Calculating syns?

[Joannejmorg]

Not sure if it's just me having a dull moment but I get the 1 syn for 20 calories, but dnt get how some foods are then free.
Mug shots for example are approx 100 calories, so if I didn't already know that certain ones are free I would b counting them as 5 syns?
Help?

 

[PatchworkPuss]

Because the main ingredient is pasta or noodles which is a free food. Products which have free foods as the main ingredient get a special allowance which takes this into account and reduces the syn value. There is no way you can work out the syns yourself on something which has a free food allowance. The 20 calories rule works on all other foods however.

 

[Joannejmorg]

Thanks. That explains it a bit better. Just wish it was the same for a pot noodle! Lol ?

 

[ermintrude]

Thanks. That explains it a bit better. Just wish it was the same for a pot noodle! Lol ?

It is - a Pot Noodle contains noodles which are a free food on Green/EE so qualify for a free food allowance, therefore the 1 syn per 20 calories rule does not apply and you need to use the calculator.

Like Patchwork says - if it contains free food (eg meat, potatoes, pasta, beans, rice etc etc etc) AS ITS MAIN INGREDIENT it almost always qualifies for a free food allowance so you need to use the calculato.

(Exceptions to the free food allowance include shop-bought soups and sauces, things in pastry, some junk food, dried food, mm there might be another one or two that I cant remember off the top of my head)