Rule of Thumb for the weight of a filling meal?

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In summary: The average weight of a full meal (meaning it allows you to feel full after eating it) for a man is about 1lb. The average weight of a full meal (meaning it allows you to feel full after eating it) for a woman is about 2lb.
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WWGD
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TL;DR Summary
What's the weight of an average full meal for a man?
Hi,
Just doing some informal research: what is the average weight of a full meal ( meaning it allows you to feel full after eating it) for a man /woman? Internet doesn't say much ; only found two posts both suggesting around 1lb . Anyone else know?
Edit: My goal is to decide whether the price of a hot food buffet (selling by weight) is worthwhile. If 1lb is enough on avg. then I compare to the price per lb. Of course I use some tricks like not getting anything with bones in it since I will not eat the bone.
 
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Completely theoretical calculations:
Assume a 2,000 kcal/day diet with 30% of calories from fat.
Proteins and carbohydrates have ~ 4 kcal/g, fats have 9 kcal/g.
This gives a daily food consumption of ~67g of fats + 350g of protein/carbohydrate = 417g ~ 0.9 lb

Limitations: Not all of the weight of the food we consume is digested (e.g. healthy diets should contain 20-40g of dietary fiber), so the 0.9 lb of food per day is a lower limit.
 
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Actually the weight of the food is higher because the water content has not been taken into account in the protein and carb sources.
 
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gleem said:
Actually the weight of the food is higher because the water content has not been taken into account in the protein and carb sources.
Can you help me figure out how to dehydrate the food before it's weighed :) ( it's sold by weight).
 
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WWGD said:
Summary: What's the weight of an average full meal for a man?

My goal is to decide whether the price of a hot food buffet (selling by weight) is worthwhile.

If the only goal is frugality then certainly not.
Examples:
https://www.wegmans.com/products/prepared-foods/self-serve/entree/hot-food-bars.html
Whole foods $6-$8 depending on day
Tops $6.48/lb

Convenient but your wallet will be sad.

BoB
 
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WWGD said:
Can you help me figure out how to dehydrate the food before it's weighed :) ( it's sold by weight

I don't know of any portable battery operated dehydrators.

Cooking removes some water from meat and especially fish. Meat is about 70% water and fish about 80%
Cooking carbs can add a good amount of water e.g. rice or pasta
Cooking veges can remove some water.

Our eating out philosophy is; Order only what you cannot or do not want to cook at home.
 
  • #8
WWGD said:
Can you help me figure out how to dehydrate the food before it's weighed :) ( it's sold by weight).
The only thing that comes to mind about foods drying out at buffets is waiting until the food has been sitting under the heat lamps a long time and is dried out, I usually try to avoid these, but sounds like that's what you want.

Any liquids on the plate, pour them back into the pan. Proteins are very filling and take a while to digest.

Generally speaking, carbohydrates tend to spend the least amount of time in the stomach, while protein stays in the stomach longer, and fats the longest.

http://scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=2180
So fried proteins would be good (chicken fried steak). Skip the salads, veggies, anything with a high water content, as these will pass out of your stomach quickly and leave you hungry very soon and will weigh a lot. Not a healthy diet, but you didn't ask what's healthy.
 
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  • #9
gleem said:
I don't know of any portable battery operated dehydrators.
Shouldn't be too difficult to make (just need a heat source and time) but I doubt the buffet operators will approve.
gleem said:
Order only what you cannot or do not want to cook at home.
So many choices then!
 

1. What is the general rule of thumb for the weight of a filling meal?

The general rule of thumb for the weight of a filling meal is around 500-700 grams. This includes the weight of the main dish, sides, and any condiments or sauces.

2. How does the weight of a filling meal vary for different types of diets?

The weight of a filling meal can vary for different types of diets. For example, a vegetarian meal may be lighter due to the absence of meat, while a high-protein meal for bodybuilders may be heavier.

3. Can the weight of a filling meal be affected by portion sizes?

Yes, the weight of a filling meal can be affected by portion sizes. Larger portions will obviously result in a heavier meal, while smaller portions may not be as filling.

4. Are there any factors that can influence the weight of a filling meal?

Yes, there are several factors that can influence the weight of a filling meal. These include the type of food, cooking methods, and the amount of fat and carbohydrates in the meal.

5. Is the weight of a filling meal a reliable indicator of its nutritional value?

No, the weight of a filling meal is not always a reliable indicator of its nutritional value. A meal may be heavy due to high calorie and unhealthy ingredients, while a lighter meal may be packed with nutritious and wholesome foods.

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