Weighing Your Food

Q: I’m curious about getting a digital scale so I can measure out ingredients accurately. Any advice on buying and using one?

A: Measuring the weight of ingredients is the ultimate in recipe precision. Given that accurate measurement can mean the difference between a beautiful loaf of bread and a leaden brick, a digital scale is a must in the kitchen.

Our favorite, the OXO Food Scale ($49.99), features a large weight range, a gram-to-ounce conversion feature, and an easy-to-read display that extends outward from the base to avoid obstruction from large bowls. These details, along with a generous, stable weighing platform, make weighing effortless. If you are looking to spend a little less, the Soehnle 65055 Digital Scale ($34.95), our best buy, does an admirable job.

A couple of tips to keep in mind when using a digital scale:

• If you find yourself weighing an ingredient like raw meat, you could cover the platform with a sheet of plastic wrap, or you could slide the entire scale into a large zipper-lock bag. The buttons are usable and the readout visible through the plastic bag, which can be washed and reused for the same purpose.
• When weighing large or bulky ingredients, leverage is your friend. Steady a lightweight cake stand on the scale, and set the tare at zero. The cake stand, which is wide enough to accommodate large pans and big cuts of meat, elevates items so that the display is visible.

Do you have a question about healthy cooking? Email thefeed@americastestkitchen.com and it might be featured in an upcoming To Your Health.