Measuring food

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  • LindseySprake
    LindseySprake Posts: 333 Member
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    I use a food scale for measuring solids and measuring cups for liquids.

    THIS^^
    Its the only way to be sure/accurate :flowerforyou:
  • ironrat79
    ironrat79 Posts: 273 Member
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    I have a love/hate relationship with my food scale....it tells me what is right and I want it to be wrong :)
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway? Doesn't it depend on the size of your cup?! We never use them in the UK; always grams for solids and ml for liquids (or ounces and fluid ounces if you're particularly old skool).
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway? Doesn't it depend on the size of your cup?! We never use them in the UK; always grams for solids and ml for liquids (or ounces and fluid ounces if you're particularly old skool).

    1 cup = 8 fl oz or 250mil...it is a mesurment for cooking in North America at least. (ETA: and I am Canadian so it's not just a US thing)

    To the OP kitchen scale...if it says 1cup of mashed it probably has a gram measurment as well...for example my cottage cheese says 1/2 or 125g...guess which is more....yup the grams but for cereal 3/4cup does not equal 27grams it's a lot more...:sad:
  • craftywitch_63
    craftywitch_63 Posts: 829 Member
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    I use a food scale for measuring solids and measuring cups for liquids. I got my food scale for less than $7.00 including shipping, on ebay.

    ^^This. I got a food scale on ebay, as well for $1.88 + $3.00 shipping ($4.88 - still a bargain. It has a typo, the button that is supposed to be labelled "unit" is actually marked "uint" but it works despite the typo.)

    To answer your question, when measuring liquids, I do fill the cup all the way to the top.

    For lisaamartin1: a cup in the US is approx. 240 mL.
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
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    I got a food scale on amazon for $14. I love it because I can zero it out as I add items. If I don't have time to log individual ingredients, I take a picture of the item sitting on the scale with the weight. It takes about 15 minutes spaced over the whole course of the day, but it's so worth it. I found that packaging was often inaccurate, especially with snacks. For example, a chip I like to eat says that one serving is 28 grams or 13 chips. I have weighed out 13 fully formed chips (none stuck together or broken) and ended up with 38 grams! That's 136% of a serving!
  • katro111
    katro111 Posts: 632 Member
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    Food scale for the win! I weigh my food, find the appropriate entry in MFP and then usually edit the entry so it's in grams or ounces and log. Same works for the recipe builder in MFP.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway?

    If the ingredients for a recipe are all in Cups - then it doesn't matter what size cup you use - just use the same one.

    But over here (in the U.K) we like a teaspoon - smaller mouths I guess :-p
  • jimwon953
    jimwon953 Posts: 20 Member
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    Switch to weighing in grams - you'll have better accuracy, better control, it's a minimal difference and really pays off.

    I weigh in grams, have a proper measuring spoon set to tablespoon & teaspoon and use a jug with a scale on the side to measure volume of fluids.
  • FoxyLifter
    FoxyLifter Posts: 965 Member
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    Another vote for the food scale!

    Also, make sure that you're using the proper entry. Weighing your food won't mean crap if the entry you're using is incorrect. Stay away from entries that say generic, homemade or start with an asterisk. Try to find an entry that has a LOT of confirmations and are mathematical possible (carbs and protein have about 4 calories per gram, fat has about 9 calories per gram). Not everything in the database is reliable and can really give you a false sense of hope.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway?

    If the ingredients for a recipe are all in Cups - then it doesn't matter what size cup you use - just use the same one.
    Please do not bake anything if that is your understanding. Pancakes and cookies would be a disaster!

    I too wish for recipes given in grams for everything (even liquids-- I hate having to dirty another dish!), but "cup" is a standard measurement. It's half a pint, which is half a quart, which is (naturally) a quarter of a gallon. If you think standard measures are silly, I submit the ridiculous old British money system for your consideration.
  • 2bassets
    2bassets Posts: 193 Member
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    So, if it says a cup of green beans, do you put them on the scale until you get 8 oz?
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    So, if it says a cup of green beans, do you put them on the scale until you get 8 oz?
    Of course not. Dry weight ounces are not the same as liquid ounces. You have to take density into consideration.

    I'm pretty sure a standard serving of vegetables (be it half a cup cooked or 1 cup raw) can be equated to 3 ounces by weight (or about 85 grams). That's what I use, so shooting for 5 a day means just shy of a pound of fruit and veg a day. That seems reasonable enough for good health.

    Australia uses "2 and 5 serves" and gives weight equivalents: http://www.gofor2and5.com.au/WhatisaServe/tabid/56/Default.aspx

    Guess I need to eat more fruit! Oh, darn. :laugh:
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    If its something you can mush down, then you shouldn't be using cups, tsp, etc. as those are for measuring liquids. It will not give you accurate results. Digital food scale for anything that can be measured by weight. :)
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    This sounds like me. We have a dry erase board in the kitchen for taking notes - and then I log in MFP.

    I'm kinda annoying about measuring, but if it was homemade mashed potatoes, I'd weigh everything separately (potatoes, butter, etc), and then mix them.....then I'd weigh the whole batch (making sure you subtract the bowl), then take out my portion and do the math lol....it's complicated but more accurate.

    I use cups and spoons rarely for measuring....usually my scale. Today I made shepherds pie and it was a bunch of measuring and writing down exact amounts. Then I added it all up and divided the pie by 6, and the total calories by 6...time consuming, yes, but makes me happy lol.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway?

    If the ingredients for a recipe are all in Cups - then it doesn't matter what size cup you use - just use the same one.
    Please do not bake anything if that is your understanding. Pancakes and cookies would be a disaster!

    I fully support your right to be wrong
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway?

    If the ingredients for a recipe are all in Cups - then it doesn't matter what size cup you use - just use the same one.
    Please do not bake anything if that is your understanding. Pancakes and cookies would be a disaster!

    I fully support your right to be wrong
    Are you for real? What happens when your recipe calls for 1.5 cups of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 tablespoons baking powder and a cup of milk and you use just any old cup for the measurement? The proportions would be all wrong.
  • JulsiePie
    JulsiePie Posts: 166 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway?

    If the ingredients for a recipe are all in Cups - then it doesn't matter what size cup you use - just use the same one.
    Please do not bake anything if that is your understanding. Pancakes and cookies would be a disaster!

    I fully support your right to be wrong
    Are you for real? What happens when your recipe calls for 1.5 cups of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 tablespoons baking powder and a cup of milk and you use just any old cup for the measurement? The proportions would be all wrong.

    I'm waiting to hear the answer too lol....
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    I don't get cups :-/ How big is a cup anyway?

    If the ingredients for a recipe are all in Cups - then it doesn't matter what size cup you use - just use the same one.
    Please do not bake anything if that is your understanding. Pancakes and cookies would be a disaster!

    I fully support your right to be wrong
    Are you for real? What happens when your recipe calls for 1.5 cups of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1.5 tablespoons baking powder and a cup of milk and you use just any old cup for the measurement? The proportions would be all wrong.

    I'm waiting to hear the answer too lol....

    did you read my post properly <<If the ingredients for a recipe are all in Cups ->> did you see the ALL CUPS? I guess not
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

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