Food Portions: How Much Is Too Much?

This is a great article and I love the visual references you have for serving sizes. Thanks for this!

Small bowls and mini utensils work well to slow me down..

Smaller bowls and plates. Commercial cereal bowls have gotten huge. A new set might hold double what one from the 70s held. Do you need to eat 3 or 4 cups of cereal for breakfast? I make my cereal bowls a bit smaller. The bowl looks full. You eat less.

Portions certainly have grown certainly have grown to ridiculous sizes. A super-size of anything can feed a small family, so controlling our portion is critical. But portions are not the only thing to get bigger. If you look at clothing sizes through the years, and go by the measurements of those sizes and not the number of the size, you can see that a size 8 was tiny fifty years ago and today, well, not so tiny. We somehow have managed to bulk ourselves up and delude ourselves at the same time.

Vintage dishes! Choose a set from a time when portions were much more realistic. We use 50s dishes and make sure 50% of the plate is veggies or fruit.

I'm a grazer. I would rather eat small portions throughout the day than three large meals a day. I find I have a lot more energy that way!

I never keep track on food at all...

I always find this topic so interesting. Most people have no idea your meat portion should be no larger than a deck of cards. I don't always monitor myself, but summer time usually motivates me enough to keep fork from mouth.. food is so good!

The photos put it all in perspective! Perfect.

Wonderful article! I have to agree, the photos help to show the portion sizes properly! <3

Such a great article! I read somewhere that allow yourself 3 bites of anything you ever want to eat. Three bites means you want overindulge with appetizers or desserts.

I agree that portions have gotten really big in recent years but the cost of food is starting to increase and I would suspect that might drive portion sizes down again. But having smaller plates does help!

My eating out refrain: Can I get a box? (Also the fact that I can only eat maybe a third of any standard restaurant sized meal.) And then my boyfriend eats all my leftovers. It's perfect.

what's important, besides eating slowly and learning to make wise nutritional choices, is to realize when you're simply no longer hungry and to just stop eating then. listen to your body!

I once heard that serving sizes should be about the size of your fist.

I love the idea of going halfsies...enjoy a special treat and help others....

Love the Photos -puts portion size in perspective!

I've struggled with my weight quite a bit and now make a real effort to exercise and eat healthy, but our society isn't very supportive of that. I recently went to Subway to get a healthy breakfast sandwich, just as I've done a few times when on the road recently, always was given a 6-inch sandwich. I wondered why the total was so high and realized when she handed me the bag that she had given me a foot-long egg white and ham sandwich. Seriously? Why would it be the standard to serve a foot-long breakfast sandwich? Same with fast food places on the rare occasions I eat there, they are shocked that I don't want to super-size for 25 cents or get a second sandwich for another dollar. Servers ask if something was wrong with my meal because I didn't eat everything, when it's because it was really enough for 3 meals on the plate. It also saddens me to eat at a Golden Corral or other buffet and see people eating 4 and 5 plates of food. Nobody should be getting an entire dinner plate full of dessert. The "get all you can" mentality is killing us, literally. I try to eat a lot of fruits/vegetables and a reasonable portion of meats/carbs. I usually take home half of my meal, or leave it. I feel bad sometimes, but I would rather be wasteful than weightful.

Portion sizes are large-which is probably why we eat so darn much. Our family has a rule-only eat until just before you are full. And we never overload our plates. We have 2 pork chops for a family of 4 and we end up splitting it between us just fine. Same goes with other meat items. Really we don't need a whole bunch-just the right amount of healthy food will do.

I can't stand the thought of wasting food. I am notorious for finishing off what's on my plate when we're dining out. But I have, on a few occasions, brown bagged half of my meal and passed it on to the nearest homeless person I came across with on our way home. And when I'm at home or at work, I eat 3 small meals and would snack through out the entire day.

Eat something til it makes you sick, you'll never eat it again.

I eat a good and healthy breakfast, yoghurt (normal, not the 0% thats full of crap..) blueberries, kiwi, banana, apple or some other fruit/berry + oats. keeps me full until its time for lunch, which usually is a normal sized plate of pasta or some soup or bulgur/couscous salad. afternoon snack thats not cookies or a brownie, but a smoothie or a sandwich. dinner doesn't differ too much from lunch and then sometimes in the evenings I have a sandwich again. not only are american portions huge, its also what's on the plate.. empty calories and fat, processed food and what not. Americans sometimes seems obsessed with no fat products, but what really is in it, doesn't matter. Keep real and natural products, much much better.

Great article!

KarinLorenc is so right, plates & bowls are so much bigger than they need to be. I refuse to buy crockery with 12" dining plates (10" is ample) & prefer bowls that don't have a wide rim to make them look empty even when they're filled to the brim! And if eating out I don't focus on eating all I can for the money... if I have a good meal that fills me up I'm willing to pay for it even if I don't clear my plate, it's about satisfaction rather than volume. I also always drink plenty of water with meals. It doesn't matter what you eat, if you eat it in huge amounts then you're going to get fat. Since when did it become seen as acceptable rather than gluttonous to eat a pint of ice cream at a sitting instead of a cupful?

Great advice and good points in this article. When eating out for dinner, our family of four almost always orders three meals. We ALWAYS have hearty portions for everyone, and usually even have a little food left over for someone to have lunch the next day. When I'm served a restaurant meal, I try to remember that I would never pile up so much food on a plate for myself at home.

I remember reading a story years ago about a couple who moved into a very old farmhouse (circa 1900s) and their modern dishes would not fit into the kitchen cabinets; clear evidence our plates and bowls have crept up in size over the years. I have been paying MUCH more attention to portion sizes when I cook at home. I cut back on eating out, but when I dine out, I try to find small meals, or look for food that will be good left-over. On the radio last week, I heard a report that we (the USA) are heading for a generation that will NOT live longer than their parents due to obesity. That is certainly food for thought!

I really like the pics of food potions relative to other objects. I have always had trouble knowing how 'big' a few oz are or what it really looks like. This really put portions into perspective. If anyone knows of where I can find more pics like this let me know!!!

