Converting grams... totally confused.

xASHYxSMASHYx
xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
edited November 8 in Food and Nutrition
So I have what is possibly a stupid question, but I haven't been able to figure it out yet.

I am an American who has moved to Australia. Because everything is in Kilojoules here, I find myself converting to calories just because that's what I am used to. But everything here is measured in grams, and I am having a hard time figuring out what the actual serving sizes are because grams are a measure of weight versus amount like I am used to.
For example... today I was trying to calculate how many calories were in a single cracker from a box I had in my cupboard. The only info on it for serving size was 20 grams. Being that half the box was already eaten, I have no idea how many were in it begin with. So I couldn't just divide by 100 grams which was the total amount in the box. I have no idea how the heck I am supposed to know how many crackers is 20 grams? In America the boxes will usually say approx 6 crackers per serving or whatever. I don't want to buy a scale and start weighing everything. And the math I have to do to calculate my daily food intake is really time consuming.
Does anybody know easy ways to figure out accurate serving sizes (i.e. exactly how many pieces of a food item) from grams?

Replies

  • mharriskc
    mharriskc Posts: 5
    I don't know if this will answer your question, but 1 ounce equals 28 grams.
  • floshideaway
    floshideaway Posts: 101 Member
    Hi, first I suggest you get a scale that is in decimal (kgs and grs)
    A pound is 454gr, an ounce 28gr. European also have the decimal system and they do not give info per serving but per 100gr which requires a bit of calculation for someone like me visiting from the States. It really is not that difficult. Actually if you enter the infos found on the package into "my food" on MFP it will do the math for you. Check on your packages, there should be also the equivalence in calories from kilojoules.
  • xASHYxSMASHYx
    xASHYxSMASHYx Posts: 175 Member
    Hi, first I suggest you get a scale that is in decimal (kgs and grs)
    A pound is 454gr, an ounce 28gr. European also have the decimal system and they do not give info per serving but per 100gr which requires a bit of calculation for someone like me visiting from the States. It really is not that difficult. Actually if you enter the infos found on the package into "my food" on MFP it will do the math for you. Check on your packages, there should be also the equivalence in calories from kilojoules.

    Thanks for the tip about entering it in my food, I didn't know about that feature I will have to try it. Some of the products here do also have calories, but not all of them. I guess I will have to invest in a scale.. just makes it hard when I am out and about.
  • Saftlad
    Saftlad Posts: 35 Member
    This is a problem many people come across who are not from America given that many websites are USAcentric. I prefer to have grams indicated for a portion, because I don't know what a "cup" is. I guess a cup is useful for some things but weight is better for others.

    Simplest answer is to measure everything. The alternative is that you weigh a cracker for example and see what that weighs, then use that as a ratio of a serving.

    I think MFP is regionalised, so I like that I can enter grams rather than a serving. It also has the advantage that if I can't find the exact item I am trying to enter, I can find something similar and take the nutritional info from that. Foodstuffs do seem to be what I can find in UK supermarkets.
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    I convert the other way kg to oz.
    Just google it -there are online weight converters. Thank goodness!
  • bsalis76
    bsalis76 Posts: 31
    I guess it's just something you will learn in time. Not sure there is any way around it.

    Only thing I can think that might help is to use the mobile app to scan the barcode. That might give some more options like serving size in Crackers or what not instead of just grams.

    Anyhow, hope your liking Australia so far.
  • fatty2fabby
    fatty2fabby Posts: 415 Member
    buy a scale! i moved from bermuda to the uk and was totally lost but a scale has helped sooo much i just weigh everything
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