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Logging
How to use a kitchen scale
A cheap kitchen scale is the most precise calorie counting tool there is. Yet many people put it away after a week because weighing slows them down. With a few tricks it takes seconds – and some things do not need weighing at all.
In short
- The tare button (TARE / 0) zeroes the bowl – you weigh only the food.
- Write down your pots' empty weights once and stick them on.
- Weigh oil from the bottle: weight before and after pouring.
- A scale pays off most for fats, sides and nuts – not for vegetables.
The basics: the tare button
Almost every digital scale has a TARE button (or '0', 'T', 'ZERO'). The routine is always the same:
- Switch the scale on and place an empty plate or bowl on it.
- Press TARE – the display shows 0 g.
- Add the food and read the weight.
- Press TARE again before the next item – you weigh each one separately on the same plate.
A standard scale with 1 g precision and a 5 kg range is all you need. If the display jumps around, change the batteries and weigh on a flat, solid surface.
5 time-saving tricks
1. Write down empty pot weights once
Weigh every pot and baking dish you use regularly and write the weight on a piece of tape under the base. Then weigh the finished dish in the pot and simply subtract the pot.
2. Weigh oil from the bottle
Put the bottle on the scale, press TARE, pour oil into the pan and put the bottle back. The negative number (e.g. −12 g) is exactly what you poured. One tablespoon of oil is about 13.5 g and 119 kcal.
3. Weigh directly on your plate
No need to move food between bowls. Plate on the scale, TARE, side dish, TARE, meat, TARE, sauce – three precise entries in 20 seconds.
4. For a family pot, weigh your portion
If several people eat from one pot, do not count 'a quarter'. Add up the ingredients, weigh the finished dish, then only your portion on the plate.
5. Save repeated meals
Your morning porridge or usual sandwich always weighs about the same. Weigh it two or three times, save it as your own meal and from then on just tap it.
Liquids and millilitres
Most scales can switch to ml, but they still weigh grams. For water and drinks it makes no difference (1 ml ≈ 1 g); milk is slightly heavier (about 1.03 g/ml) and oil lighter (about 0.91 g/ml). If the database lists calories per 100 g and you weigh in grams, you do not need to convert anything.
What is worth weighing and what is not
- Always weigh: oil, butter, nuts, cheese, pasta, rice, bread, meat – small weight differences mean big calorie differences here.
- An estimate is fine: leafy greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms – 50 g either way is a few calories.
- Read the label: packaged portions (yogurt, a bar) need no weighing if you eat the whole pack.
You do not have to use the scale forever. For many people a few weeks of weighing is enough to estimate portions much more accurately – after that it comes out only now and then for a check.
Frequently asked questions
How does the tare button on a scale work?
Tare zeroes whatever is on the scale (plate, bowl). The scale then shows only the weight of the food you add. You can press it again before each new item.
How do I weigh the oil I pour into the pan?
Put the bottle on the scale, press TARE, pour the oil and put the bottle back. The negative number is the weight of the oil you poured. A tablespoon is about 13.5 g, or 119 kcal.
Do I need to weigh vegetables too?
For leafy and watery vegetables an estimate is fine – the difference is a few calories. Weighing pays off most for fats, nuts, cheese, sides and meat.
Sources
This guide is general information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have or have had an eating disorder, or need a therapeutic diet, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.