Today's food portion sizes have become ridiculous! When my spouse and I eat out, we usually have to split a meal, or wind up taking half of it home for another whole meal. We are sad to see that most eating establishments rely on fat, salt, and sugar to make their offerings "tasty", rather than using quality ingredients, herbs and spices. But portion size isn't the only change from days gone by...Growing up in the 60s, fast food was a luxury for us once or twice a month, and our home-cooked meals were heavy on the vegetables, light on high-calorie, fatty meats. We walked to school every day for 12 years and had physical education classes to boot. Soda was not available at schools. We rode our bikes everywhere. Sigh, the "good old days" really were good, in many healthy ways...

All I know is that those sandwiches look sooooo good!

This is so refreshing to read, it seem's that everything around us revolves around quantity vs quality and how easy it is to get sucked into it.Being an avid Foodie it's easy to follow recipe's that call for high fat ingredient's but by simply substituting a few high fat ing. with healthier option's I am able to get the same result's and sometimes even better taste! having a sweet tooth I alway's stick to the recipe,but try to practise portion control to avoid excess.

Have you checked out the portions for "kids" menus? Some restaurants have crazy big portions for kids. What are we teaching the next generation?

Really good article!!! thank you for sharing!!!

It is good to know that others think alike on this subject! When we all take a closer look at where our money is going and for WHAT we will come to realize that eating out should be a luxury, not a habit! When you eat out you are leaving the portions, quality & nutritive value up to the usually FAST FOOD giant instead of taking it into your own hands! We cannot blame the fast food restaurants for Obesity in America.......WE are to blame for where the money is spent is where the growth is shown! Spend it at your local farmers market for FRESH produce & visit your local Co-OP store to support the health & preservation of your community!

I do not have any dinner plates, only desert sized, and visually it really does help to make me feel fuller and more satisfied.

The plates in restaurants are just so big! I always order half portions. Great article!

We now split our meals w/ our kids at restaurants because it felt like we were always throwing half the food anyway, I feel kind of cheap asking for an extra plate but we were wasting so much when we all ordered seperate. Great article :)

I was always encouraged to finish what was on my plate as a kid. I remember being painfully full after small servings. It is really hard to regain sensitivity to fullness after seasons of overeating. I went through that (and drift back into overeating: thank you pregnancy and breastfeeding and emotional eating!), and it is so foreign to eat slowly, give your body time to register as full, and stop, regardless of: how much food is on your plate, how much you paid for it, how embarrassed you may be, etc. However, once I'm able to make my servings smaller, I waste less. I know that I can fix myself more if I'm truly hungry. I know that sometimes I may not feel full, but in 5 more minutes, I truly will feel satisfied.

Good comments! Good article and pics, portion sizes are always a problem. I am writing down everything in a journal now, finally got my stomach shrunk up. I have changed from toast for breakfast to a bowl of porridge with blueberries or strawberries, and a bit of yogurt on the side. Feel a lot better for no so much bread in my diet!

Love this. So true and something I've recently made myself aware of. I think frequency effects portion size also. We should be eating no more than a fist full of food per meal, but have 5-7 meals per day... not 3. This is so vital for maintaining a healthy metabolism, and against everything our culture tells us. We are taught breakfast, lunch and dinner. The work place and schools are centered around this concept instead of allowing for more frequent meal times, which would really help portion control as well. Thanks for this article. ♥

What a great post! I have started hating going out to eat because I can never finish what's on my plate. Portion sizes are way out of control and we wonder why the us is having so many problems with obesity especially with children today. It's really sad.

Helping people to easily eat smaller portions of food is the basis for my current dinnerware collection. A few years ago I read a book called The 9 in Diet: Exposing the BIG conspiracy in America. It talks about this exact topic. Right away I realized that through my art I have the opportunity to have a positive impact on the health of others and the way they eat. I have intentionally chosen to make my dinnerware smaller than the inflated current average to promote healthy eating through portion control. Each dinner plate is only 8 1/2 inches in diameter, a full 3 inches smaller than current standards. I can not imagine making my pottery any other way. Eating reasonable portions of food, that are locally grown, prepared at home, and in season, is vital to making a happy body. There is nothing more important than what (and how much) you put in your body.

It IS a struggle. Now that i'm married, and after a year, i'm aiming for portion control. it's hard, especially when the man will consume anything in front of him, LOL. GREAT article!

Love the visuals! Nutrition has become rather... foreign to us. Not only do i clearly not need the massive portions offered by restaurants and even shown in a lot of cookbooks... do i actually need 1500 or 2000 calories every day, even in a mostly sedentary lifestyle? I think Americans have by and large fooled ourselves. Over several decades of gluttony.

Can I have two light bulbs of pie?

i heard or read a while back that once you've had enough to eat your body will signal you to stop. i started paying attention to this and once i realized that a generous sigh mid meal was my body telling me "enough" i was shocked to find that in most cases my plate was still half full. since then i watch my portion sizes, pay attention to that cue, and as others have already stated, i may not feel full but shortly after i realize that i am completely satisfied. healthy appetite yes! controlled? absolutely - try this one on!

I agree...portions have gotten huge. When at home, we use smaller plates and bowls. I like a lunch size plate for dinner and small 1 cup bowls for salads and soups. At restaurants, we often eat the appetizers for our dinner or share a meal.

Portion sizes are indeed out of control. My husband and I have started going halfsies every time we eat out. We've realized this lets us enjoy a little bit of everything without feeling gorged and / or wasteful. It's still amazing how big a half portion can be, though!

I just started using a fiber supplement before eating meals. It's working for me and the more I exercise,the less hungry I am.... on a mission... :)

Me too Sarah! This makes me wonder we have enough, but we want always more! life is easier than we think...but i want to light bulbs of pie too ;D lol

Two ways: eat with chop sticks. It's fun and slows me down. (I tend to wolf down meals in a totally unreasonable amount of time.) Also, I love the Japanese "Eat until you're 80% full" rule.

Even with portion control I have discovered there are some things my body just can't handle.My metabolism is slow. The fat in one spoon full of mayo is crazy. I make choices based on nutrition now and it's hard sometimes, but I know saying no will be better for me. Read your labels. The serving size is generally much less than you assume.

