How to measure out peanut butter etc.

Fiona_Cami89
Fiona_Cami89 Posts: 42 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys,

Quick (perhaps somewhat silly) question:

How do I go about measuring out the likes of peanut butter, spread (like butter but not) etc.? Do I literally put a dollop on the scales or what? Because that just seems like a big ol' mess to me. Also, most jars state tbsp. or tsp. measures but how long's a piece of string?!

I find that these sorts of food items are the only ones I'm unsure with when it comes to logging.

Thanks in advance for any responses :)

Replies

  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    I put a bowl, tablespoon or whatever I am going to put it iin on the scale first. Zero it out. Then, scoop it out and weigh it from there. :)
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,566 Member
    I "tare" the scale with the knife on it then when it zero's i put the amount of butter, peanut butter etc on. I noticed I was over estimating when I was just adding the tbsp amount because I actually use less
  • alicecorsiatto
    alicecorsiatto Posts: 35 Member
    Hi there!
    Personally yes I weigh it on the scale. It is going to give you the most accurate measure. I eat my breakfast/lunch/snacks at work so i take a very small container, put it on the scale and 0 it, and then weigh out exactly one tablespoon of peanut butter or however much I have allotted myself that day. I do the same with hummus and pretty much any dip I want to have. It was a real eye opener about how much 1 tablespoon really is... Most tend to overestimate on spreads and dips.
    Good luck!
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    ^ Yep, weigh it out, whatever you're gonna end up putting it on, put that on the scale and zero it out, then add your peanut butter and weigh again.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    There's a better way that doesn't leave out the amount on the utensil that doesn't make it into the bowl (but that you're going to eat anyway, admit it!). Put the peanut butter/mayo/whatever on the scale, tare it, then scoop until the scale reads the negative of the desired amount. Easy peasy!
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    Also, most jars state tbsp. or tsp. measures but how long's a piece of string?!
    I don't know if you're in the US or somewhere else in the world, but in the US, (T)ablespoon and (t)easpoon are precise measures, so the "how long's a piece of string" doesn't make sense in that context. They're 15 ml and 5 ml respectively, in case you ever need to measure a freely-flowing liquid rather than measuring something semi-solid like butter or peanut butter, which are best weighed for precision's sake.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    There's a better way that doesn't leave out the amount on the utensil that doesn't make it into the bowl (but that you're going to eat anyway, admit it!). Put the peanut butter/mayo/whatever on the scale, tare it, then scoop until the scale reads the negative of the desired amount. Easy peasy!

    This!

    Or I just put a bowl on the scale with the spoon in it, zero the scale, put the spoon in the peanut butter, and put it back in the bowl. But typically I don't eat anything by the spoon either, then yeah I'd just zero the jar and use the negative number.
  • SonicDeathMonkey80
    SonicDeathMonkey80 Posts: 4,489 Member
    Hey guys,

    Quick (perhaps somewhat silly) question:

    How do I go about measuring out the likes of peanut butter, spread (like butter but not) etc.? Do I literally put a dollop on the scales or what? Because that just seems like a big ol' mess to me. Also, most jars state tbsp. or tsp. measures but how long's a piece of string?!

    I find that these sorts of food items are the only ones I'm unsure with when it comes to logging.

    Thanks in advance for any responses :)

    Tare the jar and take it out til you're happy
  • Fiona_Cami89
    Fiona_Cami89 Posts: 42 Member
    Thanks for all your suggestions!!

    The reason I was confused about the teaspoons/tablespoon measuring is: Yes, they may only be 15ml etc. but I can't tell how much stuff weighs just by looking at a heaped/smoothed out spoon...you know? haha! My brain's a little slow on these things as I've never really measured out anything.

    I shall try the spoon/knife on scales and zero approach :)
  • mamahannick
    mamahannick Posts: 322 Member
    Am I the only one who thinks it should be measured from the jar with a spoon directly into your mouth? ;)

    Just kidding. Except not really.
  • Unknown
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  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
    Hey guys,

    Quick (perhaps somewhat silly) question:

    How do I go about measuring out the likes of peanut butter, spread (like butter but not) etc.? Do I literally put a dollop on the scales or what? Because that just seems like a big ol' mess to me. Also, most jars state tbsp. or tsp. measures but how long's a piece of string?!

    I find that these sorts of food items are the only ones I'm unsure with when it comes to logging.

    Thanks in advance for any responses :)

    try to never measure, always weigh.

    For example, if you're having toast with peanut butter, weigh the slice of toast. zero out the scale, spread peanut butter on toast and put on scale. Voila!

    You can also weigh the chunk of butter before you took from it and after. There are many ways around it.
    Always try to use the scale before cups or teaspoons. even they differ from different producers.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    First, weighing and learning to use your scale (read the directions, if you still have them: they explain what "tare" means and which button to push - usually the on button, but sometimes there is a separate one).

    You also need to learn to measure better if you are going to cook and enter recipes.

