If you measure out all the ingredients that you use when you're cooking does this save you any money in the long run? Or do you think it's easier and cheaper to just guess how much you're using? Personally I tend to measure some things but not others. I measure flour, sugar and rice generally but other things not so much. I tend to find that other things I can eye how much I need and it's right most of the time.
I guess it would depend upon what you are making and whether it would make too much if you did not measure. When I am baking, I always measure the ingredients. If I am just cooking dinner or something, then I do not usually measure things out. I am sure that measuring would save you money in the long run because it would last longer if you used correct measurements. I am not sure if it would be enough to really matter though.
I use the correct measurements because if you are slightly off then you can ruin a recipe and waste a lot of food that way. I also put some parchment paper under my bowl when pouring things like sugar and flour and then I pick up the extra that I spilled and pour it back into the container.
If I knew how to cook then I would be measuring the ingredients for sure, because if it's too much or too less then the taste will be affected. In cooking rice though, I tend to measure it to have no leftovers as possible.
Well measurements are important in baking because it pays to be precise. Savory dishes are more or less seasoned to taste, so it doesn't matter so much. Whether it is a way to save money or not, I am really not sure. I think the smarter thing to do is use rice and beans and other extenders in dishes to make sure your meat goes further.
I never really thought of it that way before, but I could see how it could save you some money since you are rationing out your ingredients. I tend to make more food when I cook a dish so that I have leftovers to take with me to work for a couple of days. This can save money too since you would not be tempted to have takeout for lunch.
What you risk if you aren't accurately measuring ingredients is getting the ratios wrong. It has happened to me more than three times and each time the end product was horrible but didn't throw it out because I hate wastage. But if I was preparing a meal for guests, I'd have no options but to make them something else. Measuring ingredients is really important because that's what determines if what you are making will be eaten or not.
Measuring out ingredients might save money in the long run, as you are less likely to waste ingredients this way. For example, if you are baking biscuits and only need one teaspoon of baking powder for them to rise but you estimate and end up using three, you would be unnecessarily wasting that ingredient. I usually measure things out. If it is a recipe that I have made many times, I am more likely to estimate because I know what it should like like as I am cooking or baking it. I have a relative who would measure out exact serving sizes to her family for their meals, and would offer no more than the serving size. For example, if the serving size of a loaf of bread is one slice, each family member would only get one slice. Or, if the serving size of cereal is 3/4 cup, she would measure 3/4 cup of cereal in each family member's bowl. I imagine that this saved her family a lot of money and was probably a way to keep her family healthy in terms of portion control, but I have never heard of anyone else measuring out exact serving sizes before.
When I'm baking I always measure my ingredients. When I'm cooking I tend to estimate. I've got a good sense of what a tsp or tbsp look like so I don't worry about ruining a recipe but I do see the that measuring can save you money in the long run. My husband and I drink instant coffee. In the mornings when I make a cup I usually just open the jar and tap until I get about a heaping tsp. Which I'm sure sometimes I'm putting more in and then making a stronger cup of coffee and then I wonder why the jar doesn't last as long. I'm sure it's the same way with alcohol. If you are making a mixed drink and free pour the booze you would end up with a stronger drink than if you measured.
I never thought about saving money by measuring my ingredients. I don't measure when I am cooking I just cook, when I make a mixed drink I do measure because I don't care for strong drinks if it is a mixed drink. My grandson puts 5 spoons of sugar in his little cup of tea, if I could get him to stop using so much sugar I am sure we would save some money.
I tend to measure ingredients out if I'm baking, although I will eyeball it for some things, such as the amount of raisins, berries or nuts I'll be adding. The measurements of flour, sugar, oil, salt, baking soda and baking powder need to be more precise than additions, so I like to play around with the ratios and amounts of additions. When cooking meals, I'm less precise, since the proportions don't matter as much. I don't really think of measuring as a money saver when cooking meals, since whatever is cooked will be eaten, but if I measure incorrectly when baking something such as a cake, the end product may not be edible, so I tend to be more precise.
