• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Southern Bite - supper made simple.

Southern Bite

Stacey Little's Southern Food & Recipe Blog

  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Breads
    • Breakfast
    • Desserts
    • Main Course
    • Sauces/Dressings
    • Sides
    • Slow Cooker
    • Snacks
    • Soups
    • Weeknight Bites
  • Videos
    • Simply Southern TV
    • Behind the Recipe
    • Recipes with Videos
  • Cookbook
  • About
    • About Stacey
    • Media/PR
    • Contact
  • Recipe Box
Home » Lagniappe

Here’s Why I Don’t Post Nutritional Information with My Recipes

Stacey – July 13, 2022 – 6 Comments

Why I Don't Include Nutritional Information on My Recipes

Folks, I hear you. Each week, I get a few comments asking about nutritional info for a specific recipe. And I get it. We’re in a time where we’re all growing ever cognizant of the things we nourish our bodies with – as we should be. Chances are you’re seeing food bloggers and recipe developers like me include that nutritional information with their recipes. But here’s the thing… they’re not correct.

Ok, ok… They’re close. But not exact. Actually, sometimes they’re way off. Let me explain.

As a blogger, we all use software that allows us to present recipes in pretty little formats that also allows you to print them easily. There are only a few of these pieces of software out there, so we’re all using one of about three different options. And some of those pieces of software will include nutritional information with a few simple clicks.

But they’re just guesses.

And in the case of recipes like many of mine, the nutritional content will vary based on the brands you choose. That nifty little software doesn’t take that into account.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I AM NOT, in any way, throwing shade at anyone who uses these calculators. It’s just not how I choose to run Southern Bite.

Let me show you what I mean…

Cartons of chicken broth

Here are two mainstream brands of chicken broth. These were the two that took up the most shelf space in my local Publix – which probably means they’re the best sellers. Let’s look at the back of the cartons…

Cartons of chicken broth

So, for each cup of broth, one has 5 calories and the other has 10. Sure, you’re only talking about 5 calories, but one has double the caloric count of the other.

And when we’re talking about sodium, one clocks in at 760mg while the other contains 860mg. If you’re on a strict sodium restrictive diet, that’s a considerable difference.

Cans of Cream of chicken soup

Let’s look at another pantry staple – cream of chicken soup. These were the only two brands offered at my store.

Cans of Cream of chicken soup

In each half-cup serving, there’s 80 calories in the soup on the left and 120 in the one on the right.

When it comes to fat, the Pacific Foods has 2.5g, while the Campbell’s has 8g. That’s a pretty considerable difference.

And then we’re looking at 650mg of sodium compared to 870mg.

Bottles of Salad dressing

Another example is this Italian salad dressing. Again, two popular brands…

Bottles of Salad dressing

We have 60 calories in the dressing on the left compared to 80 calories in the dressing on the right.

The Kraft dressing has 4.5g of fat per 2 tablespoons serving, while the Wish Bone has 7g in the same serving size.

Do you see where I’m going here?

Jars of Marinara

Jarred tomato basil sauce is next up.

Jars of Marinara

The Rao’s sauce on the left clocks in at 80 calories and 5g of fat per 1/2 cup serving while the Barilla sauce has only 50 calories and 1 g of fat.

Jars of Salsa

Last on our list is salsa.

Jars of Salsa

While both jars have only 10 calories per 2 tablespoon serving, the sodium content is where these two differ. The Pace has 130mg per serving while the Herdez has 270mg.

In most cases, these aren’t huge differences, but that’s not always the case. And for folks who are on restrictive diets, even these small variations can make big differences.

While many folks argue that including it is just a general guideline, for me, including nutritional content that is incorrect – no matter how small the difference – is just not how I want to do things.

And since many of my recipes use convenience products like these examples here, the nutritional info can vary based on the specific brands you choose.

So, I ALWAYS recommend choosing your favorite brands and using their nutritional labels to figure the exact content of my recipes.

If you want a general guideline, you can use the handy calculator from Whisk that allows you to drop the link to any recipe right in the calculator and it will give you an estimate. Just keep in mind that it’s just that – an estimate.

