Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Cost of living

Stretching your budget? Share tips and advice to discuss budgeting and energy saving here. For the latest deals and discounts, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Meal time portion sizes and the cost of cooking

32 replies

SilveryMoon · 04/12/2011 16:11

I was watching a friend of mine cook dinner the other day, they were having chicken casserole to feed 3 adults and 2 children (toddlers)
She used what I thought was a small amount of chicken for that many people.
She said that an adult should have 100g of meat in a meal.
I have also in the past watched her weigh out pasta portions when she cooks. She measures 100g for an adult and about 50g for a child.

Is this something I should already know?
She said that in her opinion, I used far too much food for each meal, and although it's not wasted as dp finishes all leftovers, I could use a lot less food and therefore lower my cost of food.

What do you all do?

OP posts:
pinkappleby · 04/12/2011 16:20

pasta - yes for a main meal I measure 100g/50g, although I probably have a bit less than 100g and DS a bit more than 50g.

For chicken dishes like risotto and fajitas I use 2 chicken breasts between 2 adults and 3 small kids, that is part of why I make those meals. I use a 250g (smallest packet) mince to make meatballs, chilli or burgers for that many people too.

Original poster
SilveryMoon · 04/12/2011 16:24

Ok.
When I do fajitas just for me and dp, I'd use 3/4 chicken breasts. I do cut all the fat off etc, but that is still a lot of chicken compared to you and my friend.

OP posts:
winnybella · 04/12/2011 16:28

I use 2 chicken breasts for fajitas for me and DP-it makes 6 fajitas- but I add lots of grilled veg like peppers, onions, courgettes plus guacamole, cheese, sour cream.

Otoh for stews etc I use about 1,2 kg of meat (some fat will get discarded, though, so more like a kg) and that will make two meals for 2 adults and 2 children. I don't bulk out with lentils etc, though.

cat64 · 04/12/2011 16:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Trills · 04/12/2011 16:53

Pasta definitely 100g per adult, rice 75g.

I find fajitas need more chicken than chicken-in sauce recipes (curry, chinese, whatever), but for a normal thing I would do one chicken breast per adult.

Original poster
SilveryMoon · 04/12/2011 16:58

Thanks for the website tip cat will have a look.
Trills My dp would eay 2 chicken breasts for dinner.

I've cooked chicken and bacon casserole today, I used 300g of chicken and 100g of bacon.
Me and the ds's have eaten ours, and I have plated up dp's for when he gets in from work, but there's not much there compared to what he'd normally have.........maybe we're just greedy Xmas Blush

OP posts:
pinkappleby · 04/12/2011 17:03

Like winny I bulk fajitas up with lots of veg, and we have all the 'extras' like guacmole. yum :)

I actually think there's not too much problem piling on the protein so long as you are really cutting down on the carbs. You can't have mega portions of both.

cat64 · 04/12/2011 17:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Bellavita · 04/12/2011 17:07

I would do 3 chicken breasts for stir frys/fajitas for two adults and two teens. Myself and DS2 eat a lot less than DH and DS1. But I use lots of stry fry veg/peppers, onions and mushrooms though too for those dishes which help bulk them out.

Bellavita · 04/12/2011 17:09

We are having meatballs tonight with fresh pasta. I have used 500g of mince and will be using a 500g pack of pasta.

Original poster
SilveryMoon · 04/12/2011 17:14

Cat That didn't sound patronising Xmas Smile
Yes, me and dp both have very active jobs.
I am a massive snacker and he is not.
He likes a huge meal and I like to eat little often (ok, of all the wrong things though)

OP posts:
Original poster
SilveryMoon · 04/12/2011 17:14

Thanks Bella Not looking forward to the teenage years then! Xmas Wink

OP posts:
Trills · 04/12/2011 17:26

I could eat 1 1/2 chicken breasts pretty easily. Two might be a stretch, but if it was something very tasty I could probably manage it, so it's not hard to see how an adult man could east 2 chicken breasts for dinner. The question is, if he stopped at 1 chicken breast would he be hungry later or would that actually be fine?

I am not one of the "3 meals out of one chicken" people, I think you need a decent amount of meat for a meal to be nice (unless it's a meal that's not supposed to be meaty), but 4 chicken breasts for 2 people is a lot.

Bellavita · 04/12/2011 17:33

My parents would eat two chicken breasts each.

Trills · 04/12/2011 17:34

Just seen that you both have very active jobs, so you'll probably want more than the "average" person (if there is such a thing).