    There is no issue with "how big is a string" if you know how to use your measuring spoons and cups. They should always be level. All the shock jock memes and videos about how different measurements and weights are show people misusing the measuring cups while magically using the scales correctly.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    I put a bowl, tablespoon or whatever I am going to put it iin on the scale first. Zero it out. Then, scoop it out and weigh it from there. :)

    This. ^

    A tablespoon of chunky PB weighs 32g btw. :p I love PB.
    :huh: Pretty sure that's 2T. At least in any case, a "serving" as listed on the jar is going to be 2 tablespoons (32 g).
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    The reason I was confused about the teaspoons/tablespoon measuring is: Yes, they may only be 15ml etc. but I can't tell how much stuff weighs just by looking at a heaped/smoothed out spoon...you know?
    In a perfect world, a leveled tablespoon of peanut butter (15 ml) should weigh around 16 grams, assuming a density of 1.091 g/ml. Just to throw a monkey wrench (spanner?! :laugh: ) into the works, though, there are UK tablespoons and US tablespoons. And a UK tablespoon of PB should come out to just under 15.5 grams, whereas a US tablespoon is slightly over 16 grams.

    1 gram of PB accounts for about 5 or 6 calories, so it's not a big deal. But as always, weight is the best option unless for free-pouring liquids.

    TheMoreYouKnow.gif
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Hey guys,

    Quick (perhaps somewhat silly) question:

    How do I go about measuring out the likes of peanut butter, spread (like butter but not) etc.? Do I literally put a dollop on the scales or what? Because that just seems like a big ol' mess to me. Also, most jars state tbsp. or tsp. measures but how long's a piece of string?!

    I find that these sorts of food items are the only ones I'm unsure with when it comes to logging.

    Thanks in advance for any responses :)

    Tare the jar and take it out til you're happy
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    This works great! Weigh the jar before and after on a digital scale. Someone on here suggested it and it works slick.
  • redversustheblue
    redversustheblue Posts: 1,216 Member
    There's a better way that doesn't leave out the amount on the utensil that doesn't make it into the bowl (but that you're going to eat anyway, admit it!). Put the peanut butter/mayo/whatever on the scale, tare it, then scoop until the scale reads the negative of the desired amount. Easy peasy!

    Oh my gosh, brilliant! I too have a hard time weighing things like this because I'm lazy and hate to do dishes, so I always felt like weighing things like peanut butter, mayo, syrup was just messy and I did my best to estimate, which I know I shouldn't do. Thank you for the genius idea!
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    There's a better way that doesn't leave out the amount on the utensil that doesn't make it into the bowl (but that you're going to eat anyway, admit it!). Put the peanut butter/mayo/whatever on the scale, tare it, then scoop until the scale reads the negative of the desired amount. Easy peasy!

    Oh my gosh, brilliant! I too have a hard time weighing things like this because I'm lazy and hate to do dishes, so I always felt like weighing things like peanut butter, mayo, syrup was just messy and I did my best to estimate, which I know I shouldn't do. Thank you for the genius idea!
    I know! I totally can't take credit for it. I wish I could remember who I got it from. It was definitely on here. I think the topic might have gotten deleted though, because butthurt. :frown:
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    I put a bowl, tablespoon or whatever I am going to put it iin on the scale first. Zero it out. Then, scoop it out and weigh it from there. :)

    This. ^

    A tablespoon of chunky PB weighs 32g btw. :p I love PB.
    :huh: Pretty sure that's 2T. At least in any case, a "serving" as listed on the jar is going to be 2 tablespoons (32 g).

    What if I have an unusually large tablespoon?

    MA SPOON IS TOO BIIIIIIIG.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    I put a bowl, tablespoon or whatever I am going to put it iin on the scale first. Zero it out. Then, scoop it out and weigh it from there. :)

    This. ^

    A tablespoon of chunky PB weighs 32g btw. :p I love PB.
    :huh: Pretty sure that's 2T. At least in any case, a "serving" as listed on the jar is going to be 2 tablespoons (32 g).

    What if I have an unusually large tablespoon?

    MA SPOON IS TOO BIIIIIIIG.
    Then you don't have a tablespoon. You have a large spoon.

    But this is all irrelevant, as THERE IS NO SPOON.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    I lick the peanut butter off the spoon every time and dont count it. I feel bad. Whew thank goodness that feeling went away fast.
  • Ctrum69
    Ctrum69 Posts: 308 Member
    I "tare" the scale with the knife on it then when it zero's i put the amount of butter, peanut butter etc on. I noticed I was over estimating when I was just adding the tbsp amount because I actually use less

    This. Hit tare with your spoon on the scale, scoop out the (whatever) and then find the difference.

    That's your grams (oz, whatever) of product.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
    I lick the peanut butter off the spoon every time and dont count it. I feel bad. Whew thank goodness that feeling went away fast.
    Pretty sure you gon' die.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Hey guys,

    Quick (perhaps somewhat silly) question:

    How do I go about measuring out the likes of peanut butter, spread (like butter but not) etc.? Do I literally put a dollop on the scales or what? Because that just seems like a big ol' mess to me. Also, most jars state tbsp. or tsp. measures but how long's a piece of string?!

    I find that these sorts of food items are the only ones I'm unsure with when it comes to logging.

    Thanks in advance for any responses :)

    Yeah, I put a little plate on the scale, zero it, then put the peanut butter/mayo/jelly whatever on there, then use it. If there's a little bit left on the plate, not a big deal, I use most of what I weighed.

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