how much oil do you usually cook with?

Tamstar1985
Tamstar1985 Posts: 334 Member
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
when i was a kid and my mom was teaching me how to cook, she always used oil sparingly, and that oil was typically olive. when she made chicken, she'd strip off the skin after roasting. when she made soups, she would stick them in the freezer for a while so the fat would solidify, rise to the top, and she could skim it off. she never deep-fried anything.

as well, having had worked in a restaurant whose goals were to serve people healthier, less-oily foods, now that i am on my own, all these good habits have filtered down into my personal cooking style. i never eat the chicken skin, never eat fatty bits of meat, i don't even LIKE fried food, etc etc.

when i was visiting my fiance's family in february, i was totally shocked by the amount of oil his mom used while cooking. her "chicken soup" was literally 2/3rds oil. all her vegetables were stir fried in piles of oil, so much that they were basicially swimming in their serving bowls. she deep fries everything. she puts more oil in sth because it'll be more "tasty". (i won't talk about how much sugar and salt she adds...) now, when i was there, i cooked them a meal i would typically cook at the restaurant - a tomato and onion based soup, roasted chicken breasts with lemon and black pepper, steamed broccoli with tons of garlic tossed in... and everyone was like "why are you using oil? where did you learn to cook? don't you know oil makes things taste better?" (btw everyone enjoyed it, but i doubt that will change their habits) on a side note, because of oil overload, i am terrified to eat anything in their home, and usually just poke at rice until the meals are over.

so how much oil do you guys use while cooking at home? am i just super picky? >_<

Replies

  • slp2112
    slp2112 Posts: 107
    I usually do a combination of oil (1 tsp - 1 tbsp, depending on how many servings I'm making) and cooking spray. Many nutrients in vegetables are fat soluble, so you need a little fat in there to actually benefit from all the vegetables have to offer. Same goes for eating salads - helps to have a little oil in the dressing, even if it's 1/2 tsp, so that you can actually absorb all the fat-soluble stuff in the vegetables.

    That said, I wouldn't come near a soup that was 2/3 oil with a 10 foot pole, let alone a spoon ....
  • sassyg
    sassyg Posts: 393
    very little as well.
    i buy a 240ml bottle (8 oz) of canola oil and it lasts 3-4 months ( I am cooking 5-6 servings a night for my family), and i don't use a cooking spray or any other oil alternative... a lot of what i use goes in muffins
  • Ral263
    Ral263 Posts: 318 Member
    I ***very**** rarely even cook with oil per se-- I typically just use PAM spray because it's just as effective at browning foods and preventing stick. I use olive oil when the flavor is absolutely necessary to the dish, but even then, I use it very sparingly....it seems like such a silly thing to consume calories from. I'd rather "eat" my healthy fats like almond butter, salmon, etc. JMO
  • melodyg
    melodyg Posts: 1,423 Member
    I usually do a combination of oil (1 tsp - 1 tbsp, depending on how many servings I'm making) and cooking spray. Many nutrients in vegetables are fat soluble, so you need a little fat in there to actually benefit from all the vegetables have to offer. Same goes for eating salads - helps to have a little oil in the dressing, even if it's 1/2 tsp, so that you can actually absorb all the fat-soluble stuff in the vegetables.

    That said, I wouldn't come near a soup that was 2/3 oil with a 10 foot pole, let alone a spoon ....

    This. Though I just got a new olive oil spritzer (yay!) so I am phasing out using cooking spray. I've learned that a little oil can go a long way. I've also learned that if you are eating tons of fruits and vegetables that it isn't bad to use a little more oil (I roasted some tonight with what ended up being a tbsp of oil per serving... but it was a *huge* serving!)
  • pollysunshine
    pollysunshine Posts: 11
    i don't use much oil at all...i never deep fry & when i pan fry/saute, i use a butter/olive oil mix. i once had a MAJOR argument with my now-ex boyfriend about how much oil was needed to fry perch & he wanted way too much oil & he ruined a good pan of fish... i tend to use the least amount of oil, salt, sugar that i need for whatever it is i am making. but heart disease & diabetes runs in my family, so i have grown up being very aware of how various foods play into those diseases & how to make the necessary changes for a healthier diet.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    I have a couple of very heavy non stick pans and often use no oil in them... depending on the food.

    For chicken breast no skin i add about a teaspoon of olive oil for 500g of chicken...no oils would naturally leach out of the chicken so it would stick without oil but if i do a meat with a little fat on it I use no oil. Vegetables that are started off slowly I use no oil as they have enough of their own moisture to prevent sticking but for stir fly i use a dab...put some on kitchen roll, wipe it around the pan. I keep meaning to buy the spray stuff but always forget when I order my shopping

    I have a deep fat fryer but I only use that for (shock horror!) chips...and thats usually only once or twice a week
  • UneJolieFemme
    UneJolieFemme Posts: 86 Member
    If it were only me I'd eat everything cooked in oil I love it... but I know its bad for me so I use very little of it :sad:

    I use one tablespoon per portion for sauces, pastas, etc. I don't use any for chicken (95 % of my meat consumption), a bit of butter (half a tablespoon) for a steak. I cook most of my veggies right after I washed them, so in a bit of water. Sometimes I will use a bit of broth for rices.

