Serving size help with casserole

[aristocatz]

Casserole in a 9x13 baking dish.

Recipe makes 10 servings.

What is the serving size? 1 cup, 1/2 cup, etc?

 

[Kellydelly]

Probably around a cup.

 

[powellrj]

It makes a difference in what it is and are you having more things. You won’t get as many servings out of a main dish with no sides as you would a side dish with other things being served.

 

[aristocatz]

It makes a difference in what it is and are you having more things. You won’t get as many servings out of a main dish with no sides as you would a side dish with other things being served.

It's a main dish & I dump it on top of a bed of spinach.

Just trying to figure out how much to measure out as a serving size of just the casserole.

Do others agree with 1 cup?

 

[low-key]

10 servings is about right for me, dont forget the bread

 

[ronandannette]

I wouldn't be able to tell you an approximate volume without seeing the pan and it's contents. An easy way to do it though, if you're concerned about portioning it evenly, is to take the cooked dish, cut a line down the middle of it lengthwise, then separate it into 5 sections width-wise. You'll be left with 10 portions of equal size, whatever the volume may be.

 

[RedAngie]

Are you trying to get 10 servings from the casserole?

Score the top of the casserole lightly in a 2 x 5 pattern and dish it out. No need to know what the exact quantity is.

 

[wenrob]

Are you looking for a calorie count maybe? If so, weighing would be better than cups. Is it that it won’t hold together so it won’t cut into squares? A little more info would help us help you.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

A 9 by 13 gives you 10 cups or there about. So that would be 10, 1 cup servings, or there about.

 

[jdb in AZ]

I was trying to figure out how to scoop a potato casserole with a 1 c measuring cup. A woman with a lot more catering experience than I'll ever have -- she just sliced the casserole into the desired number of servings (similar to the recommendations above) and ignored the measuring cup.

 

[Christine]

I would go with 1 cup. It sounds like you are trying to count calories?

 

[Imzadi]

I was trying to figure out how to scoop a potato casserole with a 1 c measuring cup. A woman with a lot more catering experience than I'll ever have -- she just sliced the casserole into the desired number of servings (similar to the recommendations above) and ignored the measuring cup.

I just take a big serving spoon and eyeball scoop up about the amount that would fit inside an 8 oz cup and call that a "cup" serving. It's measuring by volume instead of weight or calories when those don't matter. But, when I get a 1/2 lb of something at my local deli. They grab the small 8 oz / 1/2 lb containers and fill it. Unless they try to push & stuff it it down or it has a lot of sauce/water in it, anything else does end up weighing about 8 oz or close enough.

 

[Imzadi]

It makes a difference in what it is and are you having more things. You won’t get as many servings out of a main dish with no sides as you would a side dish with other things being served.

One also has to account for the fact that some people may want more than just a cup serving. Remember this hilarious moment when Mary was serving Veal Prince Orloff starting at the 1:25 min mark:

 

[aristocatz]

I would go with 1 cup. It sounds like you are trying to count calories?

Yes, I'm counting carbs & I want to only eat the amount noted in one serving. Just not sure how much one serving is, out of 10 servings.

 

[Christine]

Yes, I'm counting carbs & I want to only eat the amount noted in one serving. Just not sure how much one serving is, out of 10 servings.

When tracking food in that way, it's actually pretty impossible to be accurate. If you are trying to be extremely strict, the best way is to weigh all your ingredients prior to prep, weigh the total casserole in grams or ounces and then calculate your serving by weight. I know many people who do that, especially if they have one recipe they make over and over again. I've never had the patience for it but I pretty much know that trying to eyeball out a serving is probably not going to be that accurate. Also overestimate to be sure you to overeat whatever you measurement is (carbs, calories, etc).

I have a chili I make about once a week that makes "about 10 servings." I ended up one day painfully weighing out everything so that I can get a gram measurement.

 

[msjprincess]

One also has to account for the fact that some people may want more than just a cup serving. Remember this hilarious moment when Mary was serving Veal Prince Orloff starting at the 1:25 min mark:

LOL. That's the first thing I thought of.

 

[SirDuff]

When tracking food in that way, it's actually pretty impossible to be accurate. If you are trying to be extremely strict, the best way is to weigh all your ingredients prior to prep, weigh the total casserole in grams or ounces and then calculate your serving by weight. I know many people who do that, especially if they have one recipe they make over and over again. I've never had the patience for it but I pretty much know that trying to eyeball out a serving is probably not going to be that accurate. Also overestimate to be sure you to overeat whatever you measurement is (carbs, calories, etc).

I have a chili I make about once a week that makes "about 10 servings." I ended up one day painfully weighing out everything so that I can get a gram measurement.

At the very least, OP, you need to weigh the casserole (subtracting weight of dish), divide that by 10 and use that.

Volume has three components, you'd need to know the height of the dish and how high up the casserole itself goes before even guessing at the volume of one serving. At extremes, a casserole that just barely covers the bottom of this is going to have much smaller servings than one that completely fills a casserole dish with three inch sides.

 

[RedAngie]

I wouldn't be able to tell you an approximate volume without seeing the pan and it's contents. An easy way to do it though, if you're concerned about portioning it evenly, is to take the cooked dish, cut a line down the middle of it lengthwise, then separate it into 5 sections width-wise. You'll be left with 10 portions of equal size, whatever the volume may be.

Are you trying to get 10 servings from the casserole?

Score the top of the casserole lightly in a 2 x 5 pattern and dish it out. No need to know what the exact quantity is.

You posted your response while I was composing mine. Ordinarily I'd say GMTA. But I really think you stole my idea after you watched me divvy up that infamous noodle casserole.

 

[ronandannette]

^^{{sigh}} It was a noodle salad, and if you'll remember correctly, it wasn't served at the party because it didn't compliment my carefully planned menu. BTW @RedAngie , I thought you were supposed to be meeting me in LA two weeks ago?

 

[RedAngie]

^^{{sigh}} It was a noodle salad, and if you'll remember correctly, it wasn't served at the party because it didn't compliment my carefully planned menu. BTW @RedAngie , I thought you were supposed to be meeting me in LA two weeks ago?

I just like to annoy you and hear you {{sigh}} when I intentionally continue to misidentify that culinary atrocity as noodle "casserole."

As for L.A., I was there waiting for you on Hollywood Blvd at midnight but you never showed up.