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How to Measure Ground Beef in Cups

Whether you're a higher pupil who's brusk on infinite, a minimalist who doesn't demand all the kitchen gadgets, or only a shelf cooking newbie, acquire how to weigh food without a calibration. Nosotros've got four tried-and-true genius hacks that will make meal prep a breeze!

cake ingredients and scale, from Shelf Cooking

So you've got a recipe that calls for a pound of green beans only no nutrient scale in sight. How in the earth are you supposed to weigh those beans? Fair question, and one we're going to answer for you today.

*Note: When you click the links in this post, we may receive a commission at no extra toll to you.

Here's the skillful news: you don't need any fancy equipment to shelf cook! In fact, nosotros don't even think you need a food scale at all. These hacks, tips, and tricks volition show you lot how to weigh food without a scale. Score!


USE MEASURING CUPS & SPOONS TO WEIGH YOUR FOOD

using measuring cups to weigh food, from Shelf Cooking

Let's become back to science class (or math, maybe?) for a few minutes. While y'all may non take a scale in your kitchen, we bet you have a measuring loving cup and some spoons. So, hither'due south how to convert those recipe instructions and use what you've got:

  • Ounces to Cups – Each loving cup contains eight ounces, so do the math! While the ratio isn't e'er perfect with cooked foods like meats, you don't need to aim for perfection! For example, if your recipe calls for ane pound of shredded craven, try using two cups.
  • Ounces to Tablespoons – One fluid ounce is equal to two tablespoons. This is a super simple conversion! If your recipe calls for four ounces, utilize eight tablespoons.
  • Ounces to Teaspoons – Ane fluid ounce is equal to six teaspoons. And then, if you have a recipe that calls for two ounces of a certain liquid, you could employ twelve teaspoons instead.

That'south kinda fun, right? Okay, possibly we just love hacks, but we think so! Looking for another trick to try if you need to weigh food without a scale? This adjacent ane won't price you a dime!

Pro Tip: If you're looking for more than recipe conversion tips, be certain to grab a copy of this free kitchen conversion chart printable!


USE HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS TO GUESSTIMATE

a bowl of boiled eggs, from Shelf Cooking

Okay, let's pretend you don't have any measuring cups or spoons handy. What tin can you exercise? Well, you can reach for what you do take and use it as a guide! Here are a few examples:

  • 1/4 cup is roughly the same size every bit an egg
  • A tennis ball is about i/2 cup
  • A softball is around two cups
  • A three-ounce steak is around the same size equally a deck of cards
  • I ounce of cheese is iii dice
  • A baseball is around the same size equally 1/ii loving cup of pasta or rice
  • Ping pong balls are about 2 tablespoons each

Jot them down, print them off, do what ya gotta do! Those are only a few examples. If you have others to share, please terminate by our Shelf Cooking Facebook grouping and fill up us in on your best secrets!


USE YOUR HANDS TO Counterbalance Food WITHOUT A Calibration

weighing fruit with hands, from Shelf Cooking

This is the ultimate Swiss Army knife kind of hack. You don't anything other than your hand to guesstimate the weight of your food! So, the side by side fourth dimension your Airbnb doesn't accept a food scale, here are some rules of pollex:

  • Measuring Meat & Fish – Your palm tin can fit almost three ounces of protein, including craven, fish, and beef. Heads up: three ounces of meat is the normal serving size for an adult!
  • How to Measure out Fresh Produce – Viii ounces of veggies or fruit is usually around the same size every bit your balled-up fist.
  • Measuring Cheese – Sad to share this news, but one serving size of cheese is roughly the size of your pollex. That'southward nearly one ounce!

It doesn't become much easier than this method! And remember, when you lot're shelf cooking, you can use the recipe as a guide. Using what you have means modifying the portions, too, if you need to. And so don't sweat information technology if yous're off past an ounce or 2!


USE YOUR PLATE TO WEIGH FOOD WITHOUT A SCALE

dinner plate with balanced meal, from Shelf Cooking

Hither's another fun trick! Place your food on a normal-sized dinner plate to estimate its weight. For this example, nosotros're using a 10.5-inch plate to guide our measurements. (That's the average.) Assuming you have a dish that's the same size, hither are some guidelines to follow:

  • 1/4 of a Plate – If your food takes up 1/4 of the plate, it's prophylactic to approximate it'due south around 1 to 1 1/two cups or 8-12 ounces.
  • 1/2 of a Plate: Does your food fill upwardly half the plate? And then you lot've got iii cups, which equals one.v pounds.

If y'all don't want to guess at it, you tin can also buy portion-controlled plates on Amazon. They have a set of iv plates for nether $25. If good for you eating is your goal, it could be worth it!


DO You lot USE A Scale OR Measure out WITH YOUR HEART?

If none of these options float your gunkhole, you can buy a food scale on Amazon for around $x. Non as well shabby! There are fancier options for way more than, but we say go for the budget-friendly selection. A scale'due south a scale, correct?

At present we're curious! How practise you weigh your food? Do you prefer to use a scale or measure with your center? Driblet a comment below and permit the states know!

Image with text that reads "how to weigh food without a scale" from Shelf Cooking

Looking for a few more than clever tips and tricks?

  • Learn how to store your fruit, so it lasts longer!
  • We bet you didn't know you could practise all of this with mayonnaise!
  • Want to make the perfect hard-boiled egg? Endeavour these tricks.

Calibration away!

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Source: https://shelfcooking.com/how-to-weigh-food-without-a-scale/