Resources & Tools Serving Size Guide

Portion Distortion
Recognizing portion sizes and controlling your intake are important to help reach and maintain a healthy weight. This can be a difficult task since portions served at restaurants and even some pre-packaged foods are 2-3 times (or more) the recommended serving size. This leaves many of us underestimating our actual calorie consumption.

Eyeball it!
Ideally, you will measure and weigh your food to learn what one serving looks like. However, since this will not always be possible, it is a good idea to learn how to "eyeball" portion sizes. By using everyday items as a frame of reference, you will be able to visualize one serving of different food items.

More Serving Sizes:

How Many Each Day	What Counts as a Serving
2 to 3 Servings Milk Group	8 ounces of milk = size of a small milk carton	1 1/2 oz. of natural cheese = size of two 9-volt batteries	8 oz. cup of yogurt = size of a baseball	½ cup non-fat cottage cheese 1 cup non-fat pudding 3 T. fat-free cream cheese 1/3 cup shredded cheese ½ cup evaporated milk 1 cup non-fat soy milk
2 to 3 Servings 6-7 oz.) Meat & Beans Group	2-3 oz. of meat, poultry or fish = size of a deck of cards	2 tablespoons of peanut butter counts as 1 oz = size of a roll of film	1 cup of beans counts as 2 oz = size of a baseball	3-1 oz. slices ham or turkey lunchmeat 3-1 oz. shrimp ¼ cup tuna, sardines or salmon (water-packed) 1 egg or 2 egg whites
2 to 3 Servings Vegetable Group	1 cup of raw, leafy vegetables = size of a baseball	10 french fries = size of a deck of cards	1/2 cup of peas or other vegetables = size of a small computer mouse	½ cup vegetable juice ½ cup cooked vegetables 1 cup raw vegetables 1 small potato ½ cup mashed potatoes
2 to 4 Servings 6-7 oz.) Fruit Group	3/4 cup of fruit juice = size of a 6 oz can	1/2 cup of sliced fruit = size of a small computer mouse	1 medium fruit = size of a baseball	1 cup fresh berries ½ grapefruit ½ banana 1 cup cubed melon ½ cup applesauce (unsweetened)
6 to 11 Servings Grains Group	1 slice of bread = size of a disk	1 cup of dry cereal = size of a baseball	1/2 cup of pasta = size of a small computer mouse	½ English muffin ½ small bagel (3 oz.) ½ cup cooked oatmeal 1/3 cup cooked rice 1 tortilla (6-8 inches across) 1 low-fat pancake (4 in. across) 1 low-fat waffle (4 in. square)
Poster Illustration from: US Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Services/Team Nutrition http://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/Resources/Nibbles/servingsize_poster.pdf