Healthy eating includes making healthful food choices, which means knowing what and how much you eat. Do you know the difference between serving and portion sizes?
While the terms are often used interchangeably, they actually mean different things. What’s the difference? A serving is a standardized, recommended amount of a food; a portion is the amount of food that you choose to eat. It’s OK to eat more than one serving of a healthful food, as long as you stay aware of the calories.
Here are some everyday comparisons to help you figure out your serving sizes.
• 1 teaspoon of margarine is the size of one dice
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter is the size of a ping pong ball
• 3 ounces of meat is the size of a deck of cards
• 3 ounces of fish is the size of a checkbook
• 1 cup of pasta is the size of a baseball
• 1 ½ ounces of cheese is the size of four stacked dice
• ½ cup of cottage cheese, yogurt or ice cream is the size of a tennis ball
Keeping portion sizes under control is a key to maintaining your good health. Just 100 extra calories per day can lead to a weight gain of 10 pounds over the course of one year.
To overcome portion distortion and to downsize your helpings, try these tips.
• Eat from a plate, not a package, so you know how much you eat.
• Use smaller dishes, such as a lunch plate for your dinner, so less looks like more.
• Eat one serving of food first, and then wait a few minutes before a second serving. After waiting you might find that you’re no longer hungry enough for a second helping.
• When cooking for your family, offer one serving of food to each member of the family, then put the extra food away.
• Save the rest for leftovers.
• When eating out, split a meal or take half home with you.
• Visually cut the plate down the middle.
• Eat one half, and ask for the rest to go.
In addition to controlling portions, you’ll have lunch for the next day. Stay away from foods labeled “super-sized” when ordering a meal.
Once you get a good sense of serving sizes, you can compare them to the portions you eat and make any necessary modifications.