Keeping Portions Under Control

Visual Cues

Now that we're so used to overdoing it, is it possible to bring portion sizes back to earth? Yes. But first we have to understand how much food our bodies need as opposed to how much they want.

A great way to visualize appropriate portion sizes is to use the concept of the "divided plate." Think of a plate divided into four equal sections:

• Use one of the top sections for protein.
• Use the other top section for starch, preferably a whole grain.
• Fill both sections of the bottom half with veggies (or fruit and veggies).

The foods in each section should not overlap or be piled high. Partitioning the plate this way not only will help you keep portions under control, but will help you to serve more balanced meals to your family.

Portion-Control Tips

Picture your favorite meal at your favorite restaurant. Now picture it 75% smaller. Would you be a happy customer?

It's easy to understand why the food industry tends to serve us way more food than is necessary: We all love to feel like we're getting more bang for our buck. But that's also why it's important to take responsibility for our own portions and to help kids learn to do the same.

Here are some tips:

• Explain the concept of the "divided plate" to your kids and use it as often as you can.
• Serve food on smaller plates so meals look larger. A sandwich on a dinner plate looks lost; on an appetizer plate it looks downright hefty.
• When cooking large batches or storing leftovers, separate them into smaller portions before you put them in the fridge or freezer. That way, when your family reaches in, they'll automatically grab a portion that makes sense.
• Avoid letting kids take an entire bag of chips or a container of ice cream to the couch. Everyone will be far less likely to overdo it if you serve individual portions in the kitchen.
• Dish out meals at the counter and avoid bringing the whole pot to the table. Not keeping the food at arm's length can make your family think twice about reaching for seconds. If they do want seconds, offer more veggies or salads.
• Try single-serving sizes to help your family learn what an appropriate portion is.
• Aim for three scheduled healthful meals and one or two healthy snacks throughout the day. Skipping a meal often leads to overeating at the next one.
• Add more salads and fruit to your family's diet, especially at the start of a meal, which can help control hunger and give a sense of fullness while controlling calorie intake.
• Try not to rush through meals. Go slowly and give everyone a chance to feel full before serving more. Family sit-down meals also provide valuable opportunities to reconnect with one another.
• Be aware that most restaurant portions may be two, three, or more times the recommended serving size. Try sharing meals, ordering an appetizer as a main dish, ordering kids' meals (especially at fast-food restaurants), or packing up half to take home before you begin to eat.
• Don't be tempted to go for the giant value meal or the jumbo drink just because they're just a few cents more than the regular size. The "deal" is no value when it triples your family's calories!
• Don't serve kids large portions or expect them to clean their plates. Not only do kids need less food than adults, but studies show that preschoolers do a better job controlling portion size when they're allowed to serve themselves.

Getting Kids Involved

If you preach to your kids about portion control, chances are they'll tune out faster than you can say Big Gulp. A better way to go is to get them actively involved in figuring out how much is a reasonable amount to eat.

A serving of rice is about the same size as an ice cream scoop, so let your child use the scoop to serve "rice cream" to the family. A piece of meat should be about the size of a deck of cards, so see how that chicken breast measures up. And why not break out the kitchen scale while you're at it? Weighing or measuring food may not be your idea of fun, but it probably is to your kids — plus it's a great way to reinforce math concepts.

And don't forget the good news about portions: they work both ways. You may want to cut back on spaghetti portions, but you can dish out more than one serving of carrots or green beans. This can help make the "five a day" fruit and vegetable goal more attainable.

Remember the role you play in showing kids how to size up portions. If you eat two heaping helpings of food each night, that's what your kids will learn too.

As kids grow their appetites will vary depending on a number of factors. They tend to be more hungry during growth spurts or sports seasons when they're more active, and less hungry during downtimes. As their appetites change, keep serving right-sized portions and encourage them to slow down to enjoy their food. Then check in on whether they're full before they go for seconds.

Reviewed by: Mary L. Gavin, MD
Date reviewed: June 2011