Why do Americans use volumes instead of mass for baking/cooking?

[Anonymous]

We aren't talking about liquids, of course.

But it makes absolutely zero sense to use volumes for measurements when cooking or baking. Tsp of salt? Cup of flour? Tsp of baking powder, etc? What in the bloody hell? I'll never understand why Americans love to cook ass backwards and don't use MASS while cooking or baking. It makes infinitely more sense to use GRAMS of flour, salt, etc. while baking/cooking like the rest of the world does. Why is it so ingrained to use asinine measurements in US kitchens?

[Anonymous]

Back to the UK and your hybrid systems of weights and measures. You guys need to pick one or the other and until then quit complaining about the choices others make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We aren't talking about liquids, of course.

But it makes absolutely zero sense to use volumes for measurements when cooking or baking. Tsp of salt? Cup of flour? Tsp of baking powder, etc? What in the bloody hell? I'll never understand why Americans love to cook ass backwards and don't use MASS while cooking or baking. It makes infinitely more sense to use GRAMS of flour, salt, etc. while baking/cooking like the rest of the world does. Why is it so ingrained to use asinine measurements in US kitchens?

IDK but I use a scale and usually have to look at the container to determine grams since many US recipes wont give grams. So 1/3 c on the nutrition label is 30g and I need 1 1/3 cups so 120g but I am the only person I know in the US who cooks/bakes this way.

[Anonymous]

You should go back where you came from if you don’t like it here.

[Anonymous]

If a recipe gives me grams, I’ll pull out my food scale—especially if it’s a more delicate recipe.

[Anonymous]

You might get a more insightful response if you weren’t so hostile about it. I’m sure there is a historical reason for this if you really want to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You might get a more insightful response if you weren’t so hostile about it. I’m sure there is a historical reason for this if you really want to know.

Bring ignorant to science is why America uses stupid volumes for measurements rather than mass.

[Anonymous]

All recipe creators (including American ones) use weighed out ingredients when developing recipes bc it's so much more precise. For the US market they then convert back to volume based measurements.

Weighing and baking is a way better system and even Americans are speaking out in favor of it, eg. Alison Roman on one of her videos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All recipe creators (including American ones) use weighed out ingredients when developing recipes bc it's so much more precise. For the US market they then convert back to volume based measurements.

Weighing and baking is a way better system and even Americans are speaking out in favor of it, eg. Alison Roman on one of her videos.

But it doesn’t make sense to convert back to volumes. Just leave it as mass. Yes, it is way more precise. It makes zero sense to ever use volumes to measure out solids. I worked as a chemist for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All recipe creators (including American ones) use weighed out ingredients when developing recipes bc it's so much more precise. For the US market they then convert back to volume based measurements.

Weighing and baking is a way better system and even Americans are speaking out in favor of it, eg. Alison Roman on one of her videos.

Who?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might get a more insightful response if you weren’t so hostile about it. I’m sure there is a historical reason for this if you really want to know.

Bring ignorant to science is why America uses stupid volumes for measurements rather than mass.

sure. If you think of countries that have contributed nothing to science, America certainly comes to mind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All recipe creators (including American ones) use weighed out ingredients when developing recipes bc it's so much more precise. For the US market they then convert back to volume based measurements.

Weighing and baking is a way better system and even Americans are speaking out in favor of it, eg. Alison Roman on one of her videos.

But it doesn’t make sense to convert back to volumes. Just leave it as mass. Yes, it is way more precise. It makes zero sense to ever use volumes to measure out solids. I worked as a chemist for years.

NP. It does if you're writing for an audience that doesn't have scales. Your experience as a chemist is totally beside the point. Most Americans don't have kitchen scales, and volume measurements are fine for the vast majority of home cooking projects, even baking. Mass is more precise, but does a cake recipe written in cups work? Of course it does, you can tell because Americans successfully make cakes every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All recipe creators (including American ones) use weighed out ingredients when developing recipes bc it's so much more precise. For the US market they then convert back to volume based measurements.

Weighing and baking is a way better system and even Americans are speaking out in favor of it, eg. Alison Roman on one of her videos.

But it doesn’t make sense to convert back to volumes. Just leave it as mass. Yes, it is way more precise. It makes zero sense to ever use volumes to measure out solids. I worked as a chemist for years.

A scale is 1 more thing to buy and you can still cook with volume. As much as bakers love to talk about how precise measurements need to be, they're full of it. Close enough works in 99% of cooking situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You might get a more insightful response if you weren’t so hostile about it. I’m sure there is a historical reason for this if you really want to know.

Bring ignorant to science is why America uses stupid volumes for measurements rather than mass.

sure. If you think of countries that have contributed nothing to science, America certainly comes to mind

US science uses the metric system, lol.

But the general public in the US is ignorant of science. It's not even questionable. That's why they do stupid things like using volumes to measure out solids for cooking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All recipe creators (including American ones) use weighed out ingredients when developing recipes bc it's so much more precise. For the US market they then convert back to volume based measurements.

Weighing and baking is a way better system and even Americans are speaking out in favor of it, eg. Alison Roman on one of her videos.

But it doesn’t make sense to convert back to volumes. Just leave it as mass. Yes, it is way more precise. It makes zero sense to ever use volumes to measure out solids. I worked as a chemist for years.

A scale is 1 more thing to buy and you can still cook with volume. As much as bakers love to talk about how precise measurements need to be, they're full of it. Close enough works in 99% of cooking situation

Omg, owning a scale is a world ending endeavor. How will you ever live if you have to use a scale!!?? Lol, meanwhile, 4 billion other people on the planet use scales and make better food because their recipes are more precise.