Hardcopy Recipes and Calorie Counts

Options
tiny_clanger
tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

Just wondering what others do about preparing hardcopy recipes and calorie counts. I prepared a lunch recipe recently that was (according to the book) 450 calories per serving. However, it really didn't "feel" like eating 450 calories - salad, beans, salsa. When I put the ingredients into MFP, it came out closer to 200 calories - no wonder I'd been hungry the days I'd been eating it for lunch!

Usually where a recipe is a hardcopy so not importable and has already done the nutritionals, I use quick add for the calories and macros, but after this week, I'm not sure...

Thanks

Replies

  • QueenofHearts023
    QueenofHearts023 Posts: 421 Member
    Options
    I never import. I add everything myself from the beginning. I just don't trust other people's calculations hahaha
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    I never trust it. I've seen recipes that are supposedly 200 calories turn up 400+...
  • tiny_clanger
    tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
    Options
    But then who do you trust if your MFP comes in much lower than your recipe book?.......
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
    Options
    I always use the recipe builder and input the actual items I use - therefore I know the correct calorie amounts for the item I am actually consuming.
  • acheben
    acheben Posts: 476 Member
    Options
    I always use the recipe builder with the specific ingredients that I used. I also weigh the ingredients before I add them and use that in the recipe builder instead of just using the cup measurements often provided with recipes.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I always use the recipe builder and input the actual items I use - therefore I know the correct calorie amounts for the item I am actually consuming.

    This. Using my own ingredients, carefully weighed, so I know it's accurate.
  • Susieq_1994
    Susieq_1994 Posts: 5,361 Member
    Options
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I always use the recipe builder and input the actual items I use - therefore I know the correct calorie amounts for the item I am actually consuming.

    This. Using my own ingredients, carefully weighed, so I know it's accurate.

    Yup, thirding this. Not all ingredients are made equal. Just as an example, some cans of beans come with sugar added to the ingredient list, while others contain only water and salt. The beans that have been cooked in water containing sugar are obviously higher in calories than those without. And so on and so forth. :) I always make my own recipe in the MFP recipe builder when I'm making a new dish, even if calorie counts are provided.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    Options
    I never quick add calories even if my cookbook has them listed.
    I manually enter the recipes in the recipe builder before I make it and eat it because I am a prelogger. Some recipes serving size is clearly unrealistic so I adjust it to what I would actually eat.
    I look at the ingredients to make sure the correct entry and amount is chosen for each.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    Options
    I only use the recipe builder.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
    Options
    tiny_clanger wrote: »
    But then who do you trust if your MFP comes in much lower than your recipe book?.......

    You trust yourself for weighing and logging each item correctly in mfp.
  • erinc5
    erinc5 Posts: 329 Member
    edited February 2016
    Options
    I only use imported recipes for placeholder estimations as I am planning out my day. Then, once I actually make the recipe, I replace with my measured amount (personal recipe builder entry).

Categories