I went to a half day conference at the university today. It was fascinating, and I met people far different to the people I meet every day, who are great, don't misunderstand me but the change was nice too.

Half time and we had coffee and cookies. I usually just ignore the cookies but decided today to see if I could handle the 'just one cookie' syndrome. Actually, they came two to a packet. I read the calorie count: 550 for the two. Wow, high, but I could make that lunch. They were good. Not TDF but nice enough.

Conference closed, I came home and ate a high protein, low-carb lunch but was depressed by the tally in my log - very close to 1400, my usual max, with a bit of leeway because I'm more often under the 1300. It would mean no evening meal.

Eventually, I noticed that my carb count was very high, and that the cookies accounted for 71g. I remembered the wrapper had said only 8g per cookie. It seemed to me an oddly low carb amount for such high calories, so I fished the wrapper out of my pocket. I'd been reading the Kj not the Kcals! It was only 132 cals for the two, not 550! Thank goodness for short sight!

Awesome reward for trying to make good choices! I hope you had a nice healthy dinner now that your calorie count for the day is lower!

LOL, sometimes it is great to find out you were wrong!

I hope this means you got some supper!

The first time I saw a British label, I was SOOOO confused! (American nutrition labels only give the calories, not the Kj.) I was even more confused because I didn't know at that point that a "Kcal" and a calorie were the same thing. I actually thought, for a second, that I might have to divide by 1000 to get the calorie count.

Tell me, does the Kj number have any practical use for the average person? Why is it listed on the package?

Pass !

Kj has no use for the average person ~ maybe serious weight trainers need to know? I don't know.

I did once, years ago, get it wrong the other way round. I was so impressed that this wonderful, creamy-tasting dessert in a tub like a sundae was so low calorie that I went back to buy some more for another day. Reality hit! At least it was better this way round and yes, I did get supper.