People often get “portions” and “servings” confused but there is an important difference between the two. Many people think that a serving is the portion of food but the portion you serve could actually be 3 or 4 servings.
The “serving size” on a food label refers to the amount of that food usually eaten at one time but it is important to understand what determines serving sizes. The data comes from nationwide food consumption surveys. Foods that are measured in bulk, such as cereal or flour, are typically listed in grams or ounces or as numbers of cups, tablespoons, or teaspoons. Foods that are divided up to serve more than one person, such as pizza or cake, are listed in a fractional amount, such as ½ pizza or ¼ cake. Serving sizes for foods that come in “discrete units,” such as biscuits, are usually listed as “1 biscuit (30 grams)” or “2 slices bread (100 grams).”
No doubt you’ve read food labels and shook your head thinking, “There’s no way that just one biscuit is a serving size,” or “Who only eats one biscuit at any one time!” While these serving sizes can certainly seem unrealistic, it’s very important that you always look at the serving size on a Nutrition Facts label because all of the nutrients listed on that label, such as fat, carbohydrate, and sodium, are based on the serving size. If your portion is twice or three times as much as the serving size, the amount of carbohydrate (along with calories and fat) will double or triple.
When eating out, it is not hard to see that portion sizes have increased hugely over the years and now probably contain several servings of each food type present. The trend has also spilled over into supermarkets and food manufacturers where a chocolate bar is supersized and and an “individual” bag of crisps can easily feed more than one.
Research shows that people unintentionally consume more calories when faced with larger portions. This can mean significant excess calorie intake, especially when eating high-calorie foods. The good news is that there are lots of small things that you can do to take control. For example if you are eating out – determine the amount of food that ends up on your plate by sharing a main course with a friend.
For your task today, I want you to think of the food you have in your kitchen at the moment and consider some of these ideas to help you to win the servings versus portion war. A great way to change your “portion” size is to make your home a “portion friendly zone.”
Avoid buying sweets and biscuits as staples in the cupboard, only buy them when there is a specific occasion to eat them.
When you do buy the “naughty” foods, put them in an out of reach cupboard, out of your sight so you are not tempted.
This is especially important if you do a monthly or fortnightly bulk shop as you might have more of the food that you crave in moments of weakness.
When you have a spare half hour, chop up some vegetables for example celery, carrots, cucumber, or fruit, apples, bananas, grapes, and pears. If these are readily available you can eat them when you feel hungry as they are lower calorie foods and you can generally eat more of these within a serving size.
For some reason, the larger the package, the more people consume from it without realizing it. You can avoid this but dividing the contents of one large packet into several smaller containers to help avoid over-consumption.
When eating in – To minimize the temptation of second and third helpings, serve the food on individual plates, instead of putting the serving dishes on the table. Keeping the excess food out of reach may discourage overeating.
When eating or snacking in front of the TV, put the amount that you plan to eat into a bowl or container instead of eating straight from the package. It’s easy to overeat when your attention is focused on something else.
You may have been taught as a child that you could not eat between meals as it would “spoil your dinner”- Well, it’s time to forget that old rule. If you feel hungry between meals, eat a healthy snack, like a piece of fruit or small salad, to avoid overeating during your next meal. Be aware of large packages.
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