Do you measure food by weight or volume?

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jeep725
jeep725 Posts: 4 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have a food scale and I find it more convenient to measure foods out by weight than getting out extra measuring cups/spoons to add ingredients.

However, I'm finding if I compare the info to what is listed on cartons, they don't usually match up. For example, the label on my cottage cheese carton says a serving size = 1/2 cup (113g)

So I've been weighing out 113 g for a serving size. I then measured out a 1/2 cup to compare, and it actually weighed 126 g.

So I'm curious, which is more accurate to the listed calories? I'm not even sure how I could go about finding out.

Replies

  • socioseguro
    socioseguro Posts: 1,679 Member
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    food scale for solids
    measuring spoons and measuring cup for liquids only
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    Weight, always weight.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    socioseguro wrote: »
    food scale for solids
    measuring spoons and measuring cup for liquids only

    This.
  • foxygirl14
    foxygirl14 Posts: 158 Member
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    Always weigh. My food scale has ml measurements as well for liquids.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    weighing is more accurate
  • minizebu
    minizebu Posts: 2,716 Member
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    jeep725 wrote: »
    So I'm curious, which is more accurate to the listed calories?

    The calorie counts on the food nutrition label are tied to the weight of the product, usually in grams (although ounces might be listed for reference), unless it is a liquid, in which case the nutrition data is tied to the volume of the product in ml (or fluid ounces for reference).


  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    foxygirl14 wrote: »
    Always weigh. My food scale has ml measurements as well for liquids.

    Most scales with this setting are based on the weight of a ML of water, and different liquids are going to give you slightly different results. Volume is usually more accurate for liquid, but most of the time it's not that big of a deal.
  • perkymommy
    perkymommy Posts: 1,642 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Depends on what I am weighing but I tend to use my food scale for most everything. I always do meats and anything like tuna or fish on the scale. I do liquids in a measuring spoon/cup and sometimes I weigh veggies in a cup but usually I just sit my plate on the scale and then put the amount I want on the plate and measure it that way.
  • CooCooPuff
    CooCooPuff Posts: 4,374 Member
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    The only think I measure by cup is almond milk.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    Your example explains perfectly why you should always weigh.

    You weighed and logged the calories of 113g. If you had measured, you would have logged 113g but really eaten 126g worth of calories.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    jeep725 wrote: »
    However, I'm finding if I compare the info to what is listed on cartons, they don't usually match up. For example, the label on my cottage cheese carton says a serving size = 1/2 cup (113g)

    This is EXACTLY why people say to use a food scale. If you're using measuring cups you're not eating what you think you are.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    Weigh. My salsa goes into my fajita in a measuring tablespoon. Weighing the contents of the spoon and using convertunits.com to convert from grams to tablespoons usually shows that a tablespoon has 1.4 tblsp of salsa in it.
  • a_candler
    a_candler Posts: 209 Member
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    Weigh it!
  • paddyacme
    paddyacme Posts: 2 Member
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    I wonder about the same thing, but prefer to weigh for convenience. I zero the container and zero again after each food ingredient added. I think weight and volume of water is identical.
  • peacemongernc
    peacemongernc Posts: 253 Member
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    weight

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