You don't tend to get the same portion sizes in the uk in general so when you do stumble across a wopper - its very exciting! Probably not too good to do regularly I guess! LOVE your plates Wayvie btw...

Great article, i agree food portions are way to large that are served at the majority of American restaurants. When going out to eat, i tend to split a meal with who ever im with, and it's a perfect portion. Also i just read an article the other day by Sara Novak from TLC cooking website,"4 reasons to avoid High Fructose Corn Syrup" . She explains the link of this nasty so-called natural ingredient that so many large companies are putting in American foods that is a factor to the obesity epedimic in the American Society. Here's the link, below if anyone wants to check it out http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/avoid-fructose-corn-syrup.htm

Great article and great comments. I just cannot eat too much or between meals.

I recently got two hamburger presses on Etsy so we could use them when we make sausage patties with our new grinder. My mom used presses like these to make burgers when I was a kid, so I do remember what they looked like. What I didn't remember, was the size of the finished patties. Although normal back then, they look so small compared to today's portion sizes. We don't overeat and when we do go out to eat, we bring doggie bags home.

I just returned from vacation. When your staying in a hotel room with no microwave, you cant take leftovers (because who wants cold breakfast leftovers?) I actually hurt myself trying to eat as much as I could, because I felt so awful leaving it there and wasting it. Needless to say, I honestly gained 9 lb. in a week of doing this, and cant wait to get back to the gym on Monday. This country is beyond wasteful in portion sizes... and I also feel like crap about myself now. Its great....

Well I must say that this is a very healthy article. The British are getting bigger as well...obesity has been a frequent topic in the media and I have noticed it more these previous two years. I am sure you have met our Jamie Oliver (School Dinners) he didn't really need to go America to help out because home is not much better. I don't think it helps that Organic choices are so much more expensive & not everyone can afford an allotment to grow things on, has a garden or enough room on the balcony of their apartment (if you live in apartment that has one at all). It would help if the cheaper options in supermarkets were made more expensive and the healthier options cheaper...that way, those of us with lesser will power could fight the battle of the bulge and keep are hearts ticking longer. Great Article, well said. Thanks.

..Also...I do over indulge when I go to visit the USA and yes it is only a small part of why I love to go there, along with the friendly-bubbly people. You get a lot more for your money than at home (UK).

I won some dinner plates in a competition and they were huge - it was easy to pile too much food onto them. We now use smaller dinner plates and therefore eat smaller portions.

Thank you so much for sharing this! Food is such an important subject for us all to be talking about. When I look around the grocery store, I see bags and boxes and cans of "dead" food. There's no energy left in food that has been processed and how can that possibly be good for us? Food is now manufactured to be quick and convenient, not healthy. Maybe when more of us start buying from our local farmers markets and planting our own gardens, a system wide change will occur. One can only hope!

I'm glad restaurants are finally more open to offering half portion entrees. I'm delighted to go into restaurants where I have the option of ordering half an entree, so I can have room for appetizers and desserts too! Now I usually call the restaurant ahead of time to see if they offer half portions, especially for pastas.

Great read! I have struggled with my weight for almost 20 years. Now I have to get my gallbladder out and haven't really been eating too much. Honestly I am eating probably what is considered normal portions. I am full, I will try to continue eating like this. I lost 5 lbs. in 2 weeks just by eating less food(also no dairy, high fat or red meat). I am feeling less sluggish too, it's like the more you eat the less energy you have.

Portion control is a great way to slim down!

Hello your article is realy interesting. When french people go to the U S we are fascinating by your portions,and we agree they are to big,but how can you reverse that ?

P O R T I O N D I S T O R T I O N.....it's real I have it....lol great article.

I too can agree with the fact that portion size have grown from small to huge over the years. I find this very concerning especially when buying item for my toddler . Children are beginning to learn to overeat from a very young age. My husband and I find it helpful to give our son tiny portions at first, and if he is still hungry after that we will give him a little bit more at a time.

We use salad plates at our house for most meals, it makes it seem like we are eating a lot more. (This is when I cook) However, neither my husband or I have weight issues- he is skinny as a rail and always has been, he has tried going on "donut diets" and drinking protein shakes to gain weight- to no avail. He actually tries to overeat because of being self-conscious about how thin he is. His Dad is just as thin and said he has never been able to gain weight either. I have to watch what I eat, or else I'll overeat- I too grew up with the "finish whats on your plate" mentality. I don't believe in that, I tell my kids to eat as much or as little as they want. Plus I don't think eating veggies should be a reward to get dessert. There is so many issues with food that we have in this country, its insane. I too agree that restaurant portions are ENTIRELY too big. I can never finish a full plate (boat!) of pasta or burritos as big as your head. When it comes down to it, I guess all we can do is try our best for ourselves, our health, and our families.

This is great - portion size is way too large in the modern day diet and we are way less active compared to the generations previously - we might be busier but less active for sure!! We drive everywhere, sitting down many hours during the day....many do 1hr excerise per day...many dont! i remember visiting the USA and ordering a cheesecake - it felt like I was served half the cake!!! crazy and so wasteful...there was no way I could eat that! another problem I think is that everything is all about food - you go see a sports game and everyone is eating, people eat in cars, people eat on the go....the joy of food, cooking and eating can be so pleasurable but not with our modern day habits....

i agree with this article. People spend ridiculous amounts of money on dieting programs when all they need to do is eat healthier and with smaller portions. try cutting out red meats, dairy (humans were not made with the ability to process milk after they're an infant. also, the milk protein casein is just pus. yup. so enjoy that glass of cow pus). Oh, don't forget exercise!! i get that people are busy, but walk more if possible, (running is better though). Instead of taking the elevator, use the stairs. instead of doing segway tours (not that many people do it, but still.) when sightseeing, try walking it like people used to do before transportation other than horses and carriages. Simple things like scaling meals down and exercising will let you live a healthier, happier life, so why not do it?

My first trip to the US was a huge shock. Eating at restaurants was deeply disturbing. Three pancakes, each the diameter of a normal size plate, with three of those little metal ramekins of butter, for breakfast. All at a cheaper price I'd ever seen at home in Canada. I dont think anyone is (or should be) surprised 35% of the population is obese.

