Because I am that idiot.....

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I even weigh pans and serving dishes, so I can net the calories for a recipe without transferring to a new container. Big batch of taco meat, for instance. Pan weighs 1450 grams. Entire batch of meat + pan = 3000 grams. Because it has 8 servings, 3000-1450=1550/8 = 194g/serving

JohnBarth wrote: »

I even weigh pans and serving dishes, so I can net the calories for a recipe without transferring to a new container. Big batch of taco meat, for instance. Pan weighs 1450 grams. Entire batch of meat + pan = 3000 grams. Because it has 8 servings, 3000-1450=1550/8 = 194g/serving

I do this, & I stand a tin of beans on if it stops me seeing the display.

Ha! The tare function is the best! Glad you've seen the error of your ways.

Took me forever to work that out myself. Don't feel bad.

I didn't realize people thought that. We've always had a food scale around for cooking, so using one wasn't new to me. I guess it explains some people's reluctance to use a scale, haha. It's actually easier than measuring cups!

LOL - I am sure you weren't the first, and I am sure you won't be the last. Definitely much easier once you figure it out.

jaga13 wrote: »

Maybe this is common knowledge, but I wanted to spare anyone who has been reluctant to use a food scale...

At first, I assumed I had to tediously weigh every food item separately, directly on the scale (weigh food, remove and wipe it clean, weigh 2nd ingredient, wipe it clean, etc). It took me a while to realize that I am an idiot....

Turn the scale on. Set it to grams. Put your bowl or plate directly on the scale. Zero it out. THEN put the first ingredient. Zero it out and add the next ingredient, repeat. I can't believe I didn't understand this immediately--so literally all you have to do is hit the zero/tare button before adding each ingredient. Nothing to clean. No extra steps since you're already adding in ingredients to your plate/bowl anyway. It's THAT easy.

I hope I have spared someone from this shame.

*facepalm* Thanks for posting this. I usually avoid weighing because I think it takes too much time. Didn't even think about zeroing out between items. I always grab separate containers. Feeling like an idiot.

This idiot has just joined the group. I was weighing everything, one at a time as well. Dont feel bad, i think sometimes, things just dont dawn on us, even though it is probably common sense! Making life easier is what it is all about!!

greaseswabber wrote: »

JohnBarth wrote: »

I even weigh pans and serving dishes, so I can net the calories for a recipe without transferring to a new container. Big batch of taco meat, for instance. Pan weighs 1450 grams. Entire batch of meat + pan = 3000 grams. Because it has 8 servings, 3000-1450=1550/8 = 194g/serving

I do this but take it a step further. Set the number of servings for the recipe to 1550. Then when you serve out a portion, weigh out the number of grams and enter that as the number of servings. Perfect portion, every time.

But how do you know exactly how many calories are in each of those 1,550 servings? Or in any recipe for that matter? Let's say I make one of my family's favorite recipes, Cuban picadillo.... ground beef, stewed tomatoes, olives, raisins, spices, served on rice. Do I have to weight every single ingredient before I put it in the pan? Then add all that up to get the calories for the entire recipe? I hate to cook so much that this would be a deal breaker for me. ugh... It's bad enough that I have to do the cooking anyway.

Last time I made this recipe I just took the calories listed in MFP for a cup of cooked ground beef and added 100 or so more for the calories in the olives and raisins. Yeah, not accurate. But since I'm still on the beginning of losing weight -- meaning I have quite a bit to lose -- I'm just going with it as it is. If [when?] I reach a plateau I might rethink the recipe counting. Or, I might stop cooking "mixed up" recipes and stick with mean/veggie/starch. lol

kristydi wrote: »

And to add to this op.

If you put a jar of peaut butter or something on the scale and zero it, then you can scoop out what you want and it will show how.much you took out.

Someone posted that on here recently and it was awesome!

omg.... {adding to my list of things learned lately...}

kristydi wrote: »

And to add to this op.

If you put a jar of peaut butter or something on the scale and zero it, then you can scoop out what you want and it will show how.much you took out.

Someone posted that on here recently and it was awesome!

You're welcome...

