In 1990, the FDA changed its labeling requirements to require all food manufacturers to state clearly the recommended serving size, nutritional information and that all health claims fit within defined terms. Use the serving sizes on the labels and those defined in the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans to outline a healthy eating plan for yourself.
Importance
The relationship between calories and serving size is clearly displayed on the nutrition label of most boxed, bagged and packaged foods. For example, on the FDA website, the food nutrition label for macaroni and cheese states there are 250 calories in the food. However, the 250 calories is per 1 cup serving, not for the entire package. In the example, there are two servings in the package. If you eat the entire package, you will consume 500 calories and two servings. Look at the number of servings in the package, the size of the serving and the calories to ensure you are not eating more calories than you intend. In the case of nonpackaged foods, learning what a standard serving size is will help you when eating in social situations.
Fruits and Vegetables
The serving size of fruits and vegetables varies depending on whether the food item is in frozen, fresh, canned, dried, juiced or raw form. If you follow a 2,000-calorie diet, your goal should be to eat about 2 cups fruits and 2 1/2 cups vegetables each day. A cup of raw, cooked or frozen fruits or vegetables counts as a single serving, as does 1/2 cup dried fruit, 1 cup of juice or 2 cups of salad greens. Because dried fruits are more concentrated than fresh, a serving is smaller than 1 cup.
Grains, Breads and Beans
Grains and beans are fibrous and filling. You should have about 1 1/2 cups beans per week and about 6 oz. grains, if you consume 2,000 calories per day. A single serving of whole or other grains is about 1/2 cup cooked, hot cereal and 1 cup of pasta or rice. Read the serving size on cereal boxes to verify serving sizes, as the serving size of some cereals is less than or more than 1 cup.
Meats, Nuts and Dairy
Nuts are healthy sources of monounsaturated fats. Nut servings are measured in ounces, with one serving being the equivalent of 1/2 oz. About 14 walnut halves and up to 24 almonds equals one serving of nuts. A serving of meat is 1 oz., with the standard recommendation of 3 oz. of meat or seafood being about the size of a card deck. A whole egg counts as a serving, as does 1 tbsp. of nut butter. If you are a vegetarian, 1/4 cup cooked beans counts as a meat serving. Yogurt and milk servings equal 1 cup, 1 1/2 oz. non-processed cheese is a serving and 2 oz. of processed cheese is a dairy serving.
Oils and Fats
Serving sizes for oils and fats are understandably small, due to the high caloric content. Oils, such as olive and peanut, contain healthier polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, while solid shortening and butter contain unhealthy fats. A serving of butter, margarine and mayonnaise is 1 tbsp., while most salad dressings have serving sizes of about 2 tbsp.
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