Very well said.

I remember ordering a salad once that was so huge it had to be a whole head of iceberg lettuce AND it came with FRENCH FRIES on it! I laughed!! At home we eat off small plates and I serve small, equal amounts of food to the kids - we encourage them to eat that and if they're hungry, go back for seconds. I also keep a fruit bowl stocked all the time. We very rarely eat dessert and I'm careful to identify a treat as a treat and there's nothing wrong with a treat once in a while :)

food is also much cheaper in the u.s. hence the supersize phenomena. more importantly, americans are highly sedentary. if i remember correctly, there was a recent study that stated americans only consumed 15% more than europeans, but the rate of obesity is much higher. sitting around at work, home, and driving in cars all day will do that. i have no problem with portions. i can consume up to 5000 calories a day and i don't get fat so it depends on the individual. i worry about people saying, like michelle obama stated the other day on one of her health initiatives, that her meal was under 200 calories. if you eat three meals a day, that's only 600 calories. people should be averaging 2000 calories a day give or take a few depending on a person's physiological needs. people have to figure out how their body functions and eat according to their metabolism.

I come from a culture where sharing food presents sharing love - and well, the more food means the more love right? But in all seriousness, I have discovered that when I'm super hungry, I don't always register when I become full right after eating something, so one way to maintain control is to pace myself. If I eat slower, then my body has time to process and send a signal to my brain telling me that I'm in fact full and should probably stop eating.

I track, weigh and measure everything I eat. It is so easy to get lost in portion sizes, its crazy. Especially if you spend a lot of time eating out. I go out of my way to make sure I am aware of the portion size of what I am eating and the nutritional facts of eating that much.

huge delicious portions + exercise = me being happy eating what I want and still looking good ;)

Sometimes I feel physically sick after dining out from the huge portions. I a having a good time and enjoying the food, so I forget to stop, until I feel yucky. When eating out, portions are sometimes 3 or 4 times bigger than I will eat at home.

This is something I so need to work on and I don't even eat out. Although when I do I make sure since I have to pay for it I eat it all. My waist is paying the real price.

It's so interesting to read the comments of people who live outside the US who are taken aback by our large portion sizes. A couple of years ago we went to Belgium, and I would finish a meal with a lovely cafe au lait in a sweet 6-oz cup. I have a hard time finding a coffee shop here at home in Minnesota that even has any cups smaller than 12 ounces. I'd much rather have a small latte made with whole milk than a large skim latte any day!

The actual size of any unstretched human stomach is roughly the size of the same individual's closed fist. So while you're reading this, make a fist and really look at it. If you are eating more food than this at one time, your stomach has to stretch to hold it all. Even harder to believe is that this is the amount of food that will "fill" you up - providing you stop eating and give yourself enough time to listen to your body confirm the fact that you are indeed, full.

Way too much salt ,corn and synthetic fillers. YUK. It's better to cook your own food more often than not.

I agree totally! We all eat way to much food in one sitting. It's my goal this year to eat less sweets and focus on more fruits and vegtables with lean cuts of meat and fish. When I over indulge it leaves me feeling slugglish and just yucky feeling and I don't like that so I'm making a change with little treats here and there. Thanks for posting this! Very helpful.

I've started to cut my portions in half and if I want more, I'll eat more but I usualy find half of what I use to eat ismore than enough. Now pass that chicken fried steak and gravy. I think I still have notch left on my belt.

We have vintage dinner plates and tiny bowls and cups from Ikea so we don't overload our plates. Ever since I read somewhere to stop eating when you're no longer hungry, not when you're full, that's what I do...and it works! We also allow ourselves controlled portion sizes only of grains and proteins (1/2c) but as many veggies as we want. Going out to eat is problematic since portion sizes are so crazily huge but I usually just take home half and get two meals out of one.

I like using my Japanese dishes, which are very small and usually meant for serving a little bit of many types of food. Making sure I eat a lot of many dishes rather than eating one thing all the time helps too. The easiest thing to do is look out for a colorful meal: lots of greens, whites, reds, oranges, and yellows!

THAT SANDWICH LOOKS DELICIOUSSSSSSSSSSS!! YOU GUYS ARE MAKING ME HUNGRY :-)

Very interesting.. Defiantly something I think about....

Thank you for article !

I want that sandwich. Yes, portion sizes have gotten crazy. i was going through an old copy of a Betty Crocker cookbook from the late 1960's. The serving of fried chicken was one leg or half of one chicken breast.

It's not the volume of food as much as what kind of food it is. I lost 60 pounds almost 14 years ago, and I eat much more now than I ever did when I struggled with my weight for decades before that. I do use vintage dinnerware and cookware, mostly because I purchased them when they were new but some came along in auction box lots. That helps a lot with judging appropriate portion size. You do have to eat enough to maintain a weight proportionate to your height and body type. From the example in the article, I would eat two eggs (the equivalent in eggbeaters, though), the chicken fried steak and gravy, and the toast (no butter and no jelly), but not the potatoes, before a day of sightseeing or museum walking. And I would eat about the same volume at lunch, hopefully with lots of veggies along with the meat. A couple of snacks and a nice dinner. And I would probably lose a little weight if I did a lot of walking.

I think the "go halfsies" program is great idea. Or at least one that I would very willingly support. Personally, I can never eat all the food that I am served at a restaurant anyway and I'm constantly saddened to see how much food goes to waste. I volunteer at a weekly children's program and when we serve dinner to 50 or so kids, the amount of food that is thrown away is ridiculous. And half the time it is because too much food is cooked in the first place. I really enjoyed reading this article, thank you!

I have to agree with ElleJay on this one. Portions are not as important as what you are eating. I was always carrying around 40 pounds of excess weight even when I was eating very little and exercising a lot. It wasn't until I cut out carbohydrates that I shed the extra weight. I eat far more calories and fat than I used to, exercise less, and still have kept off those 40lbs. that wouldn't budge on a low cal diet. I think Americans have been given the wrong information. Fat consumption has gone down and carbohydrate consumption has gone up inversely. So has the rates of obesity and diabetes. It's funny this came up today, because I just turned in a 10 page research paper on the subject!

