Do you separate foods when portioning?

1992Leigh1992
1992Leigh1992 Posts: 100 Member
edited November 13 in Recipes
Do you separate foods when portioning?

I’m not sure if this belongs in Recipes or Food and nutrition, but I’m curious as to whether or not others do this.
After cooking soups, lasagna and quiches, I divide the whole dish into servings so that I can estimate the macros and log it.

However, if it is something like, say, a stir-fry with noodles, I cook the veggies/sauce/tofu together and keep the noodles separate. So I measure out a serving of pasta and a serving of the stir-fry, as opposed to mixing it all together in the pan.

I have it in my head that this makes my logging more accurate but maybe there is no significant difference?

I’d like to hear from others who measure and log their recipes and how they approach it.

Replies

  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Yes typically I separate it.
  • Clawsal
    Clawsal Posts: 255 Member
    Well if you are going to eat it all yourself over a few days it really doesn't matter. I only cook for myself, but never mix pasta/rice with the rest because I don't like to re-heat them.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Agreed, it depends on who is eating the food. If it's just you, the math will all work itself out in the end. If my family is eating something I cooked, I'll often separate out the more calorie dense ingredients and weigh them separately before logging them.
  • 2snakeswoman
    2snakeswoman Posts: 655 Member
    If I'm cooking for myself, I can be precise about measuring each thing separately and logging it. When I'm cooking for the family, however, it's much harder. Sure, I can log the recipe, but then I have to determine how much is one serving and how many servings the recipe makes. It's not that easy.
  • 1992Leigh1992
    1992Leigh1992 Posts: 100 Member
    Thanks for sharing.

    It is normally my partner and I, so typically I make 4 servings and thag lasg 2 nights. So I divide the main dish and we serve ouraelves for rice/ pasta.

    I am making a lentil stroganoff type dish but with potato. I rarely use potato so I am tossing up between

    a. cooking and serving it separately or,
    b. chopping it into really small.cubes and mixing it really well.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    SueInAz wrote: »
    Agreed, it depends on who is eating the food. If it's just you, the math will all work itself out in the end. If my family is eating something I cooked, I'll often separate out the more calorie dense ingredients and weigh them separately before logging them.

    Good point!
  • iamnotvoldemort
    iamnotvoldemort Posts: 56 Member
    I cook pretty much for just myself.

    If I'm making something from a recipe, I'll save a recipe as written, except without rice/pasta/potato/bread if the recipe includes it because I typically omit the starch all together. If I decide to eat it, I just log it separately.

    If I'm just free-wheeling it, like making an individual portion of stir fry or doing a simple dinner of a piece of meat and steamed vegetables, I just log everything separate.
  • mirrim52
    mirrim52 Posts: 763 Member
    I seperate out things like pasta and rice, because I often choose how much starch I eat based on how my calories and macros look for the day. I love carbs, but if I am already on the high end for the day, I will take half my regular portion. If I have had a lower carb day and have the calories to spare, I will load up on all the carbs :)
  • ShandaLeaS
    ShandaLeaS Posts: 136 Member
    Everything separate here like pasta and sauce. If it's say lasagna I weigh it out so I don't preportion leftovers though
  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
    I usually cook it and portion separately especially when cooking for my partner and myself. I tend to give him more rice/pasta/noodles though because the carb needs of a 6'2" male are not the same as a 5'6" female. How much I get also depends on my macros and whether I've had a high or low carb day
  • stacyhaddenham
    stacyhaddenham Posts: 211 Member
    I log the recipe if I am mixing all the ingredients together. If I dish an item separate then I log it separately.
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    I eat casserole typed dishes so rarely I often guesstimate that. If It's every couple weeks I don't want to pull apart lasagna.
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