EATING & SERVING SIZES

Erin Bartels, Dietetic Student, University of Missouri - Columbia
Candance Gabel, M.S. R.D., Associate State Nutrition Specialist, College of Human Environmental Sciences, University of Missouri-Columbia

Studies have shown whether you are a preschooler, adult, or dieter, people given a larger portion size then they would normally consume eat more without feeling more full. It is important to think about serving sizes and relate this to what you are about to eat before you start eating.

What do you do when you go out to eat and you are give a serving size that is way too big for you?

Imagine you are at an Italian restaurant and they serve you a large bowl of spaghetti with meatballs and tomato sauce. Now visualize one cup. This is the standard portion size for cooked pasta equaling 2 servings of grains (6-11 servings of grains a day is suggested by the food guide pyramid). Next, look at the meatballs and visualize how many would equal a deck of cards or 3-4 ounces (the food guide pyramid suggests 5-7 ounces of meat/beans a day). Lastly, compare the amount of sauce to a half cup or one cupcake holder full, this will equal one vegetable serving. Now that you know what amount of food you want, ask the waiter for a to go bag before you start eating and put away the extra food to avoid the temptation of overeating, or you can ask to order from the lunch menu. This will give you a smaller portion then the dinner.