Mmmmmm now I am dreaming about pumpkin pie

Very thoughtful article - so insightful, and everyone else has contributed such handy hints to help make eating more mindful. I gained a lot (but not weight) from reading this post and its responses. All the things our parents tell us when we are little and learning about food really is true. I eat only when I am hungry, never eating for "just-in-case-I miss-a-meal-later". Three meals daily is a must for me, but I change the portion sizes of each meal according to how hungry I am (a large dinner means i don't feel so hungry in the morning.... but salad and a Vietnamese roll for dinner mean I am ravenous by breakfast). I never wait until I am starving, because then I eat until I feel - and look, really bloated! Eating slowly at the table at home, on my own or with family, is great for moderate eating. Protein every morning for breakfast is a must to maintain my energy levels so they don't slump, and I don't crash and burn. If I have a huge day of activity, then I eat accordingly, eating only once the hunger pangs hit. I don't eat heavily in the morning is I ma not hungry, even if I have full day of activity, unless I am actually hungry at the time. Waiting 10 minutes before taking another serving of anything is a good way of checking to see how full I am. It never fails to amaze me how much I can over eat at a buffet that is crowded and frantic. Check out how easy it is to lose track of whether you are eating to satisfy your energy needs, or stuffing yourself to satisfy your taste-buds, when you are at three of my favourite times of the year: Chinese New Year family buffets and Jewish gatherings, and Christmas. And, I eat everything I enjoy, and enjoy everything I eat: just far less of the ice-cream dessert things and pasta (my favourite), and a whole lot more of the whole-foods like salads, vegetables and luscious fruit. Without ever counting calories or abstaining from anything, or even weighing portions, but simply taking the time to listen to my body and eating more of what is unprocessed and fresh and less of what is processed, I've maintained the same waistline for the past 14 years (except when I was pregnant), and feel so much better now in my forties than I did in my thirties. I don't not think it is so much about our weight - I weigh more 4 more kilos than I did when I was first married 14 years ago... I like to think that it's muscle :-) .... but it is more about having good energy levels; a healthy waistline; strength and flexibilty; and good cardiac function, which, in turn, improves our chances at our longevity living a healthy and happy life. With regard to how our short-term over-indulgences result in lifelong, debilitating disease, a very wise man once said, "Too many of us are living too short and dying too long". Eating is a mindful, even soulful experience: we'd never overload our minds or souls - neither should we overload our stomachs.

I read an interesting article recently about a region in Japan that practices an 80% full eating habit. In other words, they don't eat until they get full, but rather they eat until until they are about 80% full. I wish I could remember exactly where it was, but I believe it was also somehow related to their spiritual beliefs. The inhabitants had fewer health problems as they aged and were on average slimmer and more active than folks here in the U.S. It sounded pretty cool, because I do think portions have been largely exaggerated in restaurants here. We've lost sight of how much food we really need to maintain a healthy level of being.

This is so true; Americans consume way more food than we should. It's easy to lose sight of how much we're putting in our bodies when snacking in front of a t.v. or grabbing a quick and easy bite at fast food restaurants. I think many of us just aren't as food conscious as the older generations.

Self-educate! Get a food scale and use it religiously until you have a firm grasp of what an "official" serving of all your favorite foods really looks like. I got a crash course in this technique a few years ago when I was diagnosed with a metabolic disorder, and suddenly had to start paying a lot more attention to everything I put in my mouth. I started out with only a vague idea of how much a handful of grapes or a slice of cheese might weigh, or what its nutritional content might be; these days I can usually call it within about 5 grams. We eat on salad plates and for dessert we use my collection of tiny Japanese sauce dishes. It's amazing how satisfying just one or two spoonfuls of ice cream can be when I take the time to make a pretty presentation out of it and take my time eating it, instead of standing in front of the open freezer door with a carton in one hand and a spoon in the other ... Not that I've ever done anything like that, of course!

This is very true! I think we also have to consider that most people are not as active as they used to be. So not only are we eating more, but we are much much less active. This has a huge impact on obesity, even more so for children.

We try to eat at home as much as possible and that goes a long way toward keeping portion sizes reasonable. Thanks for the great read!

I find it even more difficult to control portion size when I eat out. I think eating out makes it difficult to control portion size because you feel like its a special treat to go eat out. Therefore, since its special, you allow yourself to over indulge. Or you order more than you need because you want to try it all- who knows when you'll be back?! And if the food is really, really tasty I want to eat, and eat, and eat! So, my plan is to ask the server for a to go box before the food arrives. The when the food arrives, before I even taste it, I'm going to box up half of it. That way I'm less tempted to stuff my face!

In my college (and a couple of post-college) years, my gut used to be a singularity--I could literally consume anything in any amount and not gain an ounce due to the intensive walking and stair-climbing I did all around New York City, Jersey, and the burrows just to get around. I recall eating burritos the length of my forearm while being a size 0-2. Now that I'm far more sedentary, I've ballooned up to a size 8. Food is one of the few things I can safely enjoy in life, and it has been very difficult to attempt downsizing portions; I always wind up remaining hungry. One thing I've taken advantage of is the fact that I'm a tea junkie. Drinking a delicious tea straight up or with just a splash of dairy or coconut milk can take my mind and stomach off of snacking on solid food. Almond milk is also wonderful--tasty, nutritious, and very low-cal when unsweetened. When flavored with plain cocoa powder and heated up, it's just as creamy and frothy as real milk. Hmm...now I'm craving chai.

Etsy isn't a woman's magazine, please don't treat it like one. I don't see how this is related to the handmade movement.

I think my mom said it best. She was talking about how she was always told to eat everything on her plate because of starving children somewhere in the world. She said she now realizes "The food will either go to waste or to waist."

I eat super fast, and as I sit down to eat three meals a day with my family, I often fill in the time until everyone else finishes their food by eating second (and sometimes third, smaller) helpings. However, as I do not need these extra portions, I've found that I can keep myself busy by bringing my handwork to the table, and still participate in conversation, without gorging myself on the inevitably delicious food.

I had a doctor tell me once that often when we feel hungry, we are actually thirsty. Don't forget to drink more water, too!

