Portion is the amount of food that you decide to eat at one time, whether at home, in a restaurant or from a package. The serving size consists of the amount listed on the nutrition label of a product. These two things are not the same, especially when we eat in restaurants or eat ready meals.
The portion can be big or small because it depends entirely on your decision
Portions and Serving Sizes Are Different
The serving size is shown by usual household measures that fit the food, for instance cup, tablespoon, piece or slice, followed by the weight in grams. According to the FDA, that amount must reflect what people usually eat; for instance, for bread that would be one slice. It is not based on recommended calorie consumption.
Like this, serving size is only a standard amount that represents what people usually eat.
Many foods that look like one portion indeed carry several servings. Some sizes base simply on the package. If the label says that there are five servings, that sounds good, until you notice that one serving is only four tablespoons of food, five crackers or even only one cookie.
The label can show an amount that is smaller than what you usually eat. Especially in restaurants, the suggested serving size is commonly much smaller than the actual plat.
Using your hands is a simple way to measure portions. This is useful, because the hands of most people are proportionate to their body and needs. For instance, a portion of meat or fish usually matches the size of the palm of the hand, including the thickness.
You can also compare foods with everyday objects. A deck of cards matches three ounces of meat. Two dice represent two one-ounce bits of hard cheese, and a hockey puck matches half a cup of pasta.
Although 76% of chefs thought that they serve normal portions, the actual amounts of steak and pasta were two to four times bigger than the government recommendations. In the United States, restaurants widely serve bigger portions than in other lands. Foods in huge packages or big tins urge us to eat.
One of the fastest ways to reduce the portion size is using smaller plates.
About a third of the home waste happens because people prepare too much food that they later do not eat. Preparing too much can lead to overeating and waste of money and food. To better control the portions and avoid overeating, it helps to sit for meals without distractions and eat slowly.