So I ate baked ziti today. I ate 3 cups of it (I actually do know its was 3 cups, because I ate it out of a styrofoam cup- no plates available- and I had three helpings out of the cup).

Anyway, I'm trying to track it on TDP, and after I converted from cups to grams (an approximation, unfortunately), it said that it was 918 calories (and 90g of carbs). Does that sound unreal to you ladies? It does to me... I know pasta is a trainwreck for dieters, but it can't be THAT bad.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks!

~shauna~

Totally feasible.

Baked ziti, made in a standard way, usually has a ton of cheese, in addition to the pasta. And some have meat/sausage as well. Combine those high calorie things with barely anything to reduce the calories (like veggies to make the portion bigger while not increasing the cals too much), and you're going to come up with a big calorie load per portion.

Most estimates I see are 300-350 calories per cup, so your estimate seems right on.

Agreed - half cup of pasta is a serving - usually around 200 calories. Thus, your estimate is very feasible and likely to be accurate.
Log it, move on, and count it as a learning experience

Yep, with all that cheese, sauce and the pasta, that seems like a correct calorie count.

I eat pasta quite frequently, but I make it at home and am very careful to only eat one serving.

Yes, it sounds like it's probably pretty accurate. Sorry! It does sound deelish though.

Yeah it was. But it totally was NOT worth it

Yep. This is only one of many sad lessons calorie counters learn! But, after awhile you'll get better at being able to sense whether a food is high-calorie. Also, I learned to check calories before I eat, when possible. That's saved me a lot of grief later.

Jay

This is why I make my own baked ziti - using reduced fat cheeses and whole grain pasta!