How about this?

Measurement conversion calculator

Well 4 cups = 1 pound, so 1 cup would be 4 oz... Sorry I can't help you with a list...

Rita

Here is one of the best ones I have found.
Lisa

Here is a link that might be useful: Conversion chart

I haven't found any site which properly does the job of converting volume to weight because the problem lies in that each ingredient has a different weight. So one cup of nails does not weigh the same as one cup of feathers. And one cup of sugar does not weigh the same as one cup of lentils (I just checked on my electronic scale to prove it), even though they are both in the category of Dry Weight.

1 cup sugar = 240 grams
1 cup brown lentils = 190 grams

So you have to make your own chart .....when you have time....by weighing and jotting down each item as you measure it out by cups or tablespoons. I have a fairly decent long list of different foods noted by weight and volume printed inside an old British cookbook but as even there I find discrepancies, it's easier just to grab my scale and do it myself now.

I started my own list some time ago ....don't know what happened to it, but I have printed out pages from a couple of sites which give partial lists of foods in both volume & weight.

Site One - (Australian)....shows cups converted to metric & imperial for different ingredients

Site Two - British - this lists a few foods under the section "American Measures" as metric and cups....scroll down the page.

I would still check out their conversions with my own scale when possible, as I find even my conversions differ slightly to these lists.

Good Luck! And if you do find a better list...please come back and let us know. :-)

SharonCb

Use a scale for weights when weights are called for instead of converting them to cup measures. That's the only accurate way to get the correct measure called for. Conversions often create mistakes.

Take something as simple as FLOUR. A cup of flour is one of the most inaccurate measures found in baking. If you were to take several different people and weigh their "cup" of flour on a scale, you will find everything BUT the same exact weight.

Some people pack the flour, some people don't fluff the flour before they measure it, some people dip the cup rather than spooning it into the cup, some people drag the cup of flour up the side of the flour container and don't bother to level with a straight edge, some people shake the cup to level it.... You will find as much as 1-3 oz. (weight), or more, difference between cups and weight.

When you need 5-1/2 oz. or 150 g. of flour by weight, when the scale registers that amount, that's IT. You didn't have to worry about any of the variables that makes cupping flour so inaccurate.

That, and there are discrepencies between the so-called experts on how much a cup of flour weighs. Many say 4-oz., others say 4.5 oz. Whole wheat flour weighs more than all-purpose. Zojirushi bread machine makers suggests a cup of freshly milled whole wheat flour weighs 3 oz.

The same goes for converting the weight of grated cheese to cups. Cup shredded cheese and weigh how much you can stuff into a cup. Some people load it lightly, some people can really pack it tightly - both measures are a cup, but they may vary as much as 3 oz. either way. Making a conversion of 8 oz. (weight) of shredded cheese to cup measure, to as little as 5 oz. or as much as 11 or 12 oz. based on how the cup was filled. If they would have measured 8 oz. on a scale, they will always get 8 oz., not the inaccurate measure of a cup.....

Thank goodness cooking/baking is pretty forgiving. Inaccuracies in measurements using cups is why 7 people can bring the same recipe for brownies to a bake sale and none of they seem to be alike.

I'd much rather weigh ingredients quickly and accurately on a scale than have to figure out all the math for conversions.

-Grainlady

What I'm finding interesting here (aside from the fact that I think most of you have misinterpreted the question) is that every reference I've seen before has a cup of AP flour (unsifted) weighing in at 5 oz. But Lisa's site equates to about 3.9, Rita says 4, Grainlady is saying anywhere from 4-4.5.

Westelle - As Grainlady points out, things esp like grated cheese can have huge variances. My Salter scale came with a decent conversion chart that overall seems realistic. If you'd like me to copy it and send it to you, shoot me an email and I'll take care of it early this week.

You might consider getting a scale that weights both wet and dry liquids. Like Fenworth I have a Salter that does this. The model I have is the Salter Electronic Aquatronic.

Ann

Last year I tried to convert several recipes from grams to US measurements and found it just does not work. Finally, I bought a scale, a vintage one and it is fairly accurate too. I took it to the post office and compared it to the US Postal scales and it passed.

It is just so nice to not have to fuss converting measurements before trying out a new recipe. And I use my scale more then I thought I would.

Thank goodness cooking/baking is pretty forgiving. Inaccuracies in measurements using cups is why 7 people can bring the same recipe for brownies to a bake sale and none of they seem to be alike.

I bought 2 new sets of measuring cups and 3 sets of measuring spoons when my new kitchen was finished. All are different brands and not one measures the same as another. The c., 1/2 c. and so on are terrible and the measurement differences are amazing. Good lord if a recipe calls for 5-6 cups of flour depending on the cup I use I could be using up to 3/4 c. more flour! Now I am very careful which set of measurements I am using.

