Portable scales to weigh food

[xsquared]

I used to use MyFitness to keep track of calories and macros, but only ever guessed how much my portions weighed from the ingredients before cooking.

If you use a portable one, that folds away or stores tidily, then which do you use and do you recommend it?

What exactly is the use case? I’ve been tracking my food for the last year and have never needed to take scales out of the house for weighing food on the go, everything I prepare is prepared at home so can just use my kitchen scales, anything I buy to eat while out is in prepped bags like a prepared sandwich, salad etc and they come with the calorie info and a barcode so can just scan them.

The scales I have at home would work as portable ones it’s just a cheap Salter digital scale, very thin, about 15cm along each edge and would easily slot into a handbag I’m just not sure why you’d need to do it.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Salter-Arc-Digital-Kitchen-Scales/dp/B00140VYEG/ref=sr_1_3_sspa?crid=3JCAJ3V7NQVBN&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.YET1w4koqg0JHg8fT6y8shCjvwRzGlYPxaEwJPbxjG_GugXt4zt5oF2t4b53rPOotp_Upggkd4GtoHzkDBZap8M546vI0NJRGvnZruQcdbNMDMW4EHhLHlHHrOv4ywaDovM7lbz_R2BysZRGZeG4-HBsQ6YfQJZDJW-HL-Ez2dFpsT9-7U6RUSgeCbFxe2PbJ743eLWegaxlR5Y-rl0fbuRkfIIp4e02eGWtLRkbHng.d_GLvKurKCgnHXl6dYshGilZvkcSaBQrqJdZrBrthaM&dib_tag=se&keywords=salter%2Bdigital%2Bkitchen%2Bscales&qid=1755148966&sprefix=Salter%2Bdigital%2B%2Caps%2C168&sr=8-3-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

I also use those inexpensive Salter scales - they are quite small so just left on the work top, no need to put away but would easily fit in a drawer.

@InfoSecInTheCity Thanks for the link.

As for why I'd need a portable one
If I'm away and have a plate of hot food prepared, then I'd like to weigh the plate and it'd contents?

I've seen my SIL use one for her nephew as he is diabetic but didn't get to ask where they got theirs from.

My current kitchen scale is an antiquarian balance type, which is not practical for putting crockery or hot food on.

Joseph Joseph do a 'tri scale' that's Foldable. We have them. They're pretty good. Small enough to fit in a draw alongside othe bits and pieces. Would slide into a bag okay too.

Also noticed if you search Foldable scale there's quite a few on amazon cheaper than the Joseph Joseph one.

Thank you @Antsinmypantsneedtodance

Its helpful to weigh stuff at home to get an idea of what you should be having as a portion vs what you are.. this then also helps you make better estimates when you're out zo yu don't have to weigh plates and food! Your SIL has to because her child's medication depends on it! I learned a lot weighing stuff at home so just get the scales above - mine are similar.

I too use scales and MPF to help control my weight.

But I'm confused OP as to when you're away how weighing a plate and its contents will help you with calorie control as you will have no idea how much oil, butter, flour, etc has gone in to making the dish.

Yes, I would be weighing food at home as well anyway, but it helps of the scales is a flat one 9f the type I can put my dish of food on, rather than the balancing scale type, which is also bulky and takes up room.

I will if I cook it myself. We often go to self catering places.

Anyway, it seems people have been fixated on the portable aspect of the scales.

I wanted to ask about digital scales that would allow me to out a plate of food on. I can't do that with this one here.

OK, I get it - I thought you meant when eating out, not self-catering!

We've got this, it's about the size of a tablet and eminently portable.

Another tip for things like pasta, rice etc, is to weigh out the calories in a standard mug full, then you can use that anywhere where you have a mug, and can easily do half a mug, two mugs or whatever depending how many you are cooking for.

The My recipes feature on MyFitnessPal is really useful if there are meals you cook regularly. You weigh all the ingredients and tell it how many portions that makes and it works out the calories and nutrition per portion for you and saves the recipe for future use. I batch cook lunches in the slow cooker so every day I just log a portion of whatever I’ve pulled from the freezer for lunch.

The My recipes feature on MyFitnessPal is really useful if there are meals you cook regularly. You weigh all the ingredients and tell it how many portions that makes and it works out the calories and nutrition per portion for you and saves the recipe for future use. I batch cook lunches in the slow cooker so every day I just log a portion of whatever I’ve pulled from the freezer for lunch.

I’ve had this one for around six years. I don’t use it a huge amount but it has served me well.

There’s lots of small digital scales. We take one when we do self catering - even if we’re not weighing for nutracheck I’m rubbish at estimating pasta. Don’t get an expensive one though - we managed to leave one on a hire boat on the Broads, and another time DH said he’d packed everything back in the car but left the cool box which had kitchen bits including scales neatly stowed. the latter scale had been only £6 from B&M but did the job and was small.

I use the salter scales above. They are great and can be taken self catering

I have a vision of a diner sat in a restaurant with a plate of steaming hot chicken and vegetables whipping out a scale and weighing a portion of chicken!

Weighing a whole plate of food is a bit baffling though. You will get good at estimating portion size although pasta and rice are always tricky. Search for compact digital scales.