What is a serving size? Naturally, it depends exactly what you're eating, but even if you consider it from the food group perspective, you might still be unsure... but I can help! Here are 7 things to remember about serving sizes... this may be especially helpful for calorie-counters and dieters!
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1. Start off with Measuring Cups
Darling, if you're not quite sure what a cup of something looks like, don't feel bad. I didn't either at first, so I went old school and used actual measuring cups to find out! Start off by measuring everything, and you'll learn soon enough.
2. Use Smaller Plates and Bowls
If that one cup of cold cereal looks like a pittance, then maybe the bowl is just too big. Consider using smaller bowls and plates as you get used to what a serving size is.
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3. Be Careful Dining out
Did you know that most restaurants put between two and three servings on each plate? There's no way anyone can diet with two servings on their plate, so be careful about what is a serving size when you're dining out.
4. Don't Eat out of the Bag
If you've ever nibbled on a bag of chips or popcorn while sitting on the couch into front of the TV, this rule about serving sizes makes complete sense: don't do it! You'll end up over-eating from that bag. Instead, pour one serving into a bowl and eat from that.
5. Know the Real-world Comparisons
If you have difficulty visualizing a one-cup serving of rice, keep I mind it looks like a baseball. Three ounces of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. Get it?
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6. Read the Labels
Let's try an experiment. Grab your favorite cereal bowl, and a box of your favorite cereal, then pour what you think is one serving of cereal. Now, look at the label on the box, grab a measuring cup, and measure out what an actual serving is. Chances are, you poured about double what one serving is! Read the label and figure out what a serving size really is, so you don't have to wonder when you're counting calories.
7. Test Yourself
Every now and again, brush up on your measuring skills to make sure you still know what a serving size looks like. It's amazing how subjective these measurements can be!
Now that you've read all these tips on serving sizes, you'll be surprised how large servings are that we have been eating by accident! Which of these tips do you think is the most shocking, and which do you think you'll find more helpful? Please share!
Top Photo Credit: pinterest.com