CogitoErgoSometimes · 05/12/2011 08:51

The recommendations on portion-sizes for meat are a piece about the size either of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards. That equates to about 3 - 4oz typically. A lot of chicken breasts sold singly are 5 - 6ozs.

I use one chicken breast between two for something like a stir-fry or pasta dish, where the meat is shreded & which is going to be supplemented with vegetables. I use six sausages between four in a casserole that is padded out with beans. And dishes featuring minced beef such as bolognese sauce or cottage pie I'd use a 1lb pack between four.

Hopefully · 07/12/2011 10:24

I have friends who hate a 'mean' portion of meat, so they only eat it twice a week (but have big portions) and eat more or less veggie the rest of the time.

Casseroles etc are great for getting a meaty taste (small piece of beef for big casserole) rather than, eg, chicken and chips.

mumtosome · 09/12/2011 10:07

We use lots of meat here too. If I gave DH 1.5 or 2 sausages from a sausage casserole he'd want to know where his dinner was................he can have 6 on his own.

He is a big meat eater though and loves Christmas cos he can just fill up on meat and not bother with the potatoes/veggies .....

colditz · 09/12/2011 10:16

But just because someone can eat six sausages doesn't mean they should eat six sausages! Six sausages is far too much for anyone, even a big and active man. Two chicken breasts each? I have to honestly say that it's greedy, and must cost you a fortune.

pregnantpause · 09/12/2011 10:28

I have to agree with coldtiz on the sausages- that much meat, well that much of almost anything is just greed. I AM a chicken to make 3 (sometimes 4) meals kinda person though, because i just cannot justify the expense of meat when really we just dont need huge ampunts of protein in our diet. I can buy a bag of carrots, parsnips, veicol/i, res lentils, and two tins of mixed beans for the price of a chicken. And the veg and beans serve more and offer better nutrition.

MeltedAdventCalendarChocolates · 09/12/2011 18:08

I use about 70-100g for pasta for me and over half for DS and a bit less than a mug for the two of us for rice. I buy a whole chicken, poach it and strip every last bit of meat of it. 100g of that for the two of us (me and DS) per meal (we get at least 5 portions this size). If I have a particularly stingy amount of meat I will make sure there is something else high in protein in the dinner and I have a meat free dinner at least once a week.

6 sausages is crazy! Far too much. 2 is perfectly acceptable. 3 is enough! Agree that that is just plain greedy sorry to say.

I know a family who are all larger people and whine that they are, but they don't eat unhealthy. The thing is they FILL their plates (towering it) so healthy or not they are over eating and of course will be over weight. Then moan that I don't eat enough and am so lucky to have a good figure. I am a healthy weight because I don't over eat. Simple.

ouryve · 09/12/2011 20:40

I use about 50-150g of meat per adult (half as much for the kids) depending on the meat and the dish - sometimes, it only needs a small amount of meat if it's being served with cheese, or has beans or lentils in or whatever.

Pasta, I weigh - 100g for DH, and the rest between DS1 and me. DS2 doesn't touch it. Rice, 100-125g between DH and I (neither of the kids eat it)

Agreeing that 6 sausages is ridiculous and probably quite damaging, as that's a lot of salt and saturated fat in one go (probably a day's recommended limit) a 400g 6 pack of sausages does the 4 of us quite nicely. And I can get 2-3 very generous meals out of a 3-4lb chicken, easily.

inmysparetime · 13/12/2011 07:23

We are a "3 or 4 meals from one chicken" family too. 6 sausages would feed all 4 of us! We use 3/4 lb of mince for dinner for 4, padded out with a handful of lentils, and as much veg as necessary to fill everyoneGrin.
I don't weigh carbs, but a handful of rice or pasta,or about half a bag of pasta overall seems to work. If there is too much for our small plates we take out a portion to freeze for my lunch at work.
When we have a roast dinner, me and DH share a chicken breast, and the kids share a leg. Is that unusual?

LovesBloominChristmas · 13/12/2011 07:58

Saying sausages or chicken breasts is misleading as they can be different sizes.

Op do you want to eat less/ reduce your costs? If not then don't! If you do then you need to either reduce what you eat or bulk it out with veg/pulses etc

CogitoErgoSometimes · 14/12/2011 15:59

"He is a big meat eater though..."

I can recommend a really good life-insurance policy. Sounds like you might need one.