Type 1s and counting carbs in homemade foods from shops, restaurants or anywhere

[mum2westiesGill]

Type 1s how do you count carbs in homemade foods from shops, restaurants or anywhere?

 

[Bruce Stephens]

Type 1s how do you count carbs in homemade foods from shops, restaurants or anywhere?

Guesswork (or estimation, depending on how good you get), based on what seem to be similar things that you do know.

 

[Sally71]

Yes, basically guess it or go from memory. We never bother trying to carb count properly when eating out, it takes too much time and spoils the fun! Just give it your best estimate based on what you already know. For example, a slice of bread will be 15-20 carbs and if it’s a sandwich you don’t usually have to count the filling at all. Rolls are about 35-50 depending on how big. Cakes/slices of cake are usually about 30-40. Breaded scampi are about 5 per piece. Things like chips, pasta and so on are a bit harder but we usually go with 30-40 ish. Then just keep an eye on your blood sugars for a few hours in case you didn’t quite get it right!

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Mostly I find it sufficient to calculate, weigh/measure, or estimate the ‘main carb‘ (rice, pasta, potato, cous cous or whatever) and then add a gut-feeling allowance for any other minor carbs.

There used to be an app ‘cook and count carbs’ which was a great help in calculating complex recipes with lots of different root veggies or whatever, but alas that has fallen foul of constant OS updates and the need to continually redevelop the app, so it’s no longer available.

Carbs and cals, myfitnesspal or nutracheck get lots of mentions on the forum.

What approach do you currently use @mum2westiesGill ?

 

[mum2westiesGill]

Mostly I find it sufficient to calculate, weigh/measure, or estimate the ‘main carb‘ (rice, pasta, potato, cous cous or whatever) and then add a gut-feeling allowance for any other minor carbs.

There used to be an app ‘cook and count carbs’ which was a great help in calculating complex recipes with lots of different root veggies or whatever, but alas that has fallen foul of constant OS updates and the need to continually redevelop the app, so it’s no longer available.

Carbs and cals, myfitnesspal or nutracheck get lots of mentions on the forum.

What approach do you currently use @mum2westiesGill ?

I look at food labels, carbs and cals along with weighing - I love that you can now put your own weight in and sometimes I use nutracheck.
How would I go on if it was for example homemade victoria sandwich cake, homemade trifle or homemade sausage rolls which someone has made?

 

[Leadinglights]

I look at food labels, carbs and cals along with weighing - I love that you can now put your own weight in and sometimes I use nutracheck.
How would I go on if it was for example homemade victoria sandwich cake, homemade trifle or homemade sausage rolls which someone has made?

They are likely to have made it from a standard recipe so your best guess for that item really is the best you can do without interrogating them, but if in doubt maybe don't have it.

 

[mum2westiesGill]

They are likely to have made it from a standard recipe so your best guess for that item really is the best you can do without interrogating them, but if in doubt maybe don't have it.

or would carbs and cals be ok?

 

[Leadinglights]

or would carbs and cals be ok?

I would think so or whatever you normally use. I only have the Carbs and Cals book but there is a picture of a Victoria sponge in there.

 

[Sally71]

Just pick the picture which looks closest to what you have and go with that 🙂

 

[mum2westiesGill]

Just pick the picture which looks closest to what you have and go with that 🙂

Thanks or I could weigh it with my folding scales

 

[Amity Island]

Type 1s how do you count carbs in homemade foods from shops, restaurants or anywhere?

When I eat out, I find I do two things when estimating carbs. I first estimate the weight of the carby food, then from that, work out what percentage of that is actually carbohydrates.
I'll look at a plate of pasta and think how much is the cooked weight of that. When you are not out eating you learn from the nutritional data what percentage of cooked foods are carb. So for bread for example, I know its usually 50% carb. A slice is typically 40g in cooked weight giving about 20g carb.

 

[Lucyr]

I just make a rough guess, based on either experience or carbs and cals or sometimes it feels like i'm just picking a number out of the air depending on what the food is. I know what sort of carb content i eat at home so i can use that as a guide.

 

[Sally71]

Thanks or I could weigh it with my folding scales

You could indeed, if you can be bothered! I stopped weighing every single thing a looooong time ago. You asked what we would do, I’d just guess, and from experience both mine and my daughter’s guesses are pretty close most of the time so we just do that. If we get it wrong we just deal with it and try to remember next time if we guessed too much or too little. The only way I’ve ever used Carbs & Cals when not at home is look at the picture and pick one, I’d never bother weighing or quizzing the staff. For me it spoils the fun of eating out. But if that works for you, carry on!

 

[JJay]

I cook a lot from scratch so am pretty much aware of counts & portion sizes for basic ingredients. Unfamiliar ingredients that you might find in restaurants I look up on Nutracheck. Or I sometimes use NC to find a near-equivalent ready meal to use as a guesstimate. Either way it's no big deal - use your best guess, err on the side of caution with your bolus, correct later if necessary. But above all enjoy your food!

 

[eggyg]

Guesstimate usually. But as others have said it’s just something you learn. We all tend to eat similar things. If I was really unsure I would always under estimate as I would rather be high for a few hours than go hypo.

 

[nonethewiser]

Cant put finger on it to explain, something you learn over time & more you experiment better you get, just eyeball food & get it right most times when out.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

How would I go on if it was for example homemade victoria sandwich cake, homemade trifle or homemade sausage rolls which someone has made?

Well if you have made them, you can work out the totals from the recipe and then divide down by how many slices you are cutting into (eg whether the cake is dividing into 6, 8, or 12 slices.

Alternatively you can base it on more of a guess based on experience. a slice of cake this big is probably 40-50g of carbs (eg from boxed ones you’ve eaten before)