And I've been meaning to put up a post about the accuracy problems between brands of measuring devices and am glad to see Grainlady's post.

Michelle

As far as I know, there are NO U.S. standards by which measuring cups and spoons are gauged. The only thing that keeps everything from flopping in a recipe is that most recipes are a ratio of ingredients, and as long as the measure is consistant, you maintain the ratio.

That's why when "granny" used a pint/quart jar or coffee or tea cup for measuring, and spoons out of her silverware drawer, it worked. No matter what size measuring devise she used, she maintained the ratio of ingredients.

For instance, a standard, plain cake has, by measure, one-third as much fat as sugar; two-thirds as much milk as sugar; and about 3 times as much flour as liquid. You can measure with cups, buckets, or truck loads and get cake, as long as you maintain the ratio of ingredients.

I have a large measuring cup my daughter brought me from Germany. It has measurements for sugar (in grams) in one column, water has 2 columns (ML & L), rice (grams) and flour (grams) in other columns. It's very confusing for my American-trained eye where the cups are graduated measurements for all things measured.

It always amazes me when people need a pound of apples, for instance. Rather than weigh a pound, they have to look on some equivalency chart and find out 1-pound of apples is about 3 medium apples or 2-3/4 to 3 cups sliced. When the only accurate measure was weight - not the size of the fruit or how many cups of it it was when sliced.

Other examples from a chart that proves how inaccurate conversions can be:

1# American Cheese = 4-5 cups shredded
1# Cheddar Cheese = 4 c. shredded

1# almonds in shell = 1-1-3/4 c. nutmeats
1# almonds shelled = 3 cups blanched whole

1# potatoes (approx. 3 medium size potatoes) = 1-1/2 to 2-1/4 c. cooked, diced or sliced OR 1-3/4 to 2 cups mashed

1# confectioners' sugar (unsifted) = 3 to 4 cups

Once again, the only accurate measure for those foods is a 1# measure on a scale because there is a HUGE difference in 3 and 4 cups, and to mention again human error filling and packing a cup.

-Grainlady

"As far as I know, there are NO U.S. standards by which measuring cups and spoons are gauged. The only thing that keeps everything from flopping in a recipe is that most recipes are a ratio of ingredients, and as long as the measure is consistant, you maintain the ratio."

I don't follow. Isn't a tablespoon 1/2 ounce, or 3 teaspoons? Whether or not they're accurately manufactured would be another question, but I don't see why this would be an issue in US but not metric?

And the second part of that - How many of us use the same brand wet and dry measures? Most kitchens I've been in have Pirex for liquid, and then any possible brand of dry.

I would have to think that Michelle's experience is an exception - and personally I'd have immediately weighed out some water and returned any inaccurate cups.

Grainlady I do believe you have it together!!! I'm buying a Salter scale tomorrow!

You ladies think you have problems, I just found out a couple weeks ago that a "Dry" cup for measuring dry ingredients and a "Wet" cup for measuring wet things like milk are actually two different volumes! I told you I didn't know how to cook,LOL!!

I've also been trying to convert US volume based recipes to mass based ones (ie use a scale instead of measuring cups). Because every food has a different density, you need to find a reference for each food, or create your own reference by measuring a cup out, weighing it, and then repeating several times. Take the average of your weights, and list it on your table for future reference.

The best table I've found so far is an extensive table in the back of my KA Flour Whole Grain Baking Cookbook, but I can't seem to find that table online for you.

I like yours, Lisa. I found a bigger site too... see below. Thanks to all!

Here is a link that might be useful: Equivalents Table

Thanks, Westelle. I have bookmarked it, too. I really haven't had any problem using the chart I posted. The only thing is that you probably need to have a basic knowledge of what your dough, mixture, etc. must look like. Then you can adjust certain ingredients if you need it. A little trial and error is involved in any cooking project.
Lisa

Thanks Westelle for a decent large list of ingredients shown in both volume and weight. I don't need to make conversions for myself when I'm cooking but I do have European and British cookbooks which list recipe ingredients in either Imperial or Metric measures and use a Philips electronic scale which measures liquid and dry in both systems.

If I want to post one of these European recipes on the Cooking or Recipe forums, I like to give the volume measures (cups, spoons) as well because I know that not all North American cooks use scales or metric measures when cooking or baking. If I'm in the midst of preparing a metric recipe I will usually dump the contents from the scale into a measuring cup and take note, adding that to my recipe on file. However, a prepared conversion list is always handy when typing out a recipe in a hurry.

SharonCb

Westelle, thanks for the link! It'll get a lot of traffic from me.