We are pleased to announce that as of March 4, 2025, an updated Rich Text Editor has been introduced in the MyFitnessPal Community. To learn more about the changes, please click here. We look forward to sharing this new feature with you!

how much is a tablespoon

saintsteffers1
saintsteffers1 Posts: 27
edited September 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm from UK and our tablespoons are quite big! Because of this I think I've been underestimating, for example if I spread some marg on toast, I was figuring it was about 0.3 of a tablespoon, but I'm a bit worried that I'm wrong, is a tablespoon on MFP actually what we would call a dessert spoon? I.e. about 3 teaspoon worth. In which case it would be about half a tablespoons worth to spread one peice of toast. And does it mean a 'flat' tablespoon or rounded? Aaargg
The other thing that confuses me a bit is a cup? its just not exact enough for me and I don't want to under or over estimate!!
Can anyone give me some tips?

How much of a tablespoon would you say to spread a peice of toast with marg? How about for jam?
Thanks!
Steph

Replies

  • Simplicity
    Simplicity Posts: 383 Member
    I go by about a teaspoon full rounded of butter is about 10grams which is what I use per slice of toast. Possible to get two slices out of 15 gramms too. Table spoon i always use 3 teaspoon I am also in the UK and understand the dilema. one cup is 8oz or 250 ml but a cup of vegetables??? whats that ha ha!
    Good luck.
    ps I bought some mini scales which is where I get my weight measurement for the butter. If you are worried use 15grams for a teaspoon and then you will be OK

    Hope that helps
    Ben
  • absofsteel
    absofsteel Posts: 48
    I go by the little white spoon that comes with calpol...the small side is a tea spoon and the big side is a table spoon
  • bekylouisex3
    bekylouisex3 Posts: 242 Member
    :huh: I hear you on this! I'm so confused about all of these measurements...
  • Stella_Does
    Stella_Does Posts: 25
    I bought myself a set of measuring spoons and have been using measuring cups a lot more too. I figure they will be pretty standard and safe! Usually though I prefer to go by weight as it's more accurate. I'm also in the UK so a lot of the measurements don't mean a lot to me, I usually end up clicking through a few option until I find one that has a grams option! And I do make a lot of my own entries if I can't find a very UK version of what I'm looking for.
    But generally I find the database to be fine, it's only the odd item that causes a problem
  • sharonuk10
    sharonuk10 Posts: 277
    I am an American in the UK ... and I have thought of the Tablespoon dilemma. Is it an actual TABLESPOON (what my husband who is British calls a desert spoon) or is it the MEASURING TABLESPOON??? Last week I weighed Bertolli margarine, for mashed potatoes, on the scale and it came to 20 grams. So I guess it would vary by how much you put on the spoon. Since I never eat ALL my calories I figure the few that are left over at the end of the day makes up for any discrepancies. I do find weighing more acurate than measuring though.

    Confused by it all really!!!

    Sharon
  • Stella_Does
    Stella_Does Posts: 25
    See it sounds like just in the UK different people call a different spoon a table spoon! I've always had teaspoons, desert spoons and tablespoons.
    A tablespoon would only really be used for measuring stuff or serving foods - though my mum also has a couple of scarily enormous serving spoons too.
  • misty589
    misty589 Posts: 319 Member
    1 tablespoon= 15ml or 3 teaspoons
    1 cup = 250 ml or 8 oz
  • navstar
    navstar Posts: 113 Member
    I assume most references to tablespoon mean the measuring type, which is 15ml (the big side of a medicine spoon is 5ml), but to figure how much spread I use on toast I measured the dry toast, put my spread on and remeasured it! so I now know that when i put spread on my toast its 5g for 1 slice I weigh everything and If i can't find the correct measurement in the database I Google the ingredient and work it out per gram. I know this seems a bit obsessive but it works for me.

    I have invested on a set of measuring spoons they only cost about £2 from Asda and my scales were about £13 from Asda. I strongly recommend weighing rather then using cups as it is more accurate as you can "stuff" quite a lot in a cup but if you measure it you know exactly how much you're getting and as my problem was portion control it has really helped me.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories