Serving Sizes

I'm sure you have all heard the phrase "Two a day" meaning to make sure you have two servings of fruit each day, but what exactly is a serving? Here are some helpful tips when deciding what a serving is:

1 serving of grains can be:
*1 tortilla
*1/2 of a bagel or bun
*1 slice of bread
*1 cup of cereal
*1/2 cup of cooked rice or cereal
Try to make at least half of the grains you eat whole grains. They will help you stay fuller longer.

1 serving of fruits can be:
*1 medium sized fruit
*1 cup (8 oz) of 100% fruit juice

1 serving of vegetables can be:
*1 medium sized vegetable
*2 cups leafy greens
*1 cup of vegetables
*1 cup (8 oz) of 100% vegetable juice

1 serving of dairy can be:
*1 cup of milk
*1.5 oz of natural cheese
*2 oz of processed cheese

1 serving of protein can be:
*1 egg
*2 Tbsp of peanut butter
*1 oz of meat
*1 oz of almonds, seeds, or walnuts

Sometimes when you are in a hurry, it is hard to stop and measure so here are some easy ways to determine a serving size:

*1/2 cup= size of a tennis ball
*3 oz of meat= a stack of face cards
*1 cup= size of a baseball, size of you fist
*1 oz cheese= size of your thumb
*1-2 oz of snack foods (nuts, seeds, etc...)= Handful

Challenge: Eat the recommended servings for your calorie count. Measure everything out and pay attention to it. You will become familiar to measurements and will soon be able to measure everything out just by eyeballing it. If you have any questions about anything, just let me know! Good luck!