If you are watching your waistline, you need to be aware of how many calories you are taking in each day as well as how much nutrition you are getting. But how are you supposed to translate Grandma's favorite mac-and-cheese recipe into your daily count? There are several tools you can use to get a good estimate, says Marisa Moore, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Step 1
Check your favorite recipe website. Many of these sites already have calorie and nutrition information listed. Many sites are comprehensive and are likely to have a recipe similar to the one you are making. One caution: Look at serving sizes so that the amount that ends up on your plate equals the amount you are adding into your calorie count.
Step 2
Use a website with an online nutrient analysis tool, such as The Daily Plate or My Food Diary. These sites have a calorie calculator that you can plug ingredients into as well as nutrition information for an array of foods.
Step 3
Buy a recipe calorie counter, such as the Timex Nutrition Manager, the DietCalc Nutrition Manager or the CalorieSmart Calorie Calculator. Prices range from $35 to $90 for most of these handheld tools.
Step 4
Look up each food you are using, especially if you are not making a complicated meal. Then do the math. Take the total amount of calories and total nutrient content for each ingredient you are using. Then divide it by the number people eating or by the number of servings you create. Many organizations have nutrient and calorie databases online, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture and websites such as Calorie King.
Step 5
Learn portion sizes. For example, a medium fruit is about the size of a baseball. Be mindful if you are making pasta, oatmeal or any grain. These will usually double in size when cooked.
Step 6
Look at the labels on any packaged foods you are using as ingredients. You can get calorie and nutrient information there. Be careful, however. A box of pasta might have two servings in it instead of one, so make sure to add the calories for both servings if you use the whole box.
Step 7
Look in cookbooks for recipes that are similar to yours, as long as the books list calorie and nutrition information. You also can use a food dictionary or nutrition textbook.
Things You'll Need
- Online calorie counter
- Online nutrition database
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