I don't eat this stuff, but my children do. When viewing the label, a serving size of pasta is half a cup. Okay, is this the dry measure, or the cooked measure?
Half a cup of cooked pasta is NOT worth the calories to me.
I don't know if pasta is labeled the same way, but here in Italy a serving size is 70/80 gr of dry pasta (2.47/2.80 ounces) more or less.
70gr dry are 250 cal, I usually add only some vegetables and a little olive oil and have a complete meal for 350 cal
If you weight it cooked 100 grams are about 140 cal
The serving size on the package of pasta is the dry weight (2oz). That will cook up to approximately 4oz, cooked. Volume-wise, it depends on the type of pasta, but usually around 1 cup.
For mac and cheese I mix in equal amount of good for you veggies as I do pasta for my kids. They get their mac and cheese but the empty calories of the pasta is greatly reduced by the cauliflower broccoli and carrots.
Rice, pasta and dried peas, lentils and legumes volume can change with the amount of water used and the length of time cooked. I always measure these foods dry for the calorie count.
I agree with the others, add veggies to extend the portion size.
I have smaller amounts of pasta, rice, etc. mixed with more veggies. For example, I love having broccoli with a small amount of pasta with white clam sauce or shrimp scampi. For me, I found that I needed that small amount of pasta to really enjoy and be satisfied with the meal. I have about 1 oz dry - I'll measure out 3 oz of whole wheat pasta, cook it up and then eyeball it into thirds. I don't worry about being precise once it's cooked because I know over the course of 3 days, I'm having the total of 3 dry oz which was measured exactly on the scale.
Fiber Gourmet is the bomb. 130 calories for 2 oz dry measure. Something like 20 grams a fiber per serving? Do a forum search. I have sung its praises before!
Fiber Gourmet is the bomb. 130 calories for 2 oz dry measure. Something like 20 grams a fiber per serving? Do a forum search. I have sung its praises before!
This. Texture is a bit chewier than normal Pasta. Once you get use to it.. it's not a bad thing though
It can be confusing because both pasta and rice become so much heavier after cooking. I know for rice the dry measure is usually 1/4 cup which ends up being about 3/4 cup cooked. Depending on the rice, one serving is 140-170 calories.
I also like to weigh the pasta dry and cook one serving separate the first time. I weigh the cooked serving and record it so next time I can just portion out my one serving by cooked weight
It can be confusing because both pasta and rice become so much heavier after cooking. I know for rice the dry measure is usually 1/4 cup which ends up being about 3/4 cup cooked. Depending on the rice, one serving is 140-170 calories.
I also like to weigh the pasta dry and cook one serving separate the first time. I weigh the cooked serving and record it so next time I can just portion out my one serving by cooked weight
This is what's confusing to me. If I measure 1/2 cup dry pasta, then cook it, and it swells up to over 1 cup, is THAT one serving size?
Or, should I cook the whole package of pasta, measure out 1/2 cup after it's already swollen up, and THAT is a serving?
I'm sticking to protein and veggies, and just cutting the girls' servings of pasta drastically. This is usually a once a week meal at most, anyway, so I will add some veggies into the mix and cut back on the noodles. They will adjust!
Pasta or rice calories???
Half a cup of pasta is not much.
