Those lying cottage cheese containers
 

Something that has been bugging me for a while now...have you ever noticed...

The cottage cheese containers that I buy, claim to have six 1/2 cup servings. I take them to work in one cup portions. After the second day, when theoretically I should have used up two of the three cups in the container, there is barely a 1/4 cup left. That makes me wonder if I am really taking more calories than it says on the container or if the container is just lying to me.

Anyone else noticed this?

I eat a lot of cottage cheese and measure by weight. I have found them to be accurate that way, and I pay attention. I eat the store brand from Tom Thumb (Safeway) and Wal-Mart.

Volume is always less accurate than weight. One thing you could do is take the empty container and fill it will measured cups of water and see how much fits in. If three cups fit in, then you know you've been overfilling the cups you take out. If only 2 and a quarter fit in, then you know they are seriously lying to you.

Maggie, I've noticed exactly the same thing with cottage cheese! And it's true for other foods too, so like Schmead, I weigh just about everything (in grams). It's much more accurate and there's less cleanup involved because I weigh right in the dish I'm going to eat from. :)

I've noticed the same thing with cottage cheese and the big tubs of yogurt. I just assumed that I was probably taking out more than my measurements.

It could be because of the way you pack the cottage cheese when you measure. If the cottage cheese isn't exactly level with the measuring cup (no "heaping" cups) and if it's packed more tightly, you'll have more cottage cheese than a level, loosely packed cup.

LOL. I had this same reaction this weekend when I was separating my cottage cheese into 1/2 c. servings. I was supposed to get 6 and I got exactly 5. I was a little peeved about it!

:hug:This girl knows what she is talking about. I do the very same thing. I have converted all my measurements to grams, tare out with each new food. Quick, accurate, less messy utensils to clean.

Yeah, I measure by grams too, especially cottage cheese.

The only way to accurately measure is by weight. You are probably taking more than you think because I do get 6 servings by weight.

If the tub says (6) 1/2 C servings, then I take out six of my 1/2 Cup Gladware cups and divide the tub among my cups. Then I toss them all in the fridge and they are ready for me to grab and all six are even.

I was watching a health show that argued that most people overfill measuring cups. They showed how you "should" measure foods, and they said most measuring cups shouldn't even be filled to the level line, they should be filled to 1/4 inch from the top.

I had always filled to the level line. Now I use a food scale. For me, it's easier than using measuring cups because I can weigh the food in the dish I'm going to serve it in, so no dirty measuring cups.

When I use a weight measurement, I rarely see serving discrepancies.