw... Pasta is the same... the packages for dry pasta are 85g dry.. not cooked.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    Not true. Calories on meat at for raw meat, unless otherwise specified.

    Yep. This.

    Thirded (yeah, I just made that up).

    Pretty much everything is "pre-cooked weight." Oatmeal, pasta, most meats (some are in the database cooked, though I think that's less accurate), vegetables, potatoes, etc...

    Best tip I can give: Put a piece of plastic wrap over the scale. I do that so I can weigh some things directly on there and not have to sanitize it each time or clean a plate every time I measure something raw.
  • Denjo060
    Denjo060 Posts: 1,008
    Always after because the calorie counts are usually for cooked meats.

    Does the same rule apply for pasta? That is, the measurement is for the cooked portion?




    As far as Pasta that is before cooking
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    This is exactly how I weigh my food and its before cooking.
  • KimmyFantauzzo
    KimmyFantauzzo Posts: 12 Member
    I usually weigh the meat after it is cooked. Because sometimes the meat shrinks after it is cooked
  • Bianca42
    Bianca42 Posts: 310 Member
    I weigh meat after, but use database entries for cooked meats.

    I weigh pasta before and then I have this cool little silicone basket that hangs on the side of the pot. I can cook my pasta separately but in the same pot of water at the same time. Also allows me to easily eat a different pasta than the rest of the family if I want.
  • CM9178
    CM9178 Posts: 1,251 Member
    If in doubt, weigh it before - it will shrink after cooking, so if anything, you would be overstimating a few calories, rather than being under.
  • xDaniix
    xDaniix Posts: 51
    this confused me aswell so i weigh everything before its cooked, at least if its wrong ive over estimated rather than under estimated the calories! :)
  • bluebear_74
    bluebear_74 Posts: 179
    Until recently I didn't realise there was a difference (never gave it much thought). I tend to weigh raw (I can't pick out all my chicken in the dish and weigh it) but made the mistake of entering it's cooked version.

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