Need help with measuring cooked meals

dashagrr
dashagrr Posts: 43 Member
in Recipes
I have been using MyFitnessPal for a while, so far I have eaten mainly simple assembled meals, premade (mostly frozen) meals or just guestimating pulling meals out of the database. I want to cook more and log more accurately. I can't figure out how to use the recipe tool effectively, especially when making large quantities. So I put my ingredients in but how do I know what a "serving" is? Do I divvy up the entire dish into pieces and weigh? I'd like to have a weight of the serving so can log any given meal accurately. Please share your best practices!

Replies

  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
    edited January 2019
    Some recipes give you the serving size. I cook in bulk, divide into serving size containers and freeze. I use the number of containers I package as serving sizes. The weight/measurement of the ingredients are put in to the recipe builder as I add them. 1 container 1 serving.
  • Runaroundafieldx2
    Runaroundafieldx2 Posts: 233 Member
    Weigh the full recipe and enter the number of grams as the servings.
  • kazminchu
    kazminchu Posts: 250 Member
    I'm lazy/predictable so I make the whole recipe, divide it up in roughly equal portions and enter those as the serving. IE if I make a chili and it goes into 12 tubs about the same size I put 12 servings. Each serving will be slightly different but I figure it works out close enough in the end. If it's a recipe you're sharing with others I think most people weigh the whole thing and enter the weight as the servings, so if it weighs 750g they'd put 750 servings. Then weigh out the portion you take and enter that, so if you took 250g enter 250 servings in your diary. I've never done that because I always forget, and I'm not sure my scales would go up to the weight of a full pan of food!
  • stricklee11
    stricklee11 Posts: 218 Member
    When I use the recipe builder, I determine the number of servings by how much I will eat per session. For example, I made stuffed cabbage rolls. Genius Kitchen assigned it a serving of 4 but I changed that to 2 because there is no way I will only eat 2 rolls for lunch. Same thing with Sheppard's pie. I know I will take a large piece, not a small square. So rather than try to cheat (so to speak), I am just honest and divide the finish product by how many servings I or my husband will realistically take, so I can see the true caloric impact of the meal. Soups are a little more tricky but same concept.

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