Food Scale Options

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UsedToBeHusky
UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So my kid decided that she wanted to do her science project on calories. Obviously, because she has heard me talk about how I'm losing weight and she is curious. So we looked up a science project online on how to build a bomb calorimeter. I'm really excited about doing the experiment, but I have a problem. The experiment requires that we weigh the food. I haven't been weighing my food. I have been estimating and approximating this whole time. How can I weigh the food without buying an expensive food scale? Any suggestions?

Replies

  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    your most accurate bet will be a digital scale - they can get kind of pricey ( i think we paid 30 or $40 for ours)
    you can get others for much cheaper - try a thrift store first maybe? i know target and walmart have food scales.
    if you dont want to buy a food scale at all, maybe use your bathroom scale?
  • UponThisRock
    UponThisRock Posts: 4,522 Member
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    $20 at walmart
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
    Options
    your most accurate bet will be a digital scale - they can get kind of pricey ( i think we paid 30 or $40 for ours)
    you can get others for much cheaper - try a thrift store first maybe? i know target and walmart have food scales.
    if you dont want to buy a food scale at all, maybe use your bathroom scale?

    No. I really only see me using it for this project. I don't see any point in weighing out food. It only complicates my new lifestyle. (Can't make it complicated). My daughter had suggested the bathroom scale too, but we are talking about grams. That just won't work.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    No. I really only see me using it for this project. I don't see any point in weighing out food. It only complicates my new lifestyle. (Can't make it complicated). My daughter had suggested the bathroom scale too, but we are talking about grams. That just won't work.
    If you NEED grams, you'll need a food scale. check a thrift store and then you can just donate it back when you're done.
    Target has a mechanical scale for around $5 and does lbs and kg, but a weight limit of 1 lb (not sure the amount of foods you'll be weighing)
  • lyngoode
    lyngoode Posts: 197 Member
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    You can get a regular food scale for about $5 at Wal-mart. it is nothing fancy, just a measuring cup on top of a scale. It worked wonders for me. I liked it so much I purchased one for my mother.
  • Andi67
    Andi67 Posts: 41 Member
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    I have one and use it regulary but it is for my daughters that have Type 1 Diabetes. It comes in handy when trying to calculate carbs so that I can give them insulin.

    My suggestion, buy a scale at a store with a very liberal return policy. Use it for the project, and then return it. :ohwell:
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    Good news! The teacher is going to let us borrow one.
  • Amber82479
    Amber82479 Posts: 629 Member
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    I weigh and measure everything and I'm so glad I do, because it's shocking how far off I was in portion sizes! I would suggest using a food scale all the time, not just for the project.

    I bought this scale for work: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PGRBVM/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details and love it! It weighs in ounces, fluid ounces, grams and pounds I think. And comes in fun colors. I also have a weight watchers scale that works well, although now that I'm not using weight watchers anymore, I don't use most of the functions.
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    I weigh and measure everything and I'm so glad I do, because it's shocking how far off I was in portion sizes! I would suggest using a food scale all the time, not just for the project.

    I bought this scale for work: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003PGRBVM/ref=oh_o01_s00_i00_details and love it! It weighs in ounces, fluid ounces, grams and pounds I think. And comes in fun colors. I also have a weight watchers scale that works well, although now that I'm not using weight watchers anymore, I don't use most of the functions.

    I've had a lot of success without weighing food. Taking the time to weigh food adds complication to the process. If this is too complicated, then I won't do it because my life is too busy. I'm a working single mom and going to school as well. The program that I have put together for myself is working so I don't see making changes that might frustrate me and cause me to lose motivation. Thanks for the suggestion though.

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