Thoughts about pasta!

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Replies

  • jennifershoo
    jennifershoo Posts: 3,198 Member
    My thoughts on pasta?.. Yum!

    Portion control is key. I've had pasta pretty much every day, since before MFP, and now. The only difference is that now I have ~75g (dry weight) serving as suggested, rather than ~200g like I used to!

    My view is if I hit my macro targets, and stay within my calories, I'm happy! :D

    yep - 75g dry weight = 170g cooked.

    I don't cook just for myself so can't do the dry weight measuring, so I can weigh it cooked when it's served to the whole family.

    Thanks for those mesures. I always struggle to know the cooked to dry conversion ratio.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    My thoughts about pasta? hmmm?

    Nom nom nom nom.

    Yes. I like it

    DITTO

    Om nom nom nom nom.
    I agree.

    Oh, and spaghetti squash with jarred pasta sauce is pretty tasty and low calorie when you don't have enough calories for the real thing. :D
  • sarahgilmore
    sarahgilmore Posts: 572 Member
    I love pasta we usually have it once a week or so.
    I can never eat the full serving though, it fills me up so much!
    I usually have about 40g dry weight, and that seems to do me nicely.
  • mes1119
    mes1119 Posts: 1,082 Member
    I avoid pasta like the plague. I know how my body reacts with refined carbs tho, I blow up like a balloon. I think you have to just know how your body will react to certain types of food.

    I also like to have high amounts of protein at each meal and it is hard to get that with pasta.
  • Max_Power
    Max_Power Posts: 84 Member

    Nothing wrong with pasta. If you want to eat it more frequently, buy tofu noodles and use them instead of the pasta. Just wash them really good and pat dry, then cook in the microwave. You can also use spaghetti squash too.

    +1 on both of these ideas- spaghetti squash or shirataki noodles are great substitutes with some light spaghetti sauce! And when I do go for real pasta, it is almost always whole wheat or multigrain.
  • cloud2011
    cloud2011 Posts: 898 Member
    There are some brands of sauce better than others, but in terms of pasta itself, I've never liked whole grain even though some people swear by it.

    In any case, if you cook regular pasta al dente (slightly chewy, not mushy), it is supposed to be better for you in terms of the carbs and metabolizing them.

    For me, I still eat everything I have always eaten, including pasta, sausage, sauce, etc. I just eat more reasonable portions. Some people have a harder time with portion control when it comes to pasta, so if it's that type of food for you, maybe something else would make you feel more full
  • Amy911Gray
    Amy911Gray Posts: 685 Member
    Love pasta! All kinds...and since I plan to eat that after the weight loss, I added it back to my diet about 30 pounds ago!
  • clareplease
    clareplease Posts: 7 Member
    I think pasta is high in calories and low in nutritional value and it doesn't fill you up -- a food to eat rarely when a restaurant has nothing else on the menu (and be prepared to go hungry if you control your portion). You wind up having to put so much good stuff on top to make it taste good, you may as well just eat the good stuff.
  • runfoodierun
    runfoodierun Posts: 59 Member
    anything in moderation. :)
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    I eat a lot of pasta - sometimes four times a week - sometimes multi-grain, sometimes traditional semolina (white) pasta. I lost 50+ pounds easily, and relatively quickly, eating pasta very regularly.

    I think different bodies respond in different ways to different diets. Some people can't do lots of carbs, fortunately... I'm not one of them. :-)
  • capnwo85
    capnwo85 Posts: 1,103 Member
    Pasta is awesome, if your'e anal about it whole wheat is better if not, just use portion control. i have pasta day every friday usually, yes I'm THAT cool.

    2-11-12-1.jpg
  • PunkyRachel
    PunkyRachel Posts: 1,959 Member
    I eat pasta almost daily, smaller portions now and I switched to whole grain wheat. I try and stay away from white sauces, and do more tomato based sauces. I have heard that low carb. diets is better. I just can't do, so I just try and keep it as healthy as possible :)
  • ericcumbee
    ericcumbee Posts: 117 Member
    i love pasta, now i just watch my portions.

    the Ronzoni pasta portions, where one serving is in each pouch. they have really helped me. ive been alternating between the light Alfredo sauce and marina sauce, and pulling apart a rotisserie chicken and throwing that in.

    ive also been working more whole wheat pasta into my diet as well. i just wish they would do pasta portions in whole wheat.
  • Nopedotjpeg
    Nopedotjpeg Posts: 1,805 Member
    Put it in your mouth and eat it. That's my thought on pasta.
  • MIKE1SS
    MIKE1SS Posts: 53
    I have smart taste pasta with a little organic butter it inst too bad feel free to check my diary for the meals

    today me and my sons made meat sauce to surprise my wife for valentines day still kept it under but barely
  • christina0089
    christina0089 Posts: 709 Member
    I love my pasta and it is def ok to eat once or twice a week using portion control of course! I have 2 recipies that you can try that are good and easy, since you said you are not a very expierenced cook. this one is simple and sooo good!

    tried this last night and omg was it good!

    Ingredients:

    1/4 cup Ragu light garlic alredo sauce
    2 oz Mini penne pasta (prepared according to package directions) you can use whole wheat if desired.
    1/2 cup yellow squash skin on (diced)
    3 whole Mushrooms (coarsly chopped)
    1/4 cup Diced onion
    1/2 tsp olive oil
    1 tsp land o lakes garlic butter
    1 tsp bacon pieces/crumbles (such as hormel) I use GFS brand.
    1/4 cup frozen peas
    1/4 water

    I made this for me only and the above recipie is for 1 person but you can double or triple it easily for a family.

    In a non stick skillet add olive oil, onions and butter sautee until onions are soft. Add remaining vegetables and continue to sautee until until squash begins to soften add water and allow the vegetables to simmer on med/low heat stiring often until all liquid is absorbed add bacon at this time and continue cooking on low until vegetables start to caramelize. Add alfredo sauce and stir to incooperate all the veggies and carmelized yumminess then toss with prepared penne pasta.

    Good luck! :)
  • denisevr
    denisevr Posts: 1 Member
    Dream fields pasta has low glycemic index
  • beckylawrence70
    beckylawrence70 Posts: 752 Member
    everything in moderation, just had that for lunch today......
  • barrysu
    barrysu Posts: 2 Member
    I think as long as you reach your daily goal, you can eat what you'd like.
    That's why I love this site, it's like a game to me, a competitive game, and I like to win.
    For example last Sunday, I had two really nice fatty slices of pepperoni pizza for lunch...and added them here around 1:00. After seeing what they cost, I was at the gym at 2:00 and knew exactly what I needed to burn them off..and come weigh-in on Monday morning, I was fine.
    -Barry
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    I eat it all the time but use whole wheat pasta.
    This DEGO will never go long without his pasta!:drinker:
  • mccarol1956
    mccarol1956 Posts: 422 Member
    Ronzini spaghetti is about 30 cals less per serving and has added fiber. 6954888.png

    I love Ronzoni smart taste I think its called. Higher fiber, lower calorie, and great taste and feels like regular pasta when your eating it. It is the only pasta we use now.
  • thuitema84
    thuitema84 Posts: 27 Member
    I rarely eat pasta, but that was taken out gradually over years and without a lot of major thought. If a pasta dish is being served somewhere, I'll allow myself to try it, I just never have it in the house (feels like there isn't much offered except bloating afterwards). Like a lot of other "irrelevant foods", I use a healthy alternative instead.

    Example: cut up zucchini like pasta and boil it for a couple minutes, then throw a homemade tomato sauce with cheese

    Tastes great, you can eat more of it, and its fulfilling.
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