How to choose the right portion size
In the last few decades portion size has become a major issue, with portions in restaurants increasing dramatically. Forty years ago a 32 ounce milk shake with 1,160 calories would have been unusual. There was no such thing as a Quarter Pounder (let alone a Double Quarter Pounder) and getting a mountain of nachos would be rare. These huge plates have spilled over into how people choose their food.
For example, one study evaluated the difference in the last two decades
in how college students choose meals at a buffet. A study had been done
in the late 1980s and was repeated in 2006. 177 students freely served
themselves meals which were then weighed. The portions were scored against
the recommended portion sizes.
The portion sizes chosen for breakfast and lunch in 2006 were found to be more than 125% of the standard portion. Overall, all the portions the students chose were larger than in the 1984 research.
Adding to the difficulty is that people don't really notice that the portions are larger. Brian Wansink, a food researcher, and his colleagues at Cornell University set up a study where they approached people in fast food restaurants and asked them to estimate the number of calories in the meal that they had just eaten. The researchers had been watching and recording what the participants had eaten.
People underestimated the number of calories they'd eaten by an average of 23%. When the researchers looked at the estimates given for supersized meals vs. regular ones, they found that those eating a smaller meal were better able to accurately estimate the amount of calories they had eaten. This wasn't the case with larger meals, where diners underestimated the calories they had just eaten by 38%. Dr. Wansink has been able to recreate these real world findings in his lab in numerous experiments.
So what works? Portion control. In 2004, researchers at the CDC in Atlanta surveyed 2,124 adults who had tried to lose weight in the prior year. 587 had lost weight and kept it off. At the top of the five most common weight-loss strategies was smaller portions (others included reducing the amount of food eaten overall, more fruits and vegetables, fewer fatty foods, and no sweetened beverages).
There's good proof that taking the time to learn the right portion size works. Having a scale, measuring cups and spoons on hand is critical to learning what's correct. Here's a guide to the right portion sizes for your recipes:
| Ingredient | Before Cooking | After Cooking | Looks like |
| Grains | |||
| Rice | 1/4 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/2 baseball |
| Pasta | 2 ounces | 1/2 - 2/3 cup | 1/2 baseball |
| Dry cereal | 1 cup | The size of a fist | |
| Potato | 4 ounces | Computer mouse | |
| Potato (mashed) | 4 ounces | 1/2 cup | 1/2 baseball |
| Bread | 1 slice | ||
| Pancake | 1/2 cup batter | Two | Compact disc |
| Bagel | 2 ounces | Hockey puck | |
| Meats | |||
| Beef | 4 ounces | Deck of cards | |
| Pork | 4 ounces | Deck of cards | |
| Veal | 4 ounces | Deck of cards | |
| Fish | 4 ounces | Checkbook | |
| Poultry | 4 ounces | Deck of cards | |
| Peanut butter | 2 Tbsp. | Ping pong ball | |
| Fruits and Veggies | |||
| Salad greens | 1 cup | Baseball | |
| Berries | 1/2 cup | ||
| Apple | 1 medium | Baseball | |
| Orange | 1 medium | Baseball | |
| Raisins | 1/2 cup | Large egg | |
| Dairy | |||
| Cheese | 1 1/2 ounces | 4 stacked dice | |
| Milk | 1 cup | (choose low-fat) | |
| Yogurt | 1 cup | (choose low-fat) | |
| Fats | |||
| Oils | 1 tsp. | Thumb tip | |
| Butter | 1 tsp. | Thumb tip | |