I hadn't thought of it in terms of drinks too, but this is definitely a way to save money. It sounds like your grandson is using far too much sugar in his tea! Has he tried it with less sugar and didn't like it, or just likes to have that much sugar the best? I would think it would send him on a bit of a sugar high! I always measure my drinks too, although sometimes I think the measurements on the container are wrong personally. For example, some hot chocolate powder I bought says you should use 4 tablespoons of powder to one cup of milk! That would be far too powdery for my liking, and so I cut back on that and usually actually only need one teaspoon of the powder!
Whether measuring ingredients would result in savings or for that matter be significant enough to warrant doing it - I'm not altogether sure - as not only do I think it would very much depend on what you were making - but more importantly what kind of cook you are. In fact come to think it - even though I don't generally go to the trouble of weighing or measuring everything precisely - the difference for me would most likely be only a few cents here and there - if that. As apart from cooking from scratch as well creating my own recipes for decades - having given me an edge for being able to fairly accurately gauge - the right amounts or quantities required for pretty much everything - without any worries regarding meals or whatever I'm making being ruined and with absolutely nothing ever going to waste either - but as I tend to switch not so healthy ingredients for healthier alternatives - which are generally way, way less expensive - a few cents here and there are nothing in comparison to the considerable savings made from doing the latter.
I always make sure to measure when using a recipe. Sometimes when you look on the package it will give you a suggested serving size. So like for instance there is no rule on how much cereal and milk you can pour in a bowl. But if you wanted to, just look on the box and it will give a suggested serving size of like 1/2 cup or something. I usually know how much to pour and balance the milk and cereal so I don't measure.
I think this is one of the things that can be helpful but you just be careful not to overdo it or else you'd lose sight of other factors and fail to see that you may actually be costing yourself more in expenses than you're actually saving. For example, if I chose to measure my use of oil and had to use cups or teaspoons, that would be an additional thing I'd have to clean afterwards and the money I save on oil might just be transferring onto dishwashing soap expense. It may not be the best example but it showcases how we can calculate such things.
Yes, it saves me money, because I always seem to overestimate the amount of ingredients that I need, no matter what I'm making. By just taking the time to weigh things out I can make sure that nothing is going to go to waste, and that means I won't have to buy more food as often. Also it can help me to lose weight as it means that I'm not struggling with making bigger portions than I should be doing.
I depends on what I am making - I would eyeball something like seasoning a steak or preparing a roasted chicken. But with stuff like baking or making things like rice, I always measure, since stuff like that needs to be more precise. Another thing I try to measure, more than eyeball it, is when I buy a large pack of ground beef, and I'm portioning it out into burgers to store in my freezer. I try to evenly divide something like a 4 lb pack of ground beef into around 16 portions. Whereas had I just eyeballed them, I would probably only get about 8 to 10 burger portions out of the pack. Same goes for fresh chicken breast. Since they are often so ridiculously large these days, I like to butterfly them into two separate portions before freezing them.
When I was younger I measured everything. As I got older I just cook what I need and save money that way. For an examply today I made some pancakes that called for 2 cups of heart healthy bisquic, 1 egg and 1 1/4 milk. I just got the 1 egg which was medium size, poured in the amount of pancakes for this morning breakfast for 2 and added the milk to moisten it and added Stevia for we like it a bit sweeter. I had apples I bought yesterday and cooked it all up for our breakfast with some pancakes as well. I definitely did not make the 2 cups of bisquick it called for because it's too much for us. It turned up just as good as the measured pancakes. I don't fuss so much about measuring now and food turns up just right. I use what I need for the meal and it's just as well for there is no waste.
There's likely some cost savings in measuring ingredients, but I do it anyway because there's chemistry involved in creating recipes and the food won't turn out right if you take liberties with the measurements. For example, tinkering with the amount of yeast could cause your bread to not rise. Using the right measurements matters.
I don't even measure my ingredients to make the food better, I don't need cups involved. I don't do much cooking these days anyways, and I think that saves more money from the time I get out of it than measuring ingredients would.
