Portion Control Toolkit

Focusing on what we eat goes hand-in-hand with considering how much we eat. The first step to keeping track of “how much” is to get familiar with portion sizes for different foods, or measurements. While you can buy a kitchen scale and measure your food, sometimes this can feel overwhelming to do with every meal and snack. 

Here are some helpful tips you can use in conjunction with the Portion Size Guide to get a hand on portion control at mealtime.

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1. Drop down a plate size: Choosing a salad plate versus a large dinner plate can help support more controlled portions. Interestingly enough, even placing proper portions on a bigger plate can lead us to perceive we won't be fully satisfied. So, it’s best to use a smaller plate that can be filled with the proper amounts of food. ‍
2. Grab the smaller utensils: Using a teaspoon or salad fork versus a tablespoon or entree fork. Using a smaller utensil can lead to smaller bites at meals, which makes eating your food take longer. The longer it takes for you to eat, the more likely it is that your body’s hunger and satisfaction signaling will have a chance to connect!‍
3. Use measuring cups if able: Using measuring cups for precision can be helpful while learning proper portion sizes for different foods. With time and practice you’ll become a pro and will be able to estimate portion sizes visually!‍
4. Stay hydrated: Sometimes feeling thirsty can be a mask for hunger, so keeping up with your water intake is important in order to feel satisfied.‍
5. If still hungry, choose more veggies: If you find that despite taking your time and staying hydrated you’re still hungry, load up on more veggies. You can’t go wrong by eating more veg to meet your 6-8 servings per day. ‍
6. Take your time between bites: Put your fork or spoon down after taking a bite of food. Take your time to chew the food and truly experience eating. Take note - what are the textures of the food like? What about the flavor?‍
7. Limit distractions at mealtime: Whether it’s the TV, your phone, tablet, or computer, having any of these inputs during meals can lead to greater portion sizes. Distracted eating can inhibit our ability to feel satisfaction at meals, so try to take a break from electronic devices when eating and treat meals as an experience!‍
8. Put any extras away: Putting the extra food away quickly after meal prep is done may also support sticking to proper portions and limiting seconds.