    I will use more when I want to treat myself to a great italian dish, for exemple, but for everyday meal I'm careful because it adds lots of calories very quickly.
  • themetra
    themetra Posts: 174 Member
    I only cook for one, always use extra virgin olive oil, and I never measure, but I would be surprised to find out I ever used anything over a tablespoon (unless a recpie calls for it), and even that seems high.
  • ChefJenn
    ChefJenn Posts: 350 Member
    I only use EVOO when I saute , stir fry, and just coat a pan with maybe a tbsp serving.
    I dont tend to use it in anything else unless Im baking and then it has to be the correct amount for the product to cook

    I was raised using peanut oil in our restaurant but I dont deep fry at home at all.

    If I pan fry its still just a few tsp of EVOO
  • afoshag
    afoshag Posts: 14
    I don't think that is being picky. I only use a teaspoon or two, and sometimes I use unsalted stock or water instead! It is important, no matter how healthy fats are, that they are limited in a balanced diet. Hope this helps!
  • 3LittleMonkeys
    3LittleMonkeys Posts: 373 Member
    I only use a little. Maybe a teaspoon to two teaspoon of olive oil. Otherwise I use cooking spray or my olive oil spritzer.
  • Holton
    Holton Posts: 1,018
    At my own house, I usually spray a pan with pam and then use olive oil (1-2 tbsp) with sauteeing.
    At my father's house (90 year old), I pour in the vegetable oil to about 1/4=1/2 inch deep and fry skin on, bone in chicken (boy is it good!).
    You are facing a challenging situation and please recognize that you will NOT change them and should NOT try too. All you can do is to cook for them when you have the opportunity using your less fattening techniques. And when they cook for you, try to partake sparingly.
  • Tamstar1985
    Tamstar1985 Posts: 334 Member
    I usually do a combination of oil (1 tsp - 1 tbsp, depending on how many servings I'm making) and cooking spray. Many nutrients in vegetables are fat soluble, so you need a little fat in there to actually benefit from all the vegetables have to offer. Same goes for eating salads - helps to have a little oil in the dressing, even if it's 1/2 tsp, so that you can actually absorb all the fat-soluble stuff in the vegetables.

    That said, I wouldn't come near a soup that was 2/3 oil with a 10 foot pole, let alone a spoon ....

    @slp2112: oh yeah, totally forgot about fat-soluble nutrients in veggies. when i am cooking veggies like spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, etc, i usually add a teeny bit of oil.

    same with me about the soup, i was embarrassed because his mom was like serving me up bowls of soup, and i was like "sorry i really can't..." as well, when you serve a roasted pork, it is custom here to serve the skin with the fat underneath it to the "special guests" at the table. every time i have visited my fiance's family they insist on giving me these choice bits. ahhh! then i get the challenge of cutting it up with my chopsticks and hiding it in napkins when no one's looking...

    at least i can see in everyone's replies that what i do is fairly normal, for healthy-minded individuals!!
  • abyt42
    abyt42 Posts: 1,358 Member
    Very, very, little....unless I'm following a muffin or quickbread recipe (and then I replace up to 1/2 of the oil with either yogurt or applesauce.)

    I use a well-seasoned cast iron pan, and add water (or broth) for most vegetables. I will admit to a little olive oil when I'm trying to crisp potatoes. I also roast asparagus with olive oil.
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
    I rarely use oil anymore, or butter for that matter. When I saute these days it is in Pam and a little water. I have never added oil to my soups like you describe, it sounds gross actually. I would not want a soup that separates as you eat it. :laugh: Maybe they will let you do your own cooking, hopefully they are not insulted by that.
  • Losing2Live69
    Losing2Live69 Posts: 743 Member
    I use very minimal oil. When cooking something in a pan (I don't like to call it 'frying'-it reminds me of crisco:smile: ) I use olive oil non-stick cooking spray. If I do need to use oil in something I use virgin olive oil or coconut oil...like a tablespoon at a time, very sparingly. I have a tendency to have high cholesterol. It is the genetic high cholesterol, so it comes from my genes and what I eat...a double whammy. I used to use butter by the whole stick and canola oil by the cupful! My fry daddy was my best friend! Now the smell of fried food makes my stomach churn!
  • Macacadopai
    Macacadopai Posts: 183 Member
    The best thing I ever did to my diet was buy a steamer. It's amazing!
  • ameaston22
    ameaston22 Posts: 38
    Oil in soup? I've never even thought of that before - sounds kinda yuck to me!
    I use oil very sparingly and usually just olive oil. I will use maybe 1 - 2 tablespoons depending on how much I am cooking.
  • Jaynequ
    Jaynequ Posts: 39
    Out of interest, why do people use olive oil to cook with? When you heat it it's molecular structure changes and it becomes a saturated fat, so has no health benefits at all. Most chefs would recommend cooking with sunflower oil and saving your expensive EVOO for salads.

    That said I almost never use oil anyway. I 'fry' onions in water and have good non stick pans, so never seem to need it.
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