MealsMatter.org states that we tend to underestimate the amount of food we eat and tend to overestimate the recommended portion sizes for many foods. This means that not only do we think serving sizes are bigger than they are, but we also don't realize how much we eat every day. When trying to maintain or lose weight, it is important to be able to easily identify correct serving sizes so that caloric intake can be properly controlled.
Portion vs. Serving
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration states that the first place to look when you look at the Nutrition Facts label is the serving size and the number of servings in the package. A portion is how much you decide to eat at a given time. If the serving size is 10 crackers and you eat 20 crackers, your portion size is double that of the serving size meaning that you also need to double all of the numbers on the nutrition label.
Grains
The USDA recommends consuming six to eight servings of grains per day. Some examples of serving sizes include, 1/2 cup cooked rice which is about the size of a tennis ball, a pancake equal to the size of a compact disc, a piece of cornbread about the size of a bar of soap, a slice of bread the size of an audio-cassette tape, and a cup of pasta/spaghetti or cereal, both about the size of a fist.
Vegetable
The average adult should aim for 2.5 to 3 cups of vegetables a day, according to the FDA. The following are examples of serving sizes to help make it easier to add up your veggie intake. One cup of green salad looks about the size of a baseball or fist, a medium baked potato should be about the size of a computer mouse or fist, and 1/2 cup cooked broccoli equal to the size of a light bulb.
Fruit
The USDA recommends eating 1.5 to 2 servings of fruit per day. Examples of fruit servings include 1/2 cup of grapes which is about 15 grapes or the size of a light bulb, 1/2 cup of fresh fruit about the size of seven cotton balls, a medium-size fruit the size of a tennis ball or fist, a cup of cut-up fruit the size of a baseball or fist, and 1/4 cup raisins about the size of a large egg.
Dairy
Healthy adults should aim for about 3 cups of dairy intake each day. Serving sizes for dairy include 1 1/2 oz. hard cheese about the size of a 9-volt battery or your index and middle fingers, 1 oz. of processed cheese the size of your thumb, and a cup of ice cream which is about the size of a baseball.
Meat and Beans
The USDA recommends eating 5.5- to 6.5-oz. servings of meat and beans daily. Common examples of servings from the meats and beans group include 1 tablespoon or 1 oz. peanut butter about the size of your thumb tip, 3 oz. grilled/baked fish or chicken the size of a checkbook, and 3 oz. cooked meat, fish, poultry equal in size to your palm, a deck or cards or a cassette tape.
Fats, Sugars and Snacks
Foods high in sugars and fats often mean smaller serving sizes. A teaspoon of butter or margarine looks similar to the size of a stamp that is the thickness of your finger or knuckle to thumb tip. A tablespoon regular salad dressing is about the size of a ping-pong ball. One ounce of nuts or small candies is about one handful while 1 oz.of pretzels is about two handsful.
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