Serving Sizes...Need help on this topic

coolcatcan
coolcatcan Posts: 133 Member
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
This might seem silly, but I've always been confused about serving sizes in recipes. When it says in a recipe "serves 4" well, what exactly does that mean for each individual person...what is the serving...1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/4 cup, etc... I am just curious as to what size a serving to serve myself when I cook from a recipe (I cook from the Flat Belly diet cookbook). Anyone have the answer????

Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • WifedUpMartin
    WifedUpMartin Posts: 166 Member
    If I cook from a recipie that says "serves 4" then I just divide what I cook into 4 portions and eat one of them.
  • jrich1
    jrich1 Posts: 2,408 Member
    If I cook from a recipie that says "serves 4" then I just divide what I cook into 4 portions and eat one of them.

    This.. or you can weigh the total amount with a scale and divide by weight
  • Pandorian
    Pandorian Posts: 2,055 MFP Moderator
    In those cases (ie from a complete recipe) if it serves 4 you just take the item (cake and cut it in 4 pieces, each is 1/4 of the full cake)
    If it serves 8 you cut the 4 pieces in half again. It's just 1/4 of the complete recipe for your serving. Use a scale weigh the entire result of the recipe and divide it in 4 if it serves 4.
  • barbacasec
    barbacasec Posts: 106
    I am a little OCD with this one.... i divide the total amt by the serving size...
    I will actually weigh the serving dish empty, make the meal then reweigh the whole thing... subtract the serving dish amount and poof- you get the weight for 4 equal servings.... then I weigh out each serving to that amt... (depending on the # of servings each meal is "supposed to make"
    I know I am crazy :) but it works for me as I make all my lunches for the week on sundays....
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I usually take a measuring cup (or two) and I will figure out what is the serving size. Most stuff is between 1/2 and 1 cup I've found. I just portion it out equally.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    Break the recipe down when you serve it, if it serves 4, give each of the 4 people the same amount.
    If it is just you take 1/4 of the recipe. That is a serving.
    No one can tell you what a serving is. Everything is different sizes.
    IF it is by weight use a food scale.
    IF it is by volume use a measuring cup.
  • Cindio
    Cindio Posts: 74 Member
    I think the best thing to do is to weigh the entire meal, then divide by serving size. Ex: 100g/4= 25g. Then serve yourself one serving, so 25g. Also, if you eat these foods often keep track so that you can refer back to the serving sizes. That way you can just weight it and eat next time :)
  • coolcatcan
    coolcatcan Posts: 133 Member
    Thanks everyone! I feel this was a dumb question, but I really appreciate everyone's quick response!

    :happy:
  • msjaxn69
    msjaxn69 Posts: 44
    I was also confused about serving sizes, especially when making a recipe. I see all these wonderful recipes with calorie counts and how many it serves and so forth, but no serving size. So for that, I didn't make the recipe. Now I know what to do. Thanks for broaching the subject. Now I can make some of the recipes in my Clean Eating and Oxygen magazines.
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