Measure up!

Measuring carefully and using the right tools can make cooking much easier. Your meals will turn out better, too!

Don’t guess or “eyeball” measurements

If you are new to cooking or if you are using a new recipe. Even if you’re an experienced cook, never estimate measurements when you’re baking.

Use the right tools.

Coffee cups, tea cups, and the spoons you eat with are not good for measuring when you are cooking or baking. These items are not consistent in size or volume and can cause you to add too much or too little of an ingredient. Use actual measuring cups and measuring spoons. A well-stocked kitchen will have a liquid measuring cup, a set of dry measuring cups, and a set of measuring spoons.

Use the tool that lets you make the fewest measurements possible.

For example, if you try to measure 2 cups of flour with a ¼-cup scoop, you will have to measure out 8 scoops. You can easily lose track of how many scoops you have added! Use a 1-cup scoop, so that you have to measure out only 2 scoops.

Know basic equivalents.

These can help you easily convert measurements on containers in the grocery store to the amounts you need for a recipe. For example, if your recipe calls for 2 cups of milk, you will know you need to buy at least a 1-pint carton of milk at the grocery store.

1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

4 Tablespoons = ¼ cup = 2 fluid ounces

5 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup

8 Tablespoons = ½ cup = 4 fluid ounces

16 Tablespoons = 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces

2 cups = 1 pint = 16 fluid ounces

4 cups = 1 quart = 32 fluid ounces

8 cups = 2 quarts = ½ gallon = 64 ounces

4 quarts = 1 gallon = 128 ounces

For measuring solid stick butter or margarine

½ stick = ¼ cup

1 stick = ½ cup

2 sticks = 1 cup