Portion Size Cues

The old adage “everything in moderation” is good advice, but deciding what that
means might depend on one’s preference for a particular food. Moderation, or
portion control, plays a big part in maintaining a healthy weight. Sometimes it’s
difficult to know what an appropriate “portion” is. The Academy of Nutrition and
Dietetics recommends these visual cues to help estimate portion sizes. Deck of
playing cards or flat palm = 3 oz. of meat, fish or poultry. Baseball = 1 cup of pasta.
Tennis ball = 1/2 cup of fresh fruit or vegetables. Four dice = 1-1/2 oz. of cheese.
One die = 1 teaspoon of butter.