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HOW BIG IS THAT?
December 2006

Just what is a “serving” or portion? We are so use to super-sizing that we no longer have a sense of normal-size portions. Even “diet” foods and some frozen dinners come in larger sizes. Serving sizes in popular cookbooks are getting bigger as well. A recipe for brownies in the 1970’s is exactly the same recipe; however the latest edition yields only 16 brownies and the original 30 brownies, meaning each brownie is twice as big!!

So what is the big deal? Expanding portions, not carbs, are making us heavier. If you are fighting the battle of the bulge or trying to maintain a healthy weight, it becomes quite a challenge. Smart sizing portions are key! Most of the time how much we eat is more important than what we eat!

Tips for Controlling Portions

• Know your food: make sure you look at the nutrition label to see how many “servings” are in the package. Sometimes a “single-serve” pack contains 2 or more servings. For instance, a 20 oz. soda bottle contains 2 ½ servings! One bagel equals 4 to 6 servings of bread.

• Teach yourself: the best way to learn is to do it yourself. Weigh out 1 oz. of cheese or bread or measure 1 cup of cereal to see what the portion actually looks like. This visual picture will help you when you can’t measure.

• Use a smaller plate or bowl: try using a smaller plate. Studies show the fuller the plate looks the more satisfied we are. Remember, you can always have seconds if you are still hungry. This way, you won’t serve yourself more than you need.

• Make your own snack packs: an easy way for portion control is to make your own snack packs. Instead of snacking from the package, count out the portion into a small bowl or bag.

It’s hard to tell how much we eat, especially when we eat out. Below is a guide to help judge serving sizes of some common foods. These measurements are approximate so use your best judgment.

Tennis Ball =

½ cup = 1 Serving of Fruit, Vegetable, Grain
Fresh or Cut-Up Fruit
Cooked Vegetable
Beans , Rice or Pasta (grain)