Absolutely! My husband and I were astounded to see how big - and cheap- meals were in the US after our first trip there last year. I ordered a softdrink at one place, and what came out was the biggest glass I have ever seen in my life. It would have had to have been 750ml, and I couldn't believe that some could actually drink it all in one sitting! Meals everywhere were huge, with one place we went to coming out with salsa, corn chips, salad and sour cream alongside the already very large main. We didn't realise these sides would also be coming out and definitely would not have ordered them given the choice. I couldn't finish what was on my plate, and neither could my husband which was a first. It may be more expensive to eat out in Australia, but at least I know I've got a chance of finishing what I order!

great visual portion of pictures!! it amazing when food sitting next to the comparison, they looks tiny. With all the promotions now a day for greater sizes leading consumers think its cheaper is a good advertisement but bad for the health! We should all watch out for the common disease "Obesity"!!

Oh!Very wonderful...so love it!

usually when we're eating out it's either i share my food (and my part of the bill) with someone or if there's no one to share i get what part i can eat and have the rest wrapped in a doggie bag.

Danielle,... TXs for this article and for sharing your experiences. ...L2

Thank you for this article! It's very recognisable..

Good article! I think with the growing number of people who are poor and hungry in our nation as well as others, it's shameful that so many restaurants super size everything. Ever watch Man verses food? What a wasteful society we are.

Sometimes I wish I could wave a magic wand and make things better. Its great to hear some action being taken by substantial bodies. Great article and loved the guide to portion size photo.

very thought provoking, thanks

I was born in the 50's and my mom served us 50's sized portions at meal time and they were much smaller than now. For instance, when my mom made corn meal muffins in the 50's and 60's, they were tiny compared to muffin sizes now. We should be grateful food is so plentiful and CHEAP because of modern food production methods in the US. There is nothing wrong with that! We just have to discipline ourselves not to over indulge. I'm surprised how my own portions have increased over the years and am more mindful about what I put on my plate.

Food is seductive and totally legal,so we have to change our mindset on how we eat. I went to a retreat recently where all the food was organic and vegetarian, I was on heaven, but when I got home I had gained three pounds. If you want a real eye opener watch food,Inc. It is a documentary

The Go Halfsies programme sounds weird. Why not just go to a restaurant / eating establishment armed with a friend and a spare plate?! That would definitely encourage the restaurant to offer smaller servings, and save you money!

Nice reminder about portions. Just started SBeach diet a week ago, I've fallen back in love with veggies...and enjoying my meals. It's embarassing how huge America is

i'm not embarassed by anything American! I love my country and will not apologize for being an American. Don't be so PC. Carolyn- nice jewelry!

This is a wonderful article. I grew up on a very small farm where we grew our own veggies, fruit and most of our meat. We cooked everyday and worked hard. I still struggled with overeating because I LOVE food. But whenever I gain weight, I remember where I came from, and with a little effort I do lose weight. I am trying very hard to make sure my son understands where his food comes from and about portion control now. I don't want him to struggle as much as I have.

great article! i am very mindful of portion sizes and don't eat/waste nearly as much as food as before.

SMALLER plates and bowls! KarinLorenc is SO right... great article

I appreciate the article and the tips that others have posted along the way. Thanks

Great article! Love the visuals of correct portion sizes. I also think kids and young adults were "programmed" as children to eat everything on their plate so it affects their eating habits as they get older.

love the visual references (altho that dove soap bar sized portion of stuffing makes me sad, i <3 stuffing!) i personally find using smaller utensils helps. makes you slow down your food intake.

I often need to ask myself "am I really hungry or is something else going on?". Sometimes find that my "hunger" is for something other than food or that I'm tempted to use "munching" to cover up something going on inside of me that I don't want to deal with. Stop and listen to your heart.

Coming from the UK over to the USA for holidays we are always amazed by the size of the portions and we never manage to clear our plates.

I used to work for a German chef who was always dumbfounded by what an American portion was - he also did not understand our love of ketschup. haha!

Well, how much I want to eat is one thing, but how much my cat wants to eat seems to be another!

Great article! Thank you for posting.

Very helpful having the visuals for portion size.....great read. Thanks!

Great article. I am not a 'foodie', but my roommate is. She seems to think about food non-stop, and I have never seen her eat a salad. Not only the portions that we eat today are bothersome, but the overall obsession with food in this country (US) amazes me. I once worked with a lady, in a state job, that walked in the door in the morning and started making plans for lunch. Although I am sure that part of that had to do with making sure she had someone to go to lunch with, I just usually don't think about tonights dinner, unless it is something that takes extra prep time. Overeating is a problem for me as well - my metabolism is just not what it used to be. Most of my life, I could eat anything and not have to watch my weight - no so much now. Fortunately, I absolutely must have fruits and vegetables, and there are very few of either that i don't like. Yes, I even love brussels sprouts, spinach and lima beans. I, too, grew up being told to clean my plate, not to waste food that other people would appreciate - I am appalled at the amount of food that we throw away in this country. There are truly many people that would appreciate it, especially with food prices being what they are now. It is actually depressing to go to the grocery store and find that a box of cereal (usually full of sugar) costs $5.00, as does a decent loaf of bread. I am single so I can get by on little, but I do have to wonder how people feed their families today. Sad.

i actually lost weight when i studied abroad because i walked absolutely everywhere...but with all the good food abroad, i could see how putting on weight would be super easy. i don't believe in depriving yourself of something you really love...but smaller portions always help.

Important to keep this conversation going among family and friends, there's a reason 50% of Americans are overweight, from Susan in the 60s we rode bikes, played outside all year long, walked to school and I even stood up in the back of my mom's convertible wrapping my little arms around her neck as she drove to the store, what are we doing to ourselves and what legacy are leaving our kids. Times have changed and despite innovations everywhere, we are losing what made us human. We need to speak out not just here on the fabulous Etsy blogs, but in our communities and schools. Also remember to smile at a stranger today!

Oh my... the article & comments as well were very informative. Nevertheless, I could not stop looking at that yummy, delicious, super terrific sandwich! Oh I want to eat that now!

