Many people use “portion size” and “serving size” as if they mean the same thing, but there’s a significant difference between them that’s important for your health. A portion size is simply the amount of food you decide to put on your plate and eat at any one time. On the other hand, a serving size is a standardized amount of food or drink, recommended by health experts. Serving sizes are determined by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are what you see listed at the top of the Nutrition Facts label on packaged foods and beverages. This label is designed to help you make informed dietary choices. The serving size is presented in common household measurements to make it easier to understand how much of a particular food constitutes one serving.
Over time, the portion sizes of foods, especially when prepared outside of our homes, have grown dramatically. These portions often exceed the serving size recommendations from federal dietary guidelines and what is indicated on food labels. Eating out at restaurants or ordering takeout and delivery has become increasingly common, which contributes to people consuming larger portions. This trend is linked to the rising rates of overweight and obesity as larger portions typically mean eating more calories than needed. To help manage your calorie intake, it’s essential to be mindful of what’s on your plate and understand the difference between portion and serving sizes.
Why is Understanding Serving Size Confusing?
A century ago, the average food available for each person in the U.S. was around 3400 calories per day. Today, that number has jumped to over 4000 calories per person daily – an increase of 600 calories, roughly 20% more available calories. This abundance, coupled with evolving eating habits, makes understanding healthy portions and serving sizes more challenging. Here’s why:
- Lack of Awareness: Many individuals are simply unaware of what constitutes a healthy serving size for different foods.
- Restaurant Extras: Restaurants frequently offer complimentary items like bread, chips, and appetizers that add extra calories, sodium, and unhealthy fats to your meal without providing much nutritional value.
- Oversized Restaurant Portions: Restaurant meals often contain portion sizes that are large enough for two or even more people, blurring the lines of what a single serving should be.
- Value and Packaging: Many processed foods and drinks are marketed with larger packaging at lower prices, encouraging consumption of greater quantities and making it harder to stick to recommended serving sizes.
Portion vs. Serving Size: Clearing Up the Confusion
To clarify the difference, let’s look at the definitions provided by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
- Portion: This is the amount of food you choose to eat in one sitting, whether you are at a restaurant, eating from a package, or at home. Your portion size is entirely within your control. It’s important to remember that many pre-packaged foods that seem like a single portion may actually contain multiple servings.
- Serving Size: This is the standardized amount of food listed on the Nutrition Facts label of a food product. All the nutritional information you see on the label, such as calories, fat, sugar, etc., refers to this specific serving size recommended by the manufacturer.
Once you grasp this distinction, it becomes easier to manage how much you eat and teach children about healthy eating habits. You can find helpful resources on suggested serving sizes for different food groups to guide your meal planning and snacking for yourself and your family.
Practical Tips for Eating and Serving Smaller Portions
- Cooking at Home: When preparing meals at home, serve appropriate “serving sizes” to each family member. Immediately put away any leftover food to avoid second helpings and save it for another meal.
- Dining Out: When eating at restaurants, consider skipping appetizers altogether. Instead of ordering individual large meals, think about sharing a large salad or a main dish with a friend.
- Ordering Takeout: When ordering pizza or other takeout, limit yourself to one slice instead of your usual two. If ordering for the family, opt for a smaller size to encourage smaller portions for everyone.
- Mindful Snacking: Avoid eating snacks directly from the bag or box. Always measure out snacks, including healthy options like fruits and vegetables, into appropriate serving sizes before offering them to children or yourself.
- Avoid Distracted Eating: Try not to eat while watching TV, movies, or when using the computer. When you are distracted, it’s easy to lose track of how much you are eating. At movie theaters, share a single box of popcorn and skip the large refillable tubs and sugary candies.
- Food Diary: Keeping a food diary can be a very effective tool. It helps you pay closer attention to what you are eating, how much you consume, and how frequently you eat. This increased awareness can lead to better portion control.
Serving Size Examples to Keep in Mind
It can be eye-opening to realize what constitutes a standard serving size. Here are some examples:
- 1 slice of whole grain bread
- 1/3 cup of cooked rice
- 1/2 cup of cooked pasta
- 1 small piece of fruit (note that extra-large apples can be two or more servings)
- 1 wedge of melon
- 8 fluid ounces of 100% fruit juice
- 1 cup of non-fat or low-fat milk
- 2 ounces of cheese (approximately the size of dominoes)
- 2-3 ounces of lean meat, skinless poultry, or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
By understanding and applying the concept of serving size, you can make more informed choices about your diet, leading to healthier eating habits and better management of your overall well-being.
