So I love to get a quick easy meal from sprouts or Safeway etc. I specifically love the chicken parmigiana. However, I feel as if the calories listed CANNOT be correct, can it? It’s 340 calories for a plate with spaghetti, sauce, parmigiana plus a thick breaded chicken piece with cheese on it. How can all this be only 340 calories? I’ve never noticed a size difference in the chicken or spaghetti portion. Honestly looking at it I’d guess it’s 500 calories at least.
Anybody have any thoughts on this?
by Blackcatbandit
10 Comments
These things are costed to the fraction of a penny. Ready meal makers know exactly what is going into their silver trays
Is it maybe a “per serving” type of thing? I got a sandwich in a grocery ready made section before thinking I’d scored a low cal yummy breakfast and it ended up being 2.5 servings 🤦🏼♀️
Typically the calorie count is for the main portion ie: the chicken parm itself not the pasta.
Or at least that’s what I assume.
The calories can be correct “per serving” but I have found many times that a serving may be 300g but actually weighs out 100g +/- which can really add up!
OP if you’re really concerned that this is wrong, take out the spag and weigh it (with no sauce) then cook some normal spaghetti and work out the calories for the same amount. Then work out the cals for a similar weight piece of unbreaded chicken. This should give you a rough idea of whether or not there’s enough tolerance for the crumbs and cheese and sauce. 340 does seem too low but it also looks like quite a small portion so it could be possible.
I used to order ready made meals when I was super busy and they were generally between 350 and 600 cals each, but a single slab of vegetarian lasagne was always about 480.
Usually calories on meals should be accurate but it is *possible* they’re wrong. I buy frozen edamame that have the calories listed as about 5x what they should be despite being nothing but 100% edamame 🤷🏼♀️ companies make errors and if it’s not brought to their attention they’d have no reason to investigate or change the nutrition info.
I would say this is certainly wrong considering the calories of chicken alone, let alone the cheese, breading and pasta. I feel like about 600-700 would be accurate. Check the serving sizes, sometimes it’s labelled as 2 servings
At least in my area, prepackaged meals like this are the WORST for having improper nutritional labels on them. I believe it can be up to 30% higher than what’s stated on the package.
I believe regulation gives prepackaged food companies a “leeway” of +/- 20% of the calories and macros. It might be ten percent. It’s something obnoxious.
Added ingredients & macro adjustments drastically changed my WL journey after cal range alotted for my normal bmi
Just my input, I am sure many lost & maintained in other ways
I like those kinds of meals myself sometimes.
Sprouts as shown here gives the nutritional info for an 8oz serving, but the actual amount of ounces varies per container. Same for Safeway, etc.
If they give the total ounces, easy peasy, just make sure you account for the entire thing. If that’s not given, then either use a scale (if you don’t already own one, good ones frequently available inexpensively at Amazon) or give an honest estimate of each part – pasta with sauce, piece of Chicken Parmesan, etc.
Edited to add: oops, I should have refreshed the thread before finishing this after I had to go away for a bit mid-reply. Good to have confirmation? 🙂