I finally broke down and bought a food scale

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sabulaboys4
sabulaboys4 Posts: 160 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
But I am not exactly sure how I am supposed to use it. Do I weigh everything before it is cooked? I want to have a thick cut pork chop for supper, do I weigh it with the bone and log all the weight? I am cooking for more than 1 person most of the time so that brings the question of weighing before or after cooking.

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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    The USDA provides nutrition information for both raw and cooked cuts of meat. They are specific about whether they are for boneless, skinless, etc. Look up the proper entry and use it.
  • ErinR82
    ErinR82 Posts: 50 Member
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    There are usually both raw and cooked weights listed for serving sizes. If it's not on the package, check around online. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding both. Having a food scale is one of the best things I ever bought. I never used one, and now I use it all the time! Very helpful!
  • dramaqueen45
    dramaqueen45 Posts: 1,009 Member
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    I weigh my portions separately and sometimes cook separately so I can keep it separate such as pasta. I don't cook a lot of meat but if I did I think you are to weigh before cooking. If it's got bone in it weigh the bones afterwards and subtract from the total grams. Same thing with things like bananas. I weigh the banana, eat it and then weigh the peel and subtract it from the total.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    It's a bit tricky. Ideally, you want to weigh raw, but with bone in stuff it's a major PITA because the bone weight doesn't count... so I typically log it cooked (using a cooked entry), just weigh the whole thing, then weigh the bone, and deduct the weight of the bone in my entry.

    You could weigh it raw and remove the weigh of the bones when it's cooked too though, I'm just not sure if cooked bone changes weight or not.

    Anyway... I usually weigh things cooked when I cook for my family too because it's just easier. I mean you could weigh it raw then cooked and figure out how much a cooked serving is, but that's where I draw the line.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
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    I weigh all my ingredients raw because it's easier for me. I match it to the appropriate entry in the MFP database. When I am cooking for more than one person, I usually use the recipe builder or I'll cut the measurement in half (or whatever portion, usually I'm cooking for 2).

    Really though, it's more important that you actually do it than it is worrying about the details of doing it. You'll get better as you go along.
  • neohdiver
    neohdiver Posts: 738 Member
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    For items with multiple servings, weigh 3 times. As you're making it weigh the individual components so you know what went into it (this is used to calculate the calories and nutrients). When it is done before anyone has taken a serving (the weight in grams is the number of servings). Finally, weigh your portion. If the weight in grams is 867 and you eat 250 grams, take the totals (I build a recipe - it's easier), divide by 867 (to get the totals for 1 serving), then multiply by 250 servings.

    It's a pain the first time, but I don't usually weigh a dish that I prepare the same way the second, third, etc. time - I just use the recipe I built the first time and after the first time I only weigh my portion.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
  • sabulaboys4
    sabulaboys4 Posts: 160 Member
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    Thank you for your help

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