How do you keep portions/servings ACCURATE?

WonderNoodle
WonderNoodle Posts: 549
edited October 10 in Food and Nutrition
Myself, I use small bowls, small plates to keep my portions under control. I have little dishes that were made for condiments that I use for snackie foods like trail mix to keep those servings REAL.

When it comes to ice cream, I'll dish it into a measuring cup and eat it out of that because my visual-estimator goes haywire for some reason when it comes to ice cream! :blushing:

I have a food scale and will weigh my meats now and again to verify my visual-estimator is still accurate.

What about you?

Replies

  • kimmiebear70
    kimmiebear70 Posts: 384 Member
    i use measuring cups.
  • ziggythecat
    ziggythecat Posts: 62 Member
    measuring cups, spoons and a food scale.
  • rmkorama
    rmkorama Posts: 232 Member
    I use a scale most of the time. Sometimes if I've weighed something previously, I'll use a measuring cup. For example, I weighed a half cup of rice is so I can use that measurement instead if I want to.
  • ltlemermaid
    ltlemermaid Posts: 637 Member
    I use small bowl, plates for all my meals--like you I have to visually see it and if its on a smaller plate etc its easier to see it as the correct portion. If I use a larger plate bowl-it doesn't look like enough food.

    I also use a food scale to weigh everything. For items that don't have weights I use measuing spoons and cups.
  • heathersmilez
    heathersmilez Posts: 2,579 Member
    You invest in a neat gimmick like this one;

    PORTION_CONTROL_PLATE.jpg

    But more realistically, get a scale. I personally didn’t want to invest in an “expensive” one (like $20+) since I already understood portion size and am a healthy weight/BMI I just wanted to be anal retentive about pasta and potatoes; items that are hard to measure by cup size so I spent only $7.99 on this one

    scale.jpg

    http://www.kitchenstuffplus.com/shop/product.php?d=&sd=&pid=W000116
  • grover0ca
    grover0ca Posts: 568 Member
    I would say I use my kitchen scale on a daily basis unless something comes in a specific serving size.
    I also use my measuring spoons & measuring cup... these 3 things are perfect & it is the only way I can be sure of my sizes!
  • elainegsd
    elainegsd Posts: 459 Member
    I portion my stuff out by eye, and when I am at home, I then weigh/measure it to confirm my accuracy. I've found that this turns it into a game and also improves my ability to estimate portion sizes since I get feedback on my abilities on a very regular basis!
  • lab_goddess
    lab_goddess Posts: 170 Member
    I always use a food scale or measuring cups!
  • matina29
    matina29 Posts: 64 Member
    When I am home I measure with a cup and digital scale. If I am going out I am sure to eat as simply as possible. I do not like salad so I opt for baked potatoes vs. fries and veggies. I use my palm for about 4 oz protein as needed. I always choose a higher measurement if I am guessing to be safe.
  • ymamyma
    ymamyma Posts: 227

    When it comes to ice cream, I'll dish it into a measuring cup and eat it out of that because my visual-estimator goes haywire for some reason when it comes to ice cream! :blushing:

    Hahhhha. Mine does, too. I always measure it out, and lately have been eating it out of either a coffee cup (no cold hands!!) or one of those little bowls for condiments. :laugh:
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Measuring cups (for liquids) and a food scale for everything else. TOTALLY worth the investment. Here's a fantastic one for $25 from amazon.com (you can see the gazillion good reviews - long battery life, reliable, high weight limit (11 lbs - higher than most)) Plus free shipping!

    http://www.amazon.com/EatSmart-Precision-Digital-Kitchen-Silver/dp/B001N07KUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1293728751&sr=8-1-spell
  • TheGetFitGal
    TheGetFitGal Posts: 98 Member
    How different is the measurement per portion as compare to the portion average size put up by MFP to select from
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    palm of my hand is a portion.
  • dredremeg
    dredremeg Posts: 202 Member
    I alway use a food scale, measuring cup and spoons.
  • Lrdoflamancha
    Lrdoflamancha Posts: 1,280 Member
    Mindful_Trent wrote: »
    Measuring cups (for liquids) and a food scale for everything else.

    This...this and only this.... Everything eles is a guess...
  • adamitri
    adamitri Posts: 614 Member
    Always a scale for solids and measuring cups and spoons for liquids.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    food scale for solids, measuring cups, etc for liquids.
  • CountessKitteh
    CountessKitteh Posts: 1,505 Member
    I excel at visual volume (I make "I can't possibly write down the recipe, I just throw in 'enough' of Product X" people crazy when I can duplicate their nonsense), but I still weigh everything I can, and measure everything I can't. My food scale was one of my best investments.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    Old thread is old.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    urloved33 wrote: »
    palm of my hand is a portion.

    Good for you...the palm of my husband's hand is probably two portions, so what would happen if he cooks? Food scale and measuring cups.......
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    I like to over complicate things so I'll record my body weight and then stand on my bathroom scales whilst holding a salmon fillet and calculating the difference.
  • theston412
    theston412 Posts: 47 Member
    gaurikudav3 wrote: »
    How different is the measurement per portion as compare to the portion average size put up by MFP to select from

    If I'm entering stuff into MFP, I'll search (as an example) for "jasmine rice grams," and I'll search for something that gives me the option of 1gram, and then I can enter in my number of grams. My food scale weighs in ounces, pounds and kilograms, so the process would be the same.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    Weigh the solids on a food scale and measure all liquids. At first it is a bit of a PIA but I worked in the food industry for years so it really isn't a big deal to me to do it.
  • CountessKitteh
    CountessKitteh Posts: 1,505 Member
    scottacular wrote: »
    I like to over complicate things so I'll record my body weight and then stand on my bathroom scales whilst holding a salmon fillet and calculating the difference.

    Assuming you're actually a master of sarcastic wit, I'm willing to bet there is SOMEONE who actually does this regularly.
  • BigLifter10
    BigLifter10 Posts: 1,153 Member
    I used to weigh and measure everything until I got to the point of knowing what a serving actually looked like (example: one tablespoon of peanut butter). There are still some things I have to get the measuring cups out for, but for the most part, I've got it down.

    Now, if I'm feeling particularly frisky and wanting something that I know I probably should not have, for whatever reason, I take the scale out, ignore it while I'm dishing up and then flip it off when putting said food back to the fridge/cupboard/freezer. Indignant as h*ll, but it puts that scale in it's place while I pave the way for extra calories on their journey! >:)
  • scottacular
    scottacular Posts: 597 Member
    CountessKitteh wrote: »
    scottacular wrote: »
    I like to over complicate things so I'll record my body weight and then stand on my bathroom scales whilst holding a salmon fillet and calculating the difference.

    Assuming you're actually a master of sarcastic wit, I'm willing to bet there is SOMEONE who actually does this regularly.

    Your assumption made me smile, correct assumption by the way. I have food scales, but when my previous ones died on me a few weeks back I did actually consider that as a last resort.
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