Measuring tools

Options
Kayzia_M
Kayzia_M Posts: 97 Member
in Getting Started
Going to buy a measuring cup today, and I was just wondering, what other measuring "tools" do you use to keep track of your food intake?

Replies

  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,326 Member
    Options
    a food scale is even better.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    Options
    I would be lost without my food scale. I found that measuring cups were not very accurate. My favorite examples to use are uncooked oatmeal and frozen green beans. A serving of uncooked old fashioned oatmeal is "1/2 cup (40g)" according to the package - well, if you scoop up 1/2 cup of it and weigh it, they don't match up. 1/2 cup weighs quite a bit more than 40g actually. So if you go by the 1/2 cup you'll be accidentally eating more calories than you think.

    The opposite is true of my frozen green beans though! The package of THOSE says "2/3 cup (81g)" buf if you measure 2/3 cup and weigh it you get more like 70g. If you're going strictly by weight then 81g of the beans is more close to 1 cup.

    Cups and teaspoons and whatever are way more subjective. Say you want to eat some fresh strawberries. How are you going to measure them with a measuring cup? If a serving size is "1 cup/75g" say - well what if you get a really big berry and can fit only 1 in the 1-cup measure! That may or may not even equal the 75g. It's really inaccurate. I am a fan of accuracy :)
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
    Options
    I agree entirely with Phrick, get some digital scales & use weight not volume

    Further examples often used is pasta, depending on shape of pasta depends how much you can get in a cup, same for fruit, ignore "large orange / apple / banana" etc, weigh them
  • Kayzia_M
    Kayzia_M Posts: 97 Member
    Options
    I would be lost without my food scale. I found that measuring cups were not very accurate. My favorite examples to use are uncooked oatmeal and frozen green beans. A serving of uncooked old fashioned oatmeal is "1/2 cup (40g)" according to the package - well, if you scoop up 1/2 cup of it and weigh it, they don't match up. 1/2 cup weighs quite a bit more than 40g actually. So if you go by the 1/2 cup you'll be accidentally eating more calories than you think.

    The opposite is true of my frozen green beans though! The package of THOSE says "2/3 cup (81g)" buf if you measure 2/3 cup and weigh it you get more like 70g. If you're going strictly by weight then 81g of the beans is more close to 1 cup.

    Cups and teaspoons and whatever are way more subjective. Say you want to eat some fresh strawberries. How are you going to measure them with a measuring cup? If a serving size is "1 cup/75g" say - well what if you get a really big berry and can fit only 1 in the 1-cup measure! That may or may not even equal the 75g. It's really inaccurate. I am a fan of accuracy :)

    Wow, thanks for the info, will definitely look for the scale!!
  • cbtomlin
    cbtomlin Posts: 3 Member
    Options
    I bought my first food scale yesterday. I can't wait to start using it. I know my husband will think I'm crazy though for using it.
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
    Options
    I bought my first food scale yesterday. I can't wait to start using it. I know my husband will think I'm crazy though for using it.

    You soon get into the habit

    I weigh as I go, note it down in a cheap note book, then add on MFP in one hit
  • Kayzia_M
    Kayzia_M Posts: 97 Member
    Options
    I bought my first food scale yesterday. I can't wait to start using it. I know my husband will think I'm crazy though for using it.
    Lol! I bought mine this afternoon, and I've gone bonkers with it! Even weighed my plate!!

Categories