Measuring the Impossible: Made Easy

FormulaZone Staff, April 4, 2006

Back to News and Articles

OK, ok, we admit: Sometimes the ingredient measurements in our recipes are a bit, well, "specific". How do you measure 5/8 Tablespoons, anyway? Well, there's a method to our madness - really!

Remember: Close IS Good Enough!

If you are in college, and are using the old banged-up measuring cup set your grandma gave you, it's OK. Close really is good enough. If you see a measurement that seems impossible - like 5/8 Tablespoons - just remember: 5/8 is slightly more than 1/2. So, use the 1/2 Tablespoon, and add just a tad more!

Do You Hate Numbers?

If you like numbers, keep reading - the NEXT section is for you!

If you hate numbers and math, then do yourself a giant favor: Get the Kitchen Essentials. If you bought everything, it would cost you under $45, and last you a years. If that's too much, skip the scale, and you'll spend under $20! It will save you huge amounts of time and headaches!

Then, honestly - don't worry too much about the measurements. Look, these recipes are scaled to you, and are designed to help you lose weight. If you go over a bit here, and under a bit there, that's ok! Think about it - a 10% error in measuring will increase your calories only around 150 calories per day. And, since a pound is 3,500 calories, we're talking about slowing down your weight loss by a pound every 23 days!

By now you are asking if it's not that imporant, then why are the measurements so specific? Because: Some people actually enjoy taking the time to measure things precisely. They get joy from it! So, we offer the measurements for them - and to try and keep the balance ratio as close as possible.

If You Like Numbers

There's all sorts of measuring tricks to get the right amount. If you'd like to actually know what 5/8 Tablespoons is, then it IS possible to figure it out. Here's how:
A teaspoon = 5 milliliters (mL)
A tablespoon = 15 mL
So, 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
And, 5/8 of a tablespoon is 10 mL (really, it's 9.375 mL)
So to get 5/8 tablespoons, you'd just use two teaspoons!

There's even more tricks. Let's say something calls for 1/8 cup. How much is that?
A cup is 236 mL
So, 1/8 of a cup is 30 mL (technically, it's 29.5 mL)
You know a tablespooon is 15 mL,
So, 1/8 of a cup = 2 Tablespoons

But wait! There's more!

Let's say your recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 ounces of turkey breast. How in the world can you math that together? Easy!

When you buy your turkey, pay attention to how much you get. Typical pre-packaged turkey comes in 8 ounce packs. See where we're going with this?

Divide that 8 ounce pack into 5 even amounts (you can do it - it doesn't have to be exact, just do your best!). Voila! Each divided amount is now 1.6 ounces!

OK, One more (we love this stuff!)

Cheese: You've got a block of cheese (8 ounces). A recipe calls for 1/2 ounce. Or, 2.5 ounces. Or, 3.5 ounces. Whatever. How do you find that amount?

Using a knife, score the cheese (you don't even have to cut it!). Make a line dividing it in half. Divide that half again in half (you can divide ALL of the sections in half, if you like). Now you've figured out what 1 ounce is. Draw a line perpendicular across the cheese, and voila! You've got 1/2 ounce marks on the cheese. Cut it if you prefer - and you can place it in marked baggies, so you know how much you've got just by looking at the bag!