You may think the two terms “serving size” and “portion size” have the same meaning when you hear them used, however they are very different. Below are the two definitions.
Serving Size: The amount of food that is generally served. MyPlate may be used as a way to find the serving size for a food group, along with the Nutrition Facts Panel.
Portion Size: The amount of food a person decides to eat. This could be greater or less than the serving size.
For example, the Nutrition Facts Panel may state that one serving of tuna is 3 ounces drained, however if you eat 5 ounces, that is your portion size.
How to Determine Portion Sizes?
A good way to determine portion sizes are to compare the food to another object. This is because you may not always have a measuring cup or spoon with you at all times to determine the perfect portion.
- A baseball or fist
- Usually measures about 1 cup
- This would be used for fresh cut vegetables, fruit, or 100% fruit juice
- A tennis ball or a small, scooped handful
- Typically measures about 1/2 cup
- This is near the equivalent of a 1-ounce portion of grains like pasta and oatmeal
- A deck of cards or the palm of a hand
- Equivalent to 3-ounces
- This would be used for meats such as chicken, beef or fish
- Size of a thumb
- 1 tablespoon
- Used for peanut butter, almond butter, and other spreads
- A postage stamp or the pointer finger at the first joint
- 1 teaspoon
- Use for oils and other fats
Try to practice the following steps below to downsize on the amount of food you eat and buy as it is easy to buy foods in bulk:
Listen to your body. It will tell you when it is satisfied. Eat slowly, as it takes about 20 minutes to realize you may be full. Practice measuring foods with the techniques above to get used to this practice, which will become easier each time you try to measure your portions.
Read the Nutrition Facts Panel. This will allow you to see the serving size on the package while you then decide on your own portion size.
Do NOT eat out of the container. Portion your food out onto a small plate instead of eating right out of the bag. It is difficult to gauge how much you eat out of a bag and can lead to mindless eating or consuming extra calories.
Practice your Portion. Using smaller plates and bowls will allow you to feel satisfied while the portions look much larger. Use measuring tools as a guide for further use.
No Extras. Do not pay for extra food if you feel like you will eat it all in one setting. It is okay, however, to take some home to eat at another time.
For more information about serving sizes and portion sizes, visit the link below.
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