I would like to find out whether it is worth buying a food scale. Do you use one?
How often do you use it?
What kind do you have?
What kinds of items do you use it for?
I am pregnant for the first time, and saw my new nutritionist & was introduced to a food scale for the very first time. I have had T1 diabetes for 19 years. Manual injections for 9 years and insulin pump for 10 years. I have only read labels and estimated for the rest this whole time which has served me well, but learning that the apple I was going to eat later that day and bolus 15g for, was actually 21g, made me wonder.
She had an advanced scale. It had a database and a keypad, etc and was around $100.
Yes, I have a small digital one that I paid about $40 for. I didn't opt for the database because it's just easier to look up the carb count using my iPhone (I use the Carbfinder app). I do find the scale very useful for weighing out fruits as well as packaged foods (pretty much everything now has weight, in grams, which you can use to calculate carbs).
I use mine all the time too, just to check how much some things are. Once I get the hang of an item, I don't weigh it that often but it's really handy to have around. I think mine was like $25 @ Target and I've had it since I got my pump in 2008.
It's a great little scale. It switches easily between metric and US measurements and has a cool feature whereby you can zero it out with a container on it (pot/pan/tupperware) and then measure your food weight in that container directly. It also looks really cool and fits in my kitchen well.
I use it often when I cook meats and vegetables to get accurate portions and so I can more accurately calculate my protein and carb intake.
I use my scale every day. I basically use it for everything when I'm at home (easy to just put it under whatever dish I'm serving into), and I even recently bought a small portable one that I keep in my purse for travel. I would use my scale in a restaurant if it was socially acceptable! Makes such a difference to my blood sugar when I am precise versus just guessing.
i bought one in the big department store we have in spain for about 30 euros (35 or 40 dollars american-ish?). i use it for all the fruit i use and for cheeses that have a bit of carbs in them. if i ever eat pasta, very rare, ill weigh it. mine is a german make, soenhle. it also has the zero out the container feature. its very sturdy and i love it, even brought it with me on holiday to the states this summer.
i saw more expensive one with the datbases but thought they wouldnt be as accurate, as different brands of pasta have different carb counts, etc.
I bought a Perfect Portions nutrition scale. It has a food code book. I use it for fresh fruit & veggies. It's surprised me more than once. This was not much money. It's undoubtedly made my injections more accurate.
I use my food scale daily and have for several years. Weight is much more accurate than measuring volume. Particularly with fruits and vegetables and grains. Last night I made roasted root vegetables - when it came out of the oven, I weighed the entire recipe and then weighed the portion I was going to eat and knew how many carbs I was getting.
I got mine in the Martha Stewart section of Macy's. Be sure to get one that goes between grams and ounces, and that you can zero out to account for the container.
My nutritionist said it could also be taken to a restaurant to weigh the bread. I do not eat bread in restaurants because I can't have just one piece.....
like you, i have had D1 for a # of long yrs (MDI) and have been on the pump for the past 11+. i am not pregnant, but i am certain i still deal w/ everything you are concerned about. i read every label on packages (etc) wherever they R posted, and w/ unposted items, i ball-park it. more often than not, i guess pretty much on the mark, but still, i also predict way off the mark. is it worth it 2 weigh every little item, 2 mk myself so obsessed w/ every darned thing i put in my mouth?
I also must add, that i am recovering from an ED, and 4 me 2 put so much attention on food is a dangerous maze 4 me to navegate. U posted a great question. i look 4ward 2 reading Ur other replies.Thx
I find my food scale extremely helpful for getting an accurate carb count with higher carb foods like whole wheat pasta, ice cream, or fruit. I don't bother to weigh meat or non-starchy veggies, though.
I agree with Kathy that it's good to have one that measures in grams and ounces. When measuring small amounts, I like the option of using grams.
I have been using a digital food scale since I was put on MDI (2 years now). I love being accurate with my food and like you, realized I was quite off on my 'eye balling' measurements!! I was quite surprised how little a 1 carb serving of snack food is! I went to Canadian Tire and got a nice digital one one sale, and use it everyday. No more guessing, and my BG levels are better too.
I'm in between. I don't just guesstimate (except when I'm out), but I do measure ingredients rather than bother with a scale. I just try and limit my diabetes stuff and if something works I stick with it.
I use my scale for every meal. I have two - one with a database for home and a small postal scale that I take with me to restaurants and friends' houses. I don't know what I'd do without them.
