It’s not always easy tracking portion sizes, especially when food labels use different nutrition information or daily limits. But there are ways you can learn to size up a portion more easily. Try these tips, whether you’re prepping your food or eating it.
When you’re… Preparing your meals
Does your kitchen support your weight loss or work against it? Make sure you always:
1. Use an accurate set of kitchen scales. Get into the routine of weighing things like pasta or rice to learn the SmartPoints® value.
2. Keep measuring tools close by to prevent guesswork or cooking too much food.
3. Track drinks or sauces with a measuring jug to avoid going over budget.
4. Use a measuring spoon to manage how much ketchup or dressing you’re adding to dishes.
5. Split family-sized packs into smaller containers to avoid eating straight from the packet. Now you’ll only eat what you need.
6. Be mindful of what one serving means; a single packet could be two or more. It’s up to you to choose your portion sizes.
When you’re… Eating your meals
Avoid any portion pitfalls when you:
7. Serve your meals on smaller – or side – plates. Surveys show our plates have grown by 36 per cent since the 1960s! A portion of food will look much bigger on a small plate.
8. Measure out cereal or pudding before putting it in a bowl. It’s tempting to fill a deep bowl to the brim.
9. Freeze any leftovers straight after your meal to avoid picking at them later.
10. Learn what 125 ml (4 oz.) wine (that is, a small glassful) looks like in each of your glasses; it will look different, depending on their size and shape. This will help you judge how much to drink when you don’t have a measuring jug to hand.