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Serving Sizes

Source of Recipe

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Agriculture/U.S. Department of Health and Human Services


Recipe Introduction

Finding It Hard to Picture What a Serving Size Is?Below are some ways you can picture a serving size using everyday objects. Using these everyday examples can help show you that you may actually eat more servings from the Food Guide Pyramid than you think!

Recipe Link: tinyurl.com/7byng

List of Ingredients

THE BREAD, CEREAL, RICE, and PASTA GROUP

1 cup of rice or pasta (2 servings) is the size of a tennis ball, ice cream scoop
1 pancake is the size of a compact disc (CD)
1/2 cup cooked rice is the size of a cupcake wrapper full
1 piece of cornbread is the size of a bar of soap
1 slice of bread is the size of an audiocassette tape
1 cup of cereal flakes is the size of a *fist

THE VEGETABLE GROUP

1 cup salad greens is the size of a baseball or a *fist
1 baked potato is the size of a *fist
3/4 cup tomato juice is the size of a small styrofoam cup
1/2 cup cooked broccoli is the size of a scoop of ice cream or a light bulb
1/2 cup serving is the size 6 asparagus spears; 7 or 8 baby carrots or carrot sticks or 1 ear of corn on the cob

THE FRUIT GROUP

1/2 cup of grapes (15 grapes) is the size of a light bulb
1/2 cup of fresh fruit is the size of 7 cotton balls
1 medium size fruit is the size of a tennis ball or a *fist
1 cup of cut-up fruit (2 servings) is the size of a *fist
1/4 cup raisins is the size of a large egg

THE MILK, YOGURT and CHEESE GROUP

1-1/2 ounces natural cheese is the size of a 9-volt battery, 3 dominoes
or
1 ounce processed cheese (1/2 serving) is the size of a pair of dice or your **thumb


THE MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, DRY BEANS, EGGS, and NUT GROUP

2 tablespoons peanut butter-equal to 1 oz. of meat is the size of a Ping-Pong ball
1 tablespoon peanut butter is the size of a thumb tip *
3 ounces cooked meat, fish, poultry is the size of a palm, a deck of cards or a cassette tape
3 ounces grilled/baked fish is the size of a checkbook
3 ounces cooked chicken is the size of a chicken leg and thigh or breast

FOOD MEASUREMENTS

FATS, OILS and SWEETS

1 teaspoon butter, margarine is the size of a fingertip
2 tablespoons salad dressing is the size of a Ping-Pong ball

SNACK FOODS

1 ounce of nuts or small candies is the size of one handful
1 ounce chips or pretzels is the size of two handfuls
1/2 cup of potato chips, crackers, or popcorn is the size of one man's handful
1/3 cup of potato chips, crackers, or popcorn is the size of one woman's handful

SERVING DISHES/UTENSILS

1/2 cup is the size of a small fruit bowl, a custard cup or mashed potato scoop
1-1/2 cups is the size of a large cereal/soup bowl
1/2 cup of pasta, noodles is the size of a cafeteria vegetable dish
1-1/2 cups of pasta, noodles is the size of a dinner plate, not heaped

YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW THAT...
1 cupped hand holds 2 tablespoons of liquid
1 slice of bread is one ounce or 1 serving; some rolls or bagels weight 3-5 ounces or more making them equal to 3-5 servings of bread



Recipe