Food Scales, do you have one?

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  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    No, I am happy guessing. Sometimes I go over, sometimes under, sometimes I don't log some of the exercise I do (I don't log walking unless I am doing a long one). I would go nuts weighing everything I ate! How would you cope eating out?

    The same way you would cope with anything else using common sense and the foundation learned from weighing at home. I can eye 2 oz, 4oz, and 6 oz of meat...the same with veggies because I have trained myself to know.

    Weighing helps with learning portion sizes so that eventually you won't have to weigh every single thing. You will be able to eye a 1/4 cup of walnuts or a tablespoon of olive oil.

    If you are guessing you don't know whether you are over or under. Without ever weighing you don't have the foundation to know the difference in what the correct portion sizes would look like.

    But if its working for you and you aren't having issues with stalling and weight gain continue to do you.

    I cook a huge amount, so I have a very good idea of how much things weigh. I know 4 apples are about a lb, so it's easy enough to guess what one weighs. Likewise, I know how many grams of cereal there are in a box, and how many servings I get from a box, so I can guess very accurately how much I am eating. I don't eat meat, so that's not relevant. If you know roughly how much things weigh, I don't think a scale is that important. It's just common sense. And does it really matter if a carrot weighs 100g or 110gs? There's about 5 calories difference. I measure all my cooking oil, so I know my fat intake.
    I just think if you are sensible and know what real portion sizes look like, it isn't that big a deal. Maybe if you have spent your life eating ready meals and takeaways it's different. I haven't. I have always cooked all my own food from scratch.

    Cereal is actually an excellent example of where weighing vs. measuring by number of servings per box or cup measures will often be RADICALLY different.

    All cereals are irregularly shaped. Yes, even the cereals which have only one shape in the box. Why? Because they crumble in the box with handling. The big intact pieces at the top of the box fill a cup measure with fewer pieces than do the half-smashed ones near the bottom or the dust at the very bottom. HUGE variations! Think of the difference between 1 cup of sugar cubes vs. 1 cup of granulated sugar vs. 1 cup of powdered sugar.

    Also, food labeling requires that the total weight of the box fall within certain parameters, not that the weight be ACCURATE. It's accurate give or take about 20%, legally. So one box may be 20% under and the next may be 20% over.
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    Here's a great example of why you need a food scale:

    Tonight I'm having Alexa Sweet Potato Fries with dinner.

    The package says a serving size is 3oz/84g (30 pieces).

    So I weighed it out to get the portion correct and then just for fun I counted the pieces. There were only 17. If I had not used a scale, I'd have prepared and eaten twice as many fries as the actual portion, but recorded it as one portion.
  • pittielover23
    pittielover23 Posts: 268
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    Have one and love it! I use it all the time when measuring out my portions, especially with meat.
  • Cynthiafaron
    Cynthiafaron Posts: 114 Member
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    use mine all the time - It really makes you think about what you put into your body-- sometimes it makes me decide not to add whatever to my meal :smile:
  • JAG1224
    JAG1224 Posts: 191 Member
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    i have a cheap one from walmart and i love it.. i weigh & measure everything and feel confident that calories i'm taking in are accurate. portion control is key! :smile:
  • kyodi
    kyodi Posts: 376 Member
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    If there was a fire I would save my digital food scale after my wife and cat. When a recipe calls for "1 lb (or 4 breasts)" of boneless skinless chicken breast you have no way of knowing. I've seen them range from 8 to 17 oz a breast. I weigh everything that has a serving size in weight. Like almonds; "1 oz or about 32 kernels". I go for the weight.
  • SabrinaJL
    SabrinaJL Posts: 1,579 Member
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    Digital food scales are a must! I love mine, I'm a soapmaker so I originally bought it for weighing my oils and lye but it's a great multitasker!

    I'm a knitter/crocheter and I bought mine to weigh yarn. It was about 3 years before it actually got used for food.
  • Dawntodusk
    Dawntodusk Posts: 262 Member
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    Yes, I have one and I love it as much as you love yours!
  • maremare312
    maremare312 Posts: 1,143 Member
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    Digital food scales are a must! I love mine, I'm a soapmaker so I originally bought it for weighing my oils and lye but it's a great multitasker!

    I'm a knitter/crocheter and I bought mine to weigh yarn. It was about 3 years before it actually got used for food.

    haha, love it!
  • nicolenoel
    nicolenoel Posts: 25 Member
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    I love love love my food scale! It is the most used kitchen gadget I have and I would be lost without it!
  • PinkZeppelin
    PinkZeppelin Posts: 19
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    I have this food scale: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2

    I use it for everything except salad dressing and other liquids.

    It's especially useful for things that are not shaped evenly so cup measures are not very accurate.

    I was just actually looking at that scale online on Amazon, looks like I'm getting it. Made some chicken and rice today and if I didn't work at a place where I weigh meat out all the time, I would be clueless as to how much ~4oz feels like. I would love the ability to definitely know that I put the correct amount.

    On a side now, what color do you have? I'm thinking red.
  • FAtGiRLFItGiRL
    FAtGiRLFItGiRL Posts: 156
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    i love my food scale got it a week ago after starting mfp. its really a "MUST HAVE" theres no doubt about that :) feel free to add me: SABINACOE
  • myukniewicz
    myukniewicz Posts: 906 Member
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    i got a digital food scale for christmas this past year... i wouldn't know what to do with myself if i didn't have it!!! i freakin' love it.
    i am so anal about measuring out things that it is such a life saver!!!!!
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    I have this food scale: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2

    I use it for everything except salad dressing and other liquids.

    It's especially useful for things that are not shaped evenly so cup measures are not very accurate.

    I was just actually looking at that scale online on Amazon, looks like I'm getting it. Made some chicken and rice today and if I didn't work at a place where I weigh meat out all the time, I would be clueless as to how much ~4oz feels like. I would love the ability to definitely know that I put the correct amount.

    On a side now, what color do you have? I'm thinking red.

    I got silver just because it goes with most of my other appliances. But it's nice that they have so many color choices!
  • gailygail99
    gailygail99 Posts: 582 Member
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    I have this food scale: http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=pd_sim_hpc_2

    I use it for everything except salad dressing and other liquids.

    It's especially useful for things that are not shaped evenly so cup measures are not very accurate.

    I was just actually looking at that scale online on Amazon, looks like I'm getting it. Made some chicken and rice today and if I didn't work at a place where I weigh meat out all the time, I would be clueless as to how much ~4oz feels like. I would love the ability to definitely know that I put the correct amount.

    On a side now, what color do you have? I'm thinking red.

    i have red too!! my sis got the silver because she has stainless appliances!! its great!!!

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