If you want something more exact, I love the recipe builder from MyFitnessPal that allows you to build a recipe with specific brands to ensure a more precise calculation.

Y’all, this isn’t me being evasive or inconsiderate. It’s just me trying to be realistic and provide you with the most accurate information.

So, now you know. 😊

Know some folks who would like this?

Related Posts

Top 10 Southern Bite Recipes of 2021
Top 10 Southern Bite Recipes of 2021
Test Kitchen mock up
The Chinaberry Test Kitchen
Tanglewood House Plan
The Chinaberry House Plans
view from hilltop
The Chinaberry House
Stacey Little of Southern Bite

Hey, y’all! I’m Stacey…

Feeding people makes me happy. Few things in this world delight me more than my family and friends gathered around my table enjoying a meal. Pull up a chair and join us! Read more…

Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter YouTube
About Cookbook Shop Contact

Join my mailing list!

Get new Southern Bite recipes delivered right to your inbox. Plus, I’ll send you my Breakfast Bites mini ebook!

No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Rate & Comment Cancel reply

    I love hearing from y'all! Comments, suggestions, and questions are always welcome. Kindness is required. Your email address will not be published.

    Recipe Rating




  1. Marybeth

    July 14, 2022 at 9:56 am

    Thank you so much for posting this. Last year, I began limiting my carbs and I was so surprised at the differences in brands once I started reading labels. I love your recipes and have made several of them. Like you suggested, I just plug the ingredients into the app I use to track my carbs (Carb Manager). They have a recipe builder so it’s very easy.

    Thank you for all of your great recipes and keep them coming! : )

    Reply
    • Stacey

      July 15, 2022 at 8:29 am

      Thank you Marybeth!

      Reply
  2. Nancy M Thornton

    July 13, 2022 at 3:05 pm

    I’m pretty healthy considering my age” a term I hate” so I take the nutritional info as a guide line. I’m going to eat what appeals to me which is usually one of your recipes. The key for me is to eat small portions. ear a variety. and stay active. Keep sharing your great recipe ideas. You cook the way I was raised.

    Reply
    • Stacey

      July 14, 2022 at 9:03 am

      Thank you so much Nancy!

      Reply
  3. Denise

    July 13, 2022 at 2:48 pm

    I really appreciate you taking the time to explain this. My youngest is T1 diabetic. We dose his insulin based on the number of carbohydrates that he eats. I never trust those nutritional info counts for anything more than determining if it is something that looks relatively healthy or not. I count them all myself as I am making it based on the specific ingredients that I add. For us it is a life or death calculation. Too much or too little insulin for him has devastating consequences. Thank you for providing nothing but completely accurate information and not guestimating! Always love your recipes.

    Reply
    • Stacey

      July 14, 2022 at 9:04 am

      Thank you Denise! You are an amazing caregiver for your son!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Stacey Little of Southern Bite

Hey, y’all! I’m Stacey…

Feeding people makes me happy. Few things in this world delight me more than my family and friends gathered around my table enjoying a meal. Pull up a chair and join us! Read more…

Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter YouTube
About Cookbook Shop Contact
The Southern Bite Cookbook cover

Trending Now

  • Closer photo of Ultimate Chicken Spaghetti Ultimate Chicken Spaghetti
  • Simple Cucumber and Onion Salad
  • These quick and easy enchiladas only call for 5 ingredients and are ready in no time! It's the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight! #recipe #southernbite #enchiladas #easy #quick #weeknight 5 Ingredient Beef Enchiladas
  • Fried corn in cast iron skillet Southern Fried Corn
  • Fajita Chicken Casserole
  • Close photo of Tomato and Cracker Salad Tomato Cracker Salad

As Seen On

As seen on logos

Recipes by Category

  • Appetizers
  • Beverages
  • Breads
  • Breakfast
  • Desserts
  • Main Course
  • Sauces/Dressings
  • Sides
  • Slow Cooker
  • Snacks
  • Soups
  • Weeknight Bites
  • Work with Me
  • My Cookbook
  • Contact
  • Cookbooks I Love
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy

© 2009–2022 Southern Bite / Stacey Little Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. All Content Protected By Federal Copyright Laws.