Monklady123 wrote: »

greaseswabber wrote: »

JohnBarth wrote: »

I even weigh pans and serving dishes, so I can net the calories for a recipe without transferring to a new container. Big batch of taco meat, for instance. Pan weighs 1450 grams. Entire batch of meat + pan = 3000 grams. Because it has 8 servings, 3000-1450=1550/8 = 194g/serving

I do this but take it a step further. Set the number of servings for the recipe to 1550. Then when you serve out a portion, weigh out the number of grams and enter that as the number of servings. Perfect portion, every time.

But how do you know exactly how many calories are in each of those 1,550 servings? Or in any recipe for that matter? Let's say I make one of my family's favorite recipes, Cuban picadillo.... ground beef, stewed tomatoes, olives, raisins, spices, served on rice. Do I have to weight every single ingredient before I put it in the pan? Then add all that up to get the calories for the entire recipe? I hate to cook so much that this would be a deal breaker for me. ugh... It's bad enough that I have to do the cooking anyway.

Last time I made this recipe I just took the calories listed in MFP for a cup of cooked ground beef and added 100 or so more for the calories in the olives and raisins. Yeah, not accurate. But since I'm still on the beginning of losing weight -- meaning I have quite a bit to lose -- I'm just going with it as it is. If [when?] I reach a plateau I might rethink the recipe counting. Or, I might stop cooking "mixed up" recipes and stick with mean/veggie/starch. lol

So, for your Cuban Picadillo, manually enter the recipe into the MFP recipe builder thing. Use weight measurements wherever possible in the recipe. Then, make the recipe. When you are all done cooking, weigh the entire amount of food that you just prepared. Now, back in the recipe builder for the recipe that you previously entered, set the number of servings to the total grams of food you just made. (It could be several thousand grams.)

Then when you eat, just weigh the portion that you want. When you track the portion you eat in your diary, 1 gram = 1 serving. So if you serve yourself 200 grams of the recipe, enter in 200 servings. MFP will calculate the calories for you

Monklady123 wrote: »

greaseswabber wrote: »

JohnBarth wrote: »

I even weigh pans and serving dishes, so I can net the calories for a recipe without transferring to a new container. Big batch of taco meat, for instance. Pan weighs 1450 grams. Entire batch of meat + pan = 3000 grams. Because it has 8 servings, 3000-1450=1550/8 = 194g/serving

I do this but take it a step further. Set the number of servings for the recipe to 1550. Then when you serve out a portion, weigh out the number of grams and enter that as the number of servings. Perfect portion, every time.

But how do you know exactly how many calories are in each of those 1,550 servings? Or in any recipe for that matter? Let's say I make one of my family's favorite recipes, Cuban picadillo.... ground beef, stewed tomatoes, olives, raisins, spices, served on rice. Do I have to weight every single ingredient before I put it in the pan? Then add all that up to get the calories for the entire recipe? I hate to cook so much that this would be a deal breaker for me. ugh... It's bad enough that I have to do the cooking anyway.

Last time I made this recipe I just took the calories listed in MFP for a cup of cooked ground beef and added 100 or so more for the calories in the olives and raisins. Yeah, not accurate. But since I'm still on the beginning of losing weight -- meaning I have quite a bit to lose -- I'm just going with it as it is. If [when?] I reach a plateau I might rethink the recipe counting. Or, I might stop cooking "mixed up" recipes and stick with mean/veggie/starch. lol

I use the recipe builder to do the combining. For example, last night's dinner was tater dog casserole:

1 can of baked beans
3 hot dogs, sliced,
1/2 cup of onion
2 cups of tater tots
3/4 cup grated cheddar

Gather ingredients, weigh the pan, used the method above to weigh out all the ingredients individually and add them to the recipe builder, which works just like adding individual foods to your diary.

After cooking, weigh the full pan again, calculate the net weight. (938 g in this case). That is the number of servings. Save the recipe. Add food to diary, chose my newly updated recipe and enter the amount I serve myself. The app knows how many calories, fat, protein, etc is in each "serving". I just tell it how many.

Rather than having to try to portion it out exactly in quarters or eighths, and making sure my wife does the same so I don't lose track of the leftovers, I can serve any amount and be confident in the numbers. At least, as confident as is possible.