food scale vs. measuring

Is it more accurate to weigh out food on a scale rather than using measurments (cups, etc.)?

It is more accurate to use the food scale -- measurement in cups of dry ingredients can easily be affected by how the food is packed in the cup -- loosely or tightly, heaping or level.

Scales are definitely more accurate.  I noticed considerable differences in things when I switched from spoons/cups to the scale.  IMO, this is because of misleading manufacturer data provided on the nutrition label of many foods.

On the other hand, when I was first starting out and soley relied on spoons/cups I was still eating less than when I eyeballed my food therefore I still sustained losses.

Thanks...I figured it would be more accurate.  For foods like fresh pineapple, strawberries, grapes, potatoes, cantaloupe, etc., I've been using the food scale.  I try to eyeball the measurments when I'm out and about.  My husband makes fun of me when I measure out a cup of cereal and milk for breakfast or meat of any kind.  He doesn't understand how you can so easily over eat when you don't stick to portions.  But he's a man...easier for him to lose.

yeah -- after a while the cereal and milk thing come close to second nature.  I use the same bowl and fill it to the same place with cereal -- then to the same place with milk.  I always weigh any time I change cereals, however.

And although I know a serving size of meat is approximately the size of a deck of cards -- it still escapes me -- I weigh it...

I know that 1c= 8 oz in liquids.  How much does a cup of solid things weigh? Or does it vary depending on the item? What I mean is how do you measure out 1 c. of strawberries on a scale, or 1c. mashed potatoes?  Is there somewhere on here I could go for the weights of such foods?  Sorry, don't mean to ask dumb questions, just new to the weighing and measuring of foods.

if you go to the Foods tab there is a unit converter. 

Thank you.

When measuring strawberries and such, I don't go by cups.  I just slice them and put them on the scale.  Whatever I think a "serving" size is for my packed lunch, I log the weight of the food in my food log.  I only use the "medium strawberry" in the food log when I'm out to eat and can't weigh my food, then you just have to eyeball it.  I'm getting better at learning to do that.

The great thing about the accuracy of weighing is a gram is a gram is a gram. 

With "ounces", while there is a standard for dry weight oz, you also have to consider fluid oz.  Not the same!!  Ffor example, a fluid oz of water is going to weigh less than a fluid oz of mercury (not that you eat mercury but you get my point.) 

On the topic of food scales.  Do most of you use the electric or the mechanical type?  I would like to get one and I noticed the non electric ones are SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper! 

Not sure where you live, but I found some scales online at walmart.com and sam's club that seemed quite nice and reasonably priced.

coach_k, proud_mom_of_2:

The unit converter on this site can only convert between volume (cup to tbsp, etc.) or weight (ounce to gram, etc.), but not volume to weight or vice versa (cup to ounce, etc.) because density isn't taken into consideration. You could just measure the 1 cup of strawberries (or any food) and then weigh it once to get its density. Then you can easily convert to weight if you measure the volume the same way every time. Or you could just get into the habit of weighing everything every time.

I bought my food scale at Target for like $5.

Electronic ones are way better.  they often have something called tare that allows you to zero. Put bowl ,cup etc on scale then zero it . Add your food,say cereal, zero it again. than add the milk. Zero again. than add fruit. three measures quickly done without having to do much adding and subtracting to figure out each weight. less errors. Also some are accurate to check to each half gram.  Maybe the cheapness of a mechanical scale would be worth it to some (those lucky few who never make arithmetic errors and have the self displine not  to always wanting to eat MORE - (every calorie is noted to see if Ice cream could be snucked into that days food allowance ) . But I am trying to get someone who is a diabetic to over time lose over 100 lb. It's worth the money to me to have the perfect tool if I'm to use it every day for about two years. ( the fact I find it"pretty"-(I like good form function design) add pleasure to what in time might be an annoying chore.)  go to

http://www.salterhousewares.com/tpages/products/inde x.asp?code=14&page=2&x=9&y=18

and peek at the 2010 -the one I found perfect. It is a quality brand and I was lucky to find it at half price at a discount place.

If you like the idea of one like that like me, maybe someone in your family will give you that as a early Christmas present. The kind of useful thing a parent would be delighted to help out with.

Thanks for the off topic scale tips.  I guess I must have been looking in the wrong places.  I didn't even think about how handy the zeroing function would be for weighing food.