When you go on a diet, the last thing you want is to argue over the size of the portions. Your partner, or your mother, or whoever is helping you thinks that a portion is a lot smaller than that you do. A starving dieter thinks that a portion is larger than it actually is. For example, a portion of meat is supposed to be the size of the palm your hand or the size of a deck of cards. Your partner thinks that the size of a palm is the size of the palm of a dainty lady who is 4′ 8″ tall and weighs maybe 90 pounds. You get two meals of beef this week, so your idea of the size of a palm is the palm of the hand of the giant who won the weight lifting contest.
The good news is you are both wrong. Using digital kitchen scales to weigh the food will resolve this issue without any problem. Your diet says that you are entitled to 4 ounces of meat, or 6 ounces of meat or maybe 8 ounces of meat. It is a simple matter to weigh the meat on a digital scale and have all debates ended.
Of course, the other thing you will discover when using a food scale is that a portion of vegetables is likely to be much larger than you expect or want it to be. Food scales can be used to weigh any type of food. Many gourmet cooks weigh their ingredients for accuracy and to make sure the result of each recipe is identical in taste, texture and looks.
By using a food scale, you will not be one of these people who eat a whole can of chili and brag, “I stuck to my diet.” One can of chili actually feeds two people. You have gone to all the trouble to go on a diet. You found a diet to follow. You bought the foods you needed. You are using willpower to stick to the diet. Your digital scale will help you maximize your efforts and minimize your frustration over portion size debates. Accurate measurements are necessary to teach you and your body what a correct portion size is.
A side benefit of correct portion control is that you save money. Once you know and eat only one portion, your food budget will stretch a lot further. Kitchen scales come in all sizes, styles, designs and colors. You can just say, “I’ll take that pretty black scale with the white top.” However, the first choice you need to make is if you want a digital scale or a dial scale. Dial scales are usually larger. Digital scales cost more and are more compact. Digital scales are more accurate and easier to read.
The next decision you need to make is how much you will be weighing on the scale. A simple, inexpensive scale is a dial scale with a very small bowl that weights up to two pounds. Scales that weigh more also cost more.
The third decision facing you is the price. You can buy a scale that weighs a small amount of food or a calorie counting scale that weighs the food, computes the calories in the food and keeps a running total of your calorie intake. There are many models between these two. Most scales come with a flat platform on top. There is a difference in the size of the platform and the materials. There are adjustments that can be made if you want to weigh food in a bowl.
Digital scales do require batteries to operate. The scales use very little electricity. The batteries last a long, long time. The price of food scales start around $10 and they can run as high a hundred dollars or so. For all the good they do, this is a very inexpensive investment in your well being. Besides, you will save the cost of the food scale quite quickly in your food budget when you start using correct portion sizes.
No matter what your kitchen decor is, you can find a scale that will add class to your kitchen. Try to find a food scale that is easy for you to use and to read. The three most popular kinds of food scales are top-loading diet scales, digital scales and mechanical hanging scales. Although the mechanical hanging scales are quite an attractive addition to any kitchen, they are not as easy to use as the top-loading diet scale or digital scale.
Recent Posts:
