Scalloped potatoes are a classic comfort food dish of sliced potatoes baked in a creamy sauce. While delicious, scalloped potatoes are also high in calories due to their main ingredients of potatoes, cream or milk, and cheese. Determining the calorie count for a serving of scalloped potatoes depends on the exact recipe, ingredients, and portion size.
Calories in Potatoes
Potatoes are starchy vegetables that contain carbohydrates which are broken down into glucose during digestion. The calorie content of potatoes can vary slightly depending on the specific type. Here are the calories for 1 medium (148g) potato of some common varieties:
| Potato Type | Calories |
|---|---|
| Russet | 161 |
| Red | 154 |
| Yukon Gold | 145 |
| Sweet Potato | 112 |
As you can see, on average one medium sized potato contains around 150 calories. The exact calorie count changes depending on if the potato is baked, boiled, fried, etc. But for scalloped potatoes which are baked, the calorie counts for the potatoes themselves will be on the lower end.
Calories in Dairy and Cheese
In addition to potatoes, scalloped potatoes get a lot of their calories from dairy products like cream, milk, and cheese. Here are the calories for 1/4 cup of cream and 1 ounce of cheddar cheese:
| Ingredient | Calories |
|---|---|
| Heavy cream (1/4 cup) | 217 |
| Whole milk (1/4 cup) | 37 |
| Cheddar cheese (1 oz) | 115 |
The dairy ingredients alone can add anywhere from 100 to over 200 calories per serving depending on if you use heavy cream or milk. Shredded cheese also packs a lot of calories proportional to volume. A typical scalloped potato recipe calls for 2-3 cups of dairy products total.
Standard Scalloped Potato Recipe
Here is a typical recipe for scalloped potatoes to use as a reference:
Ingredients:
– 2 lbs potatoes, sliced
– 1/4 cup butter
– 1/4 cup flour
– 2 cups milk
– 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
– 1 tsp salt
– 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Slice potatoes thinly and layer half in greased baking dish.
3. Melt butter in saucepan then add flour and milk, stirring constantly until thickened.
4. Remove sauce from heat and stir in cheese, salt, and pepper.
5. Pour half the sauce over the potatoes and layer remaining potatoes on top.
6. Pour remaining sauce over top and cover with foil.
7. Bake 45 minutes then remove foil and bake 15 minutes more until potatoes are tender.
This recipe makes approximately 6 servings.
Determining Serving Size
The key factor in determining the calorie count per serving of scalloped potatoes is the serving size.
Some examples of common serving size descriptions:
| Serving Description | Approximate Volume |
|---|---|
| Small scoop | 1/2 cup |
| Medium scoop | 3/4 cup |
| Large scoop | 1 cup |
| Individual baking dish | 1 1/2 cups |
| Small bowl | 1 1/4 cups |
For the purposes of this question, if a “small bowl” is assumed to be approximately 1 1/4 cups, then each serving from the recipe above would be around 1 1/4 cups.
Calculating Calories for a Small Bowl Serving
To determine the calories for a small bowl sized serving:
– The original recipe makes 6 servings
– Each serving is approximately 1 1/4 cups or a “small bowl”
– The total ingredients amount to:
– Potatoes: 2 lbs = approx. 6 medium potatoes = 900 calories
– Butter: 1/4 cup = 200 calories
– Flour: 1/4 cup = 115 calories
– Milk: 2 cups = 250 calories
– Cheese: 1 cup = 460 calories
– Salt & pepper: negligible calories
– Total recipe calories = 1925
– For 6 servings, each serving = 1925/6 = 321 calories
Therefore, the calorie count for a small bowl of the scalloped potatoes is approximately 321 calories.
This provides an estimate for a typical recipe. The actual calories can vary depending on the specific ingredients used, any additions like ham or breadcrumbs, as well as precisely how much is served in the “small bowl”. But for general purposes, you can estimate around 300 – 350 calories for a small bowl portion of scalloped potatoes.
Ways to Reduce Calories
If you are looking to lighten up this recipe, there are a few easy ways to reduce the calorie count per serving:
– Use milk instead of heavy cream – saves around 150 calories per cup.
– Use reduced-fat cheese – saves around 25 calories per ounce.
– Use less butter – reduce to 2-3 tbsp to save 100 calories.
– Bake instead of frying – saves oil calories.
– Increase servings to 8 – reduces calories to around 250 per serving.
– Add veggies like broccoli or cauliflower – adds nutrients and fiber.
– Use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream – cuts calories in half.
While scalloped potatoes will never be a low-calorie food, these simple substitutions can reduce the calorie count by 100 calories or more per serving.
How Potatos Fit Into a Balanced Diet
While scalloped potatoes are high in calories and carbohydrates, they can be enjoyed occasionally as part of an overall healthy, balanced diet that incorporates fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and dairy.
Here are some tips for fitting potatoes into a balanced meal plan:
– Enjoy scalloped or mashed potatoes only 1-2 times per week, and limit portion sizes to 1 cup or less.
– Balance higher calorie potato dishes with lower calorie foods like a green salad or lean protein.
– When making baked, mashed, fried or scalloped potatoes, always leave the skins on and cook them whole for more fiber.
– Substitute cauliflower mash for potato on occasion to increase nutritional variety.
– Pair potatoes with healthy fats like olive oil instead of butter.
– Select plain boiled or baked potatoes over fries, chips or fried potato dishes outside the home.
While potatoes may have developed an unhealthy reputation, they can be part of healthy eating patterns when enjoyed in moderation alongside a variety of other whole foods. By monitoring your portions and preparation methods, scalloped potatoes can definitely fit into an overall balanced diet.
Conclusion
Scalloped potatoes are a classic comforting side dish that are high in calories due to their main ingredients of potatoes, milk or cream, and cheese. A small bowl sized serving of a typical scalloped potato recipe can have around 300-350 calories. However, there are many ways to tweak the ingredients and preparation methods to lighten up this decadent dish. When enjoyed occasionally and in moderation as part of an overall healthy eating pattern, scalloped potatoes can be part of a balanced diet. Monitoring your portion sizes and choosing healthier cooking methods allows you to enjoy the creamy deliciousness of scalloped potatoes without going overboard on calories.