how do you measure salad?

erinleigh76
erinleigh76 Posts: 62
edited December 25 in Food and Nutrition
I wad wondering how you measure you lettuce for salads? Do you pack or lightly fill a cup measure? Wanting to get the most out of my food :):smile:

Replies

  • IronSmasher
    IronSmasher Posts: 3,908 Member
    Scales
  • kandrews24
    kandrews24 Posts: 610 Member
    Frankly, I don't measure my lettuce. It is just so low calorie, I eyeball it. But if I was going to measure it, I'd mash it down in a measuring cup, or weigh it.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Weigh it.
  • muwchck
    muwchck Posts: 261 Member
    I have a digital kitchen scale, and I use it for everything!
  • MsJenny813
    MsJenny813 Posts: 18
    I weight it too
  • GenesisandEden
    GenesisandEden Posts: 338 Member
    digital scale
  • Frankly, I don't measure my lettuce. It is just so low calorie, I eyeball it.

    ^ This. :)
  • mem50
    mem50 Posts: 1,384 Member
    Scale it!!!
  • Personally I fold it up and put it into a measuring cup (I use 2 cups of lettuce) then measure all of the other ingredients (cucumber, tomatoes, carrot etc) using a 1/4 cup.

    This is a good site to work out the calories:
    http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/build-a-salad/

    :D
  • jdploki70
    jdploki70 Posts: 343
    Hand full = serving. It's 20 calories for a normal handful of salad, so one or two leafs isn't going to matter at all.
  • time2shine29
    time2shine29 Posts: 103 Member
    Frankly, I don't measure my lettuce. It is just so low calorie, I eyeball it. But if I was going to measure it, I'd mash it down in a measuring cup, or weigh it.

    I do the same! It is maybe 20 cals at best for a couple cups.
  • sydnisd183
    sydnisd183 Posts: 247 Member
    eyeball it mostly, i figure a green salad (lettuce only) isn't that much

    I just checked a calorie website and a cup o' lettuce is 8 calories

    I figure if i'm off a cal or 2 i'm gonna survive through it:smokin:

    now as far as dressings go.............that's a whole 'nother story :bigsmile:
  • elm2008
    elm2008 Posts: 95 Member
    Frankly, I don't measure my lettuce. It is just so low calorie, I eyeball it. But if I was going to measure it, I'd mash it down in a measuring cup, or weigh it.
    Me too. I just eye ball it and round to the nearest cup.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    food scale. ounces or grams.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    I don't measure lettuce either -I just eat it :-) I do measure tomatoes and other salad stuff but for leafy veg I just don't bother
  • slowturtle1
    slowturtle1 Posts: 284 Member
    Frankly, I don't measure my lettuce. It is just so low calorie, I eyeball it.

    ^ This. :)

    ^^I don't use the scale because it weighs almost nothing. I pack it lightly or just eyeball it. I more accurately measure the items I add like tomatoes and carrots, dressing, etc., but not the lettuce.
  • homerjspartan
    homerjspartan Posts: 1,893 Member
    Eyeball it.

    Just remember, you don't win friends with salad.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I make my daily salad in a bowl that holds 7 cups. I fill it 1/2 or 2/3 of the way with romaine, then top it with my cukes, cheese, olives, and protein. I'm not worried about the extra 5-10 cals if I measure the romaine wrong....
  • GrammaBonnie
    GrammaBonnie Posts: 232 Member
    I measured out a salad one day. The caloric value was pretty low. My salads are all fairly consistent, with the same items all the time. I just use that count all the time.
  • jadedzen
    jadedzen Posts: 221 Member
    eyeball the greens in a salad, measure dressings. it's not 1/3 c of lettuce that will make you gain.
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
    I don't typically measure salad stuff unless it's calorie dense.
  • mrsheu
    mrsheu Posts: 30
    I don't measure lettuce, cucumbers or carrots in my salad. If this puts me over, so be it!
  • ls_66
    ls_66 Posts: 395 Member
    I was told by my nutritionist not to log any vegetables unless I cook them or if I add dressing just to add the values for it......
  • Thanks so much.......I did end up weighing it and your right I could just eyeball it. I will however measure dressing :tongue:
  • 75Juniper
    75Juniper Posts: 376
    Personally I fold it up and put it into a measuring cup (I use 2 cups of lettuce) then measure all of the other ingredients (cucumber, tomatoes, carrot etc) using a 1/4 cup.

    This is what I do. Or, I'll just grab a couple of handfuls and base it off of the serving size on the bag (I only buy pre-cut lettuce). But rough estimates are fine. You're probably only going to be off by 5-20 calories at best.
  • I always measure it by a digital scale.:drinker:
This discussion has been closed.