What's the right way to weigh your food?

So I'm a little confused about weighing food should I weigh it when it's frozen or cooked?? What is the right way because when I weigh my frozen mango habanero tilapia fish it's almost 4.10oz once it's cooked and I weigh the tilapia fish it's 3.55oz what is the correct way to put in the fitness pal?

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    For frozen foods, I use the weight pre-cooking. The change in the weight is due to loss of moisture, so the pre-cooking weight will be more accurate.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    The nutrition label is almost always for the "as packaged" or raw weight (it'll be very close to the frozen weight, ime) in the US. If it's not for the raw weight, it should specify otherwise. I try to weigh my foods raw because I find it easier, but if you want to weight it after cooking then most foods have the cooked weight listed in the database somewhere. You just have to track down the accurate and appropriate entry. For instance, you wouldn't want to use an entry that specifies "baked" if you boiled it because the amount of water the food loses or absorbs would make the weight different.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Unless otherwise stated, the nutritional information is for raw/dry weight. You can weigh it after cooking but you need to make sure you select a cooked entry from the database.
  • Lovemehatemebytchez
    Lovemehatemebytchez Posts: 119 Member
    The nutrition label is almost always for the "as packaged" or raw weight (it'll be very close to the frozen weight, ime) in the US. If it's not for the raw weight, it should specify otherwise. I try to weigh my foods raw because I find it easier, but if you want to weight it after cooking then most foods have the cooked weight listed in the database somewhere. You just have to track down the accurate and appropriate entry. For instance, you wouldn't want to use an entry that specifies "baked" if you boiled it because the amount of water the food loses or absorbs would make the weight different.[/quote


    I just scan the back of the packet and then once it's cooked I weigh it again and just fix the ounces.
  • Lovemehatemebytchez
    Lovemehatemebytchez Posts: 119 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Unless otherwise stated, the nutritional information is for raw/dry weight. You can weigh it after cooking but you need to make sure you select a cooked entry from the database.

    So let me understand this better so the packet that the raw food comes in is only for raw? That if I want to weight the food after cook I have to find the cook entry from the Fitness Pal? This is so confusing.
  • gtace36
    gtace36 Posts: 9 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Unless otherwise stated, the nutritional information is for raw/dry weight. You can weigh it after cooking but you need to make sure you select a cooked entry from the database.

    So let me understand this better so the packet that the raw food comes in is only for raw? That if I want to weight the food after cook I have to find the cook entry from the Fitness Pal? This is so confusing.

    Correct .. be very careful with pasta though..!!
  • Lovemehatemebytchez
    Lovemehatemebytchez Posts: 119 Member
    gtace36 wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    Unless otherwise stated, the nutritional information is for raw/dry weight. You can weigh it after cooking but you need to make sure you select a cooked entry from the database.

    So let me understand this better so the packet that the raw food comes in is only for raw? That if I want to weight the food after cook I have to find the cook entry from the Fitness Pal? This is so confusing.

    Correct .. be very careful with pasta though..!!

    Thanks
  • Enjcg5
    Enjcg5 Posts: 389 Member
    I only weigh my meat when cooked so I will search "4oz chicken breast cooked usda" and it comes to 187cal. (I always add "usda" to any search)
  • Lovemehatemebytchez
    Lovemehatemebytchez Posts: 119 Member
    Enjcg5 wrote: »
    I only weigh my meat when cooked so I will search "4oz chicken breast cooked usda" and it comes to 187cal. (I always add "usda" to any search)

    Thank you so much girly, so I lost about 50 lb but I'm plateaued and now I need to start calculating exactly how much I'm eating so this information will definitely help me because I'm just getting super overwhelmed. Thanks again hope you're having a blessed day