Smaller portions are obviously much healthier, and are more fun because you can try a few different things at once, kind of like a tasting menu. And if you eat your food more slowly, you won't need to clear your gigando plate because you'll fill up more quickly. Are you plowing a field after dinner? Do you really need 4 lbs. of meat tonight?

Excellent. I am a registered dietitian and use similar pictures to convey a usable tool for everyday portion management.

http://econlog.econlib.org/GQE/gqe142.html "In 1998, the U.S. Government changed the standards by which body mass index is measured. As a result, close to 30 million Americans were shifted from a government-approved weight to the overweight and obese category, without gaining an ounce, Burrita said." The stats that say that the number of obese people has doubled in the last 50 years is partially due to the fact that overnight 30 million Americans were deemed overweight and obese due to a change in how obesity was measured. I agree that smaller portions and leading an active lifestyle are everyone's best chance for a healthy body, but the "obesity epidemic" is just not reality.

"In 1998, the U.S. Government changed the standards by which body mass index is measured. As a result, close to 30 million Americans were shifted from a government-approved weight to the overweight and obese category, without gaining an ounce, Burrita said." From: http://econlog.econlib.org/GQE/gqe142.html The stats that the number of obese people has doubled is not a useful stat because overnight 30 million Americans became overweight and obese just because a change in how they were measured. Although I agree that smaller portions, less processed foods and regular exercise are the best ways to a healthy body, the "obesity epidemic" just doesn't exist.

This is a great article with a lot of useful information, but what saddens me is the focus on weight that has come up, especially in the comments. Yes, obesity rates have increased drastically and in many cases can be correlated to skewed portion sizes and unhealthy eating, but all the education on healthy eating in the world will not fix an underlying medical problem. It can be harmful and hurtful to make assumptions. The focus should be on healthy eating in general, not on weight. Everyone can benefit from proper portion sizes and a healthy diet.

I use a calorie counting app/website and just keep track of straight calories. People have different calorie requirements, so there are things like eating only a cup of cereal with a half cup of milk for breakfast may be a serving, but it's not enough food for breakfast for me.

I'm so glad when articals and discussions like this happen. It helps with awareness of this issue. Portion size is a huge issue and some of the big food company's are starting to take notice. Coca cola now sells 12 packs of one serving size cans and mars is going to stop selling packages of candy that has more than 250 calories in the package. Many restaurants sell half portions for some of there menu but I think they could do more. Keep it up everybody these company's are starting to hear us!

i read everything here. the information was great. i like the oversized portions...i think it matches the oversized prices im repeatedly forced to pay.. i just take half home.. at the end of the day im in charge of my own choices. its not aways an amount thing. its that the food is empty of nutrients and it leaves bodies craving. its becocming increasingly difficult to run around like a chicken without a head in a fast paced environment and adequately feed oneself in a healthy manner without having a pocketful of cash or alot of extra time...

I use sparkpeople.com - I love them because they are free, have a database of everything I eat. and a great community.

Do we REALLY need to discuss this on Etsy? As if we aren't bombarded enough about food and diet and how "bad" we are 8 million times a day...now we have to subjected to it on Etsy??

I agree with you on many points, but at the same time when do we say, enough is enough, eat what you like. And we can stop blaming corporations for offering larger sizes and instead just stop allowing ourselves to up size everything. Know when to tell yourself no! If you haven't already, check out the Marshmallow studies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EjJsPylEOY It's about instant gratification :)

As a mother of four children I've wondered about my friends push for their children to clean their plates! I allow my kids to decide when they are full and never force a clean plate. It makes me sad to see the obesity in children in this country. With schoold cutting programs (like P.E.) will our children only get bigger? Makes me think about the documentary made about supersizing and eating McDonalds far too many days a week. Great job on the article hope to read more!

I know this is a serious dialogue (I am currently trying to eat healthy) but I laughed out loud when I read what Pine of Pines Vintage Clothing posted! Thanks for the humor!

Eat for what you are going to do, not for what you have already done. Do you really need a large dinner when you are going to be laying around all night?

I naturally chew slowly because I have a "thing" about swallowing... might have to do with my fear of choking and vomiting... Anyway, because I eat so slowly, I feel full a lot sooner than otherwise. Also, I'm fairly health-conscious and just never developed a ravenous sweet tooth, thank God :)

Fat gain is an endocrine issue, not a portion-size issue and not an exercise issue. When fat people say it's their glands, they are not kidding. The vast, vast majority of obesity cases come from hyperinsulinism (high fasting and postprandial insulin levels--and you can get your fasting insulin tested) or else from hypothyroidism, and frequently the two conditions occur together. This is a matter of *what* you eat, not how much. Remember the Twinkie Diet guy? He was kind enough to post his data on his Facebook page. He had set out to prove that it doesn't matter what you eat as long as you cut your calories. What he proved instead was that on a diet of Twinkies, canned vegetables and a daily multivitamin, a man his age can lose eight to nine pounds of lean weight in two or three months and still be at thirty percent bodyfat, which is just under obesity level for his age, gender, and height. And this is just fat people. You can have metabolic problems caused by dietary composition without ever getting fat. Here's a hint: we didn't have so many fat people or people getting type 2 diabetes or heart attacks when it was still OK to eat meat and animal fat. We're certainly seeing fewer people dying of said heart attacks now, but our heroic medicine techniques have improved dramatically (i.e., in the 1920s no one had invented cardiac massage yet--and yes, that's exactly what it sounds like--or coronary bypass), and there are more people *getting* heart attacks than ever before. Something to think about. Personally I find that I have to eat animal fat or I get crazy and lose control of my blood sugar--I'm not diabetic yet but I do get reactive hypoglycemia. Also I can't go much below 2000 calories a day or my weight loss stalls. Yet more data to consider. And if you need to run a marathon every day to get the weight off, you need to look at your dietary composition again. If we all needed to do strenuous exercise every single day to maintain a healthy weight then every time we got sick, we'd get fat. Not an outcome we want, right? Diet is about 80 percent of fat loss and healthy weight maintenance. Ask any bodybuilder--the principle is the same even if you never touch a barbell.

weezieduzzit from weezieduzzit says: Vintage dishes! Choose a set from a time when portions were much more realistic. We use 50s dishes and make sure 50% of the plate is veggies or fruit. __________________________________________ I'd probably check the lead content before using a vintage dish. This is a fantastic post.

