Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 01-04-2013, 10:29 AM   #1  
Hi, I'm Lauren! :)
Thread Starter
 
mimsyborogoves's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Washington state
Posts: 1,253

S/C/G: SW:209 / CW:184/ GW:~160

Height: 5'4

Default Serving Sizes... Really?

I was at the grocery store last night and I bought some of those Diet Snapple "to go" single packets to put in my water. It says "Only 5 calories a serving!" on the box, and then when I go to look at the nutrition label, sure enough it's 5 calories for HALF A PACKET. Who the heck only uses half a packet? What do you do with the part of the packet you don't use? It's not like these things are resealable!

It's kinda like when you get a jar of whole pickles and it tells you a serving size is half of a pickle. I mean seriously, who thinks up these things? Is it just a way to make you think you're consuming less calories than you actually are?
mimsyborogoves is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2013, 10:53 AM   #2  
Senior Member
 
betsy2013's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Washington state
Posts: 1,717

S/C/G: 396/351/160

Height: 5'7"

Default

I'm chuckling but only because I totally agree with you. Marketing people think them up. I imagine their first question is "how can we get people to buy this when it's supposed to be a diet product and a true single serving has more calories than they'll likely want?" It must be a trend because I've come across a lot of products where you open up a package and it turns out it "about 2" servings. I love that one, too -- ABOUT 2. Does that mean a little less or a little more than 2 servings. Labeling is a wonderful thing, but you definitely have to read the labeling as opposed to the advertising fluff on the packaging.
betsy2013 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2013, 10:59 AM   #3  
Just Me
 
nelie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Maryland
Posts: 14,707

S/C/G: 364/--/182

Height: 5'6"

Default

Actually, I think the FDA sets serving sizes. I'm guessing that the snapple to go is for 16 ounces of water and a serving size is 8 oz.
nelie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2013, 11:01 AM   #4  
Senior Member
 
bargoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Davis, Ca
Posts: 23,149

S/C/G: 204/114/120

Height: 5'

Default

I don't have any Diet Snapple Packets but I do have Crystal Light Packets there info is exactly the same a serving is half a packet however that is only 5 calories so count two servings at 10 calories.
bargoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2013, 11:33 AM   #5  
Senior Member
 
elvislover324's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Canada
Posts: 3,689

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by mimsyborogoves View Post
Is it just a way to make you think you're consuming less calories than you actually are?
This!
elvislover324 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2013, 11:46 AM   #6  
Moderating Mama
 
mandalinn82's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Woodland, CA
Posts: 11,712

S/C/G: 295/200/175

Height: 5' 8"

Default

Nelie's right. Serving sizes that appear on labels, at least in the US, are set by the FDA, as "Reference Amount Customarily Consumed". The RACC of a beverage/liquid is set at 240ml/8 oz, so a packet made for 16 oz of water has to be labeled as 2 servings.

You can see the table here:

http://www.tpgtex.com/PDFs/Serving_size_table2.pdf
mandalinn82 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2013, 12:30 PM   #7  
Senior Member
 
Lemongrab's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 191

S/C/G: 131/sig/110

Default

I think one packet is meant to make 1 bottle which fills 2 cups? like you can mix it all in a bottle and pour 2 cups from it maybe for you and someone else or pour half and keep half in the fridge to drink later? like on a packet of cookies you can see they state how many servings and calories per serving on the nutritional facts...not supposed to have it all at once. 5cals, 10cals I think it's ok to have 2 servings at once if you want.

Last edited by Lemongrab; 01-04-2013 at 12:32 PM. Reason: typo
Lemongrab is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-04-2013, 06:13 PM   #8  
Member
 
CabernetKitty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 99

Default

I completely agree. I understand that the FDA mandates certain serving sizes, but I think it would be could for some products to have "Calories Per Container" stated in an obvious place.

I buy a brand of tuna and one can contains 142 grams. A serving size is 56 grams. It says on the can "Servings per container: About 2" Ummmmm no, "about 2" would mean around 112 grams.

Last edited by CabernetKitty; 01-04-2013 at 06:17 PM.
CabernetKitty is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2013, 01:41 PM   #9  
Moderator
 
Munchy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 3,202

S/C/G: 133.4/123.2/115

Default

I always ate half a package of Ramen because of that. I don't like to eat more than a recommended serving of anything calorie dense!
Munchy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2013, 01:55 PM   #10  
Dukanista
 
April Snow's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Denver
Posts: 2,547

S/C/G: high263/current257/ticker/198

Height: 5'7"

Default

I understand they are counting 2 portions based on an 8 ounce cup size, but still kind of ironic when the instructions on the packet say "Pour into a 16 oz bottle of water." lol!

It's not too big a deal when it's 5 calories worth of a drink mix but it is definitely a problem when so many other packaged foods are made to seem like it's a reasonable portion and then you find out the calorie count is for 2, 3 or more portions per package.
April Snow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2013, 02:47 PM   #11  
Member
 
eliza422's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 47

Default

I don't use a whole packet!!!! I usually get about 3 "servings" that I put into my 16 oz glasses of water.

I find them very sweet, so I use a tsp measure to dish it out...

Just thought I'd say there is someone out here who saves them!
eliza422 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2013, 03:02 PM   #12  
Senior Member
 
ImImportant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 307

S/C/G: 191/171/153 now 185/185/155

Height: 5'3"

Default

If you think that's misleading you should buy a food scale. I have been weighing my food for a few months now and I know that X calories per serving is misleading. Bread for example, the label may say 70 calories per serving (which I would consider one slice) and a serving is 24g, but if you weigh the slice it may be 30g so I may be consuming more calories than I am counting. I have found the same in most food. It can go the other way too. I weighed my pop chips and found that based on weight I could eat more than the number listed on the package.

Last edited by ImImportant; 01-14-2013 at 07:41 PM.
ImImportant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-19-2013, 09:42 AM   #13  
Senior Member
 
hiddenstar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Texas
Posts: 443

S/C/G: SW194/CW144/GW140

Height: 5.10

Default

I agree some things should list calories per container. It would be so much easier.
hiddenstar is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Related Topics
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
LAWL Serving Sizes graceey LA Weight Loss 109 01-19-2024 01:17 PM


Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:31 AM.


We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.