Portion Sizes and Serving Sizes

Selecting the right foods also means choosing portions that are proper serving sizes. The terms "portion" and "serving" are often used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing.

A "portion" is the amount of food you choose to eat for meals or snacks (like a plateful of pasta or a handful of raisins). In comparison a "serving" is the amount of food that experts recommend you eat (like 1 cup of milk or 1 ounce of bread). Servings are listed on a food's nutrition facts label too.

When choosing your portion, try to make it as close as possible to these recommended serving sizes.

Grains: Aim for 6-11 servings each day. Choose whole grains whenever possible.

Bread: 1 ounce (1 small slice, 1/2 bagel, 1/2 bun), or about the size of an index card
Cooked Grains: 1/2 cup cooked oats, rice or pasta, or about the size of a billiard ball
Dry cereal: 1/2 cup flakes, puffed rice or shredded wheat, or about the size of a billiard ball

Fruits and Vegetables: Aim for 5-9 total servings each day. Choose fresh fruits and veggies whenever possible.

Raw fruit: 1/2 cup raw, canned or frozen fruit, or about the size of billiard ball
Dried fruit: 1/4 cup raisins, prunes or apricots, or about the size of an egg
Juice: 6 oz 100% fruit or vegetable juice, or about the size of a hockey puck
Raw vegetables: 1 cup leafy greens, baby carrots or about the size of a baseball
Cooked vegetables: 1/2 cup cooked broccoli, potatoes, or about the size of a billiard ball

Meat and Beans: Aim for 2-3 servings each day. Choose lean meats and plant proteins whenever possible.

Meat & Tofu: 2-3 oz cooked beef, poultry, fish or tofu, or about the size of a deck of cards
Beans: 1/2 cup cooked beans, split peas or legumes, or about the size of a billiard ball
Nuts & Seeds: 2 tbsp nuts, seeds or nut butters, or about the size of a ping pong ball

Dairy: Aim for 2-3 servings of calcium-rich foods each day. Choose low- or non-fat products whenever possible.

Cheese: 1 ounce or 1 thin slice of cheese, or about the size of a pair of dice
Milk: 1 cup milk, yogurt or non-dairy milk alternative, or about the size of a baseball

Fats & Oils: Eat fats and oils sparingly and in small portions. Choose heart-healthy fats whenever possible.

Fat & Oil: 1 tsp butter, margarine or oil, or about the size of one die

Member Comments

SUSANBEAMON

I think some servings are too small. Report

GEORGE815

Portion control is something you never heard of as a kid. Report

LSANDY7

The BEST invesment I've made in healthy eating is my kitchen scale! It really helps keep portion distortion under control. Report

ARTJAC

THANKS Report

1CRAZYDOG

Dated article, but the information is as true today as it was in 2004. Report

HOLLYM48

Great article! Report

PWILLOW1

Even though I have been weighing and measuring for years I try to do a refresher the first of every month to be sure I am still on track. Report

ALEXTHEHUN

This is very useful and helpful for me. Report

PLCHAPPELL

Guilty but working on it Report

EMGERBER

I struggle with portions and need to get back to measuring. Report

ETHELMERZ

Article is sort of old, my dietitian allows more protein, especially if it’s fish. Skimpy numbers from 2004. Report

DXTECH

i took the quiz before reading the article just to test myself. got 11/16 correct-not as smart as I thought I was--LOL-but not too bad. Now will re-arrange my plating and i definitely need to add more grains. Report

AQUAGIRL08

Thanks for the tips! Report

TWEETYKC00

Thanks for the info! Report

SPINECCO

Thanks for sharing this information. Report

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About The Author

Nicole Nichols
A certified personal trainer and fitness instructor with a bachelor's degree in health education, Nicole loves living a healthy and fit lifestyle and helping others do the same. Nicole was formerly SparkPeople's fitness expert and editor-in-chief, known on the site as "Coach Nicole." Make sure to explore more of her articles and blog posts.

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