Serving Sizes Measure Up
Dietary recommendations are frequently given in "servings" – three serving of dairy a day, three to five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, two to three servings of meat and on it goes. Do you know what is meant by a "serving"?
Knowing the size of a serving can help you determine your portions or the amount of a particular food you eat at one time. Here are some examples of serving sizes in plain language:
- 1 cup of milk is the amount of milk in the container of milk a child receives at school.
- Three ounces of cooked meat, fish or poultry is the size of a deck of cards.
- One ounce of cheese is the size of four dice.
- A medium piece of fruit is the size of a baseball.
- Two tablespoons of peanut butter is the size of a golf ball.
- A small baked potato is the size of a computer mouse.
- The average size for a serving of yogurt, raw vegetables and cut up fruit is one cup – which will fit into an average woman's hand.
Use these tips and see how your portions measure up.