How Have Food Portions Changed in 20 Years? National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Obesity Education Initiative

Or Does the Size of Our Food Really Matter?

Double the Size, Double the Calories Could You Eat This 1,000 Calorie Burger for Dinner?

Restaurants have distorted our sense of size 3 Cups of Spaghetti Noodles is 600 Calories!

One Cup, 200 Calories, is the Right Size, But We Wouldn’t Feel Like We Got Our Money’s Worth

Bigger Portions Make Us Feel We’re Getting Our Money’s Worth

But Makes Us Eat More Than We Need

When We Eat More Than We Need We GAIN Weight

How Have Our Portion Sizes Changed in 20 Years? 20 Years AgoToday 270 calories 5 cups 630 calories 15 cups Calorie Difference: 360 calories

BAGEL 20 Years Ago Today 140 calories 3-inch diameter One serving 350 calories 6-inch diameter Two servings Calorie Difference: 210 calories

CHEESEBURGER 20 Years Ago Today 333 calories 3 ounce beef patty Bun with mustard and ketchup Calorie Difference: 257 calories 590 calories 4 ounce beef patty Bun with Special Sauce and Cheese

FRENCH FRIES 20 Years AgoToday 210 Calories 3 ounces 610 Calories 7 ounces Calorie Difference: 400 Calories

8 ounces 100 calories SODA IN A CUP 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 720 calories 48 ounces 820 calories

3 ounces ice cream and cone 1 scoop 320 calories ICE CREAM 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 500 calories 8 ounces ice cream 4 scoops 820 calories

3 ounces chicken breast, baked 320 calories CHICKEN 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 500 calories 6 ounces leg and thigh, fried 820 calories 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 500 calories

1 cup whole grain cereal with 1/2 cup milk 245 calories BOWL OF CEREAL 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 175 calories 2 cups sweetened cereal with 1 ½ cups milk and extra sugar 420 calories

2 cookies 2 inch diameter 96 calories COOKIES 20 Years Ago Today 224 Calorie Difference: 500 calories 2 cookies 8 inch diameter 320 calories

3 ounces baked potato with butter 185 calories POTATOES 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 435 calories Loaded large baked potato with sour cream, butter, cheese and bacon bits 620 calories

3 ounces sirloin 320 calories STEAK 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 500 calories 14 ounce T-Bone 820 calories

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS 20 Years AgoToday 500 calories 1 cup spaghetti with sauce and 3 small meatballs Calorie Difference: 525 calories 1,025 calories 2 cups of pasta with sauce and 3 large meatballs

100 Calories 8 ounces SODA 20 Years AgoToday Calorie Difference: 150 Calories 250 Calories 20 ounces

320 calories 2 slices of bread, 3 ounces of sliced turkey, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise TURKEY SANDWICH 20 Years AgoToday Calorie Difference: 500 calories 820 calories 1 large roll, 8 ounces of turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato and special sauce.

Two corn shells with 3 ounces of seasoned ground beef, tomato, lettuce 1 ½ ounces cheese 320 calories TACOS 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 630 calories Loaded taco with on bread shell, 6 ounces ground seasoned beef, sour cream, 4 ounces cheese, tomato and lettuce 850 calories

320 calories PIZZA 20 Years Ago Today Calorie Difference: 220 calories Two large slices, 3 ounces pepperoni, 3 ounces cheese, crust 540 calories

How Can You Fight Portion Distortion?

Eat From MyPyramid MyPyramid tells us how many servings of each type of food we need every day

Plan Your Meals Around Vegetables You’ll Eat More Nutrients and Less Fat

Fill Half Your Plate With Vegetables Let Meats Be the Side Dish

Use Smaller Plates Your Brain Thinks There is More Food On a Smaller Plate

Eat Slowly This gives your brain time to say “Whoa, You’re Full!

Know Portion Sizes Practice until you can tell its right

Read Food Labels Macaroni and Cheese If You Eat the Whole Box, That’s Twice the Calories! 500 Calories

Beware of Extra Calories

Plan Meals

No more than 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise, salad dressing or butter a day Use Fats and Sugars Sparingly

What Does a Serving Size Look Like?

3 ounces of cooked meat, poultry, fish or beans or the size of a deck of cards or The palm of your hand A Serving of Meat

A Serving of Fruits or Vegetables ½ cup or the size of the palm of your hand

A Serving of Bread The size of a CD case

A Serving of Milk 8 ounces or one cup of milk or yogurt

A Serving of Cheese 1 ½ ounces or six small dice or the size of your thumb

A Serving of Peanut Butter The size of a golf ball

A Serving of Fruit The size of your fist, or a baseball

How big is the food you eat every day?

Brought to You By: Virginia’s Family Nutrition Education Program, SNAP-Ed