Great article! We have such an epidemic here in the US, and it's such a difficult subject to broach. I invested in myself and paid a nutritionist who helped me learn about portion control, what was 'normal' for my body type, and what kinds of foods were best for me (as a gluten intolerant vegetarian). In retrospect it was insane the amount of food I was eating and how out of proportion to my small frame it was. I'm so thankful that I sought out help from an expert.

the go halfsies program sounds like a daggone dream. especially the part about helping others.

Good info. For me, however, it's more about the quality of the food I'm eating. For breakfast I'll have a huge Mason jar filled with a green smoothie. For lunch - a large plate filled with a salad of many veggies and homemade salad dressing (olive oil, lemon, salt & pepper). For dinner it's more of the same, but if I'm eating pasta or something I do watch the portion size or I get a stomach ache. And I eat all organic at home. This works so well for me that when I go out (about once a week) I can eat whatever I want.

I try to eat several times a day.... small portions. Exercise is key though too. It's best to eat small meals several times a day so that the stomach isn't expanding from doing what we grew up with. That is eating 3 meals a day. That has stopped in my home. My girls eat all day - popcorn for snack, veggies and fruit for meals and sometimes a treat each day.

Wow! Very interesting article. Since I moved to overseas 18 years ago, my weight has been fluctuate a lot. Especially after gave birth to my two kids. Some trick that I found useful: 1. Do grocery shopping every 3 days so I buy less than when I go shopping once a week. Not only no perishable-food goes wasted, but also, with "limited" ingredients, I cook smaller portion. 2. At home I use chopstick or smaller utensil and drink a tall glass of water, half an hour before my meal. 3. Invite my friend when eating out. I usually end up catching up with them, instead of concentrating to clean my plate. 4. Brush my teeth right away after dinner. That'll make me think twice before munching any snack while watching tv with hubby. Hopefully this tricks work for you :)

I really enjoyed your article. Growing up in a less than ideal family environment, I became an emotional eater. Even though my family dynamics have changed quite dramatically for the better, it is still a daily struggle for me regarding food. So one thing that helps me to eat mindfully is regular exercise. It makes me more sensitive to the caloric needs of my body. Second things is tasting my food and eating slow. Third, I try my hardest to avoid as much processed foods as possible. I find that once I get a taste of that extreme sweetness that comes from a candy bar or ice cream, all I want to do is eat more and more. So for me, balance means just being resolved and telling myself that I just can't have any of the store bought stuff. If I want it then I need to make it. This way, I can control the ingredients and make it not so addictively sugary.

Two weeks ago my husband,(a very trim guy), had a minor...thank you god....heart attack. For 2 weeks we have been reading EVER LABEL on every food we can get our hands on.....BEWARE OF SODUIM !!!! it is in EVERYTHING and is not a friend to your body. Even things you don't think of as 'salty' have sodium in them ...sometimes in large quantities. Be an informed consumer...

Smaller bowls and plates, serving in courses instead of all at once, inviting a friend over, drinking water instead of soda, and having dinner with a friend are all good ways to slow down and eat less. Another tip when eating out, get a "to go" box and fill it before you eat. You will control how much you have to eat and you will have your lunch packed for the next day.

It`s a waste...........the body doesn`t need all this food.

Serving sizes in America are for the most part absurd. So its pretty much up to the individual to have the self control to eat healthy foods in the right sizes. Its best to avoid going out for meals regularly because basically no matter where you go its going to be too much.

Its best to avoid going out for meals regularly because in America pretty much everywhere you go will serve you too much. I requires a lot of self control eat right when the society around you enables unhealthy habits.

Eating more fruits and Vegetables is good to..

Wonderful article and lots of great comments!! Thank you for posting this!

Love the examples of the serving sizes, I think it's so so easy to get that wrong. I have three kids, and they all have totally different apitites, it sure is NOT easy in this day and age, with so many different ( bad) food choices. We try and cook and bake a lot, especially with my youngest, I think that sets up a good respect of food and where it comes from too. Not just from packets ;)

Wow. This is exactly what I'm trying to practice in my own life right now too... to have a healthy relationship with food through savoring each bite, controlling my portions, and enjoying everything, but in moderation. Of course, we all have the occasional slip-ups because some things are just too darn tasty to stop eating! But I think by trying to eat a lot more "good for you" foods and watching my "indulgences" really helps me feel better about myself in the long run. Yes, portion control is definitely something that requires discipline and mindfulness, and it's a work-in-progress!

I am surprised to find this article on a craft and vintage website. Nevertheless it is excellent and gets me thinking to follow Sir Allan Sugars advice of using a small teaspoon to loose weight.

I'm lucky to have a health-conscious mom who has passed down a lot of really important information about types of foods and amounts of foods. When my family goes out to eat, we almost always end up splitting an entree. If not, there is most certainly a doggy bag coming home with us. We go into a meal at a restaurant thinking we're getting two meals for one. In a way, I'm sort of glad portion sizes have gotten so big because it means I can take home leftovers and not have to cook the next day! ;)

If we ate at home more, we would be less subjected to not only the portion problem, but the high levels of salt, fat, sugar, and pricessed ingredients. And food that's fast or out of a chain kitchen has been calibrated in a lab to stimulate our primal (and no longer helpful in the industrialized world) need to consume calorie rich food. Eating out used to be a rare treat...now it's convenience. What we are pushed to eat comes from who lobbies congress the hardest. No other mammal eats dairy once weaned, yet who didn't grow up thinking we needed milk for strong bones and teeth? Why are diets 2% effective? I've been doing some reading.. Pollan, Drs Kessler, Esselstyn, Ornish, McDougall, Fuhrman... And I think they've got it right. Eat real plant based food, just until you are satisfied, then stop. Knock off the oil, sugar, dairy and over processed grains. Eat more of the healthiest stuff on the planet, leafy greens. Stop eating those things that cause additive consumption. It makes intuitive sense, they have science to back it up, and it all tracks to the rise in obesity. I've been putting it into practice with pretty dramatic results myself. Give any one of these a read - see what you think.