There is a versatile measure we use day in day out that can subtly sneak in more energy into our daily eating than we realise : Spoons.
Spoons come in two sizes: A teaspoon holds 5 ml. A tablespoon holds 15 ml.
It is easy to underestimate the amount of energy some foods can provide in one tablespoon.
To state the obvious: there are soup spoons, dessert spoons and other variants that hold volume between 2.5 ml and 20 ml. But the standard for prep are the teaspoon and tablespoon.
Cup of rice: 200 calories
Cup of rice with ghee: 320 calories
* Rice with ghee provides 60 percent more energy
Cup of skim milk with a fruit: 180 calories
Cup of skim milk with a fruit and a tablespoon of peanut butter/almond butter: 300 calories
* The nut butter made the smoothie 55% more calorific
Sandwich with 60 grams of mozarella cheese and 1 teaspoon of pesto and mayonnaise with tomatoes and lettuce: 550 calories
Same sandwich with 1 tablespoon of pesto and mayonnaise: 650 calories
* The larger serving of condiment made the sandwich 20% more calorific
200 grams of green salad sans the olive oil but with 50 grams feta and 1 tablespoon vingarette : 370 calories
200 grams of green salad drizzled with 1 tablespoon olive oil but with 50 grams feta and 1 tablespoon vingarette : 500 calories
* The one tablespoon of olive oil made the salad 26% more calorific
Takeaway
* Whoever is in charge of prepping food needs to use a teaspoon/tablespoon or something in between to add ingredients such as oil, butter, ghee, mayo, salad dressing and nut butter. How many spoons you use would come down to individual energy targets and food preparation.
* Setting weekly or monthly quotas for calorie dense foods (any food that gives you more than 5 kcals/gram). And be measured in your daily use to ensure you can make the quota last through however long it is intended to get through.
* Read labels. You don’t need to obsess over macros or numbers. But be cautious with any food that crosses 5 kcals/gram would be helpful.
* Foods in that category include mayos, salad dressing, nut butters, oil, ghee, butter and sandwich spreads.