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6 Tips for Healthier Portions

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By Kylie Bentley, RD, LD, CLT H-E-B Dietitian

Ever wonder how your meals measure up to your body's actual needs? Watching portion sizes can help you avoid excess weight and the associated disease risk factors like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure. Even healthful foods like nuts, avocados, whole grains, and fruits must be eaten with portion awareness to manage weight. Here are six easy tips for healthier portions.

1. Read food labels. Serving sizes are listed on the food labels and are a good place to start for a portion. If you are still hungry after one serving, go back for another serving.

2. Measure, don't guess. When you are just starting out, it is a good idea to use measuring cups and spoons to accurately portion you servings.

3. Compare Servings to everyday objects. Once you learn that one portion of protein is about 3-4 ounces which is the size of a deck of cards, you don't need to have a scale with you, you can visualize it. Here are a few other great comparisons:



4. Downsize your plates. Swap your large dinner plate for a small salad plate and see how much less you eat. Visually, our eyes like to see full plates, so you can have a full plate, but you will be eating less.

5. Pre-portion snacks. Separate nuts, trail mix, cereal, whole grain crackers, fruit, cheese and other snacks into individual bags so you aren't tempted to over eat out of larger containers.

6. Eating out in control. Know that restaurants will always place 2-3 servings of food on your plate, but that doesn't mean you have to eat it all in one sitting or all by yourself. Take 1/2 to go in a box for lunch or split the meal with a friend. Ask for sauces and dressing on the side, then estimate your added portions.