Serving sizes keep getting bigger, but that doesn't mean you can clean your plate and keep your waistline in tact, so Dr. Ian Smith has created simple tricks to help you pay attention to the actual portion sizes the next time you sit down for a snack or meal!
Grains
Quantity / Measurement
Physical Equivalent
Bagel
3" Diameter
Hockey puck
Biscuits
2 1/2"
A little smaller than a hockey puck
Bread (Slice)
2 Slices
1 CD case per slice
Brown Rice (Cooked)
1/3 Cup
Hockey puck
Brownie
1 Ounce/ 2" x 1"
Small post-it pack
Cakes/Baked Goods
1 Ounce
1/2 Deck of cards
Cereal Flakes
1 Cup
Baseball
Chocolate Chip Cookies
3 Small cookies
Diameter of the opening of a paper towel roll
Hamburger Bun
3" Diameter
Hockey puck
Hot Dog Bun
1 Bun
1 Bun
Pasta (Cooked)
1/2 Cup
Light bulb
Plain Pancake
1 Pancake
CD (compact disc)
Rice (White, Cooked)
1/2 Cup
Light bulb
Taco
1 Taco shell
CD
Tortilla chips
12 Chips
Tortillas
2 at 6" each
1 Saucer (6" in diameter)
Fruits and Vegetables
Quantity / Measurement
Physical Equivalent
Apple
1 Small apple (60 Cal.)
Tennis ball
Asparagus (Stalks)
1/2 Cup
6 Stalks
Baked Potato
1 Potato
Computer mouse
Carrots
1 Cup
12 Baby carrots
Cauliflower (Florets)
1 Cup
8 Flourets
Cherries
15 Cherries (60 Cal.)
Corn (on/off cob)
On cob (1 stalk)- off (1/2 cup)
Light bulb
Fruit
Medium sized fruit
Baseball
Grapes (Medium/Small)
1/2 Cup
16 Grapes
Salad Greens
1 Cup
Baseball
Spinach (Raw)
2 Cups
1 1/2 Baseballs
Strawberries
1 Cup
12 Strawberries
Vegetables (Cooked)
1 Cup
1 Baseball
Fats and Oils
Quantity / Measurement
Physical Equivalent
Butter or Spread
1 Tbsp
Poker chip
Mayonaise
1 Tbsp
Poker chip
Oil
1 Tbsp
Poker chip
Salad Dressing
1 Tbsp
Poker chip
Meats, Fish, and Nuts
Quantity / Measurement
Physical Equivalent
Almonds
1/4 Cup
12 Almonds
Bacon
3 Slices
Eggs
1/4 cup
1 Large egg
Fish
3 Ounces grilled
1 Checkbook
Ground Beef
3 Ounces
Deck of cards
Hot Dogs
3 Ounces
1 Hot dog
Hummus
2 Tbsp
Golf ball
Lean Meat or Poultry
3 Ounces
Deck of Cards
Peanut Butter
2 Tbsp
Golf ball
Pistachios
1/4 Cup
24 Pistachios
Sausage
1 Ounce
Size of your thumb
Turkey Bacon
3 Slices
Dairy and Cheese
Quantity / Measurement
Physical Equivalent
Cheese
1 1/2 Ounces
3 Stacked dice
Buffalo Mozzarella
1 Ounce
Ping pong ball
Frozen Yogurt
1/2 Cup
Light bulb
Ice Cream
1/2 Cup
Light bulb
Milk (Skim or 1%)
8 Ounces / 1 Cup
3/4 Height of a soda can
Yogurt
1 Cup
Baseball
Yogurt (Plain, unsweetened)
8 Ounces
3/4 Height of a soda can
Snacks
Quantity / Measurement
Physical Equivalent
Black Olives
10-15 Black olives
Chocolate Covered Raisins
15 Chocolate covered raisins
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
5 Strawberries dipped in 1 ounce of melted chocolate
Twin Make-Unders & Cherry Tomato Sauce
Apple Pie Sundaes w/Regis & White Collar's Matt Bomer
Dating School with Eva Longoria & Sunny Anderson
Sara Moulton's Food Stretching Tips
Rev Run & Tyrese’s “Manology” and Never Overpack Again
