Kids and Portion Control
Published August 15, 2018
Reviewed February 2020
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Kids who follow MyPlate are eating well for healthy growth and development. But, many kids today suffer from "portion distortion." Though MyPlate provides the number of daily servings of different foods groups, sometimes we overlook the specific amount of food in one serving size. When talking about what kids eat or drink, keep these definitions in mind.
Serving Size vs. Portion Size
A serving is a specific amount of food or drink. It is defined by a common measurement, such as cups, ounces or tablespoons. MyPlate provides serving sizes. Also, the Nutrition Facts label on foods provides serving sizes. One tricky thing is that these servings may not be the same. Many of the MyPlate serving sizes are smaller than those listed on the Nutrition Facts label. Since MyPlate provides how much of what food your child needs for good health, it’s best to use these servings sizes.
A portion is the amount of food that happens to end up on the plate. Think of portion size as the actual amount of food kids choose to eat at breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack. Portions may be larger or smaller than the recommended serving sizes. If a portion is larger, your child may be at an increased risk for gaining weight. So, teach your kids to make portion sizes equal to MyPlate serving sizes.
Proper Portion Sizes: Give Kids a Visual
One reason kids may not be eating appropriately sized portions based on the recommended MyPlate serving sizes is that they may not recognize what a reasonable portion looks like. What does one-half cup of pasta look like? What about three ounces of chicken or two tablespoons of peanut butter?
The good news is that kids don't need a measuring cup or scale to measure the portions they should eat — instead, they can visualize them by using familiar objects, such as a tennis ball or DVD, that are similar in size to recommended serving sizes. Before they eat or drink, they can think of the relevant object and choose a portion that matches its size.
Here are some tips to help you and your kids visualize portion sizes:
| Food | Portion Size | About the Size of... | ||
| Grains Group | ||||
| Bread | 1 ounce or 1 regular slice | DVD cover | ||
| Dry cereal | 1 ounce or 1 cup | Baseball | ||
| Cooked cereal, rice or pasta | 1 ounce or ½ cup | ½ baseball | ||
| Pancake or waffle | 1 ounce or 1 small piece (6 inches) | DVD |
||
| Bagel, hamburger bun | 1 ounce or ½ piece | Hockey puck | ||
| Cornbread | 1 piece | Bar of soap |
| Fruits Group | ||||
| Orange, apple, pear | 1 small fruit (2½ inches in diameter) | Tennis ball | ||
| Raisins | ¼ cup | Golf ball |
| Vegetables Group | ||||
| Baked potato | 1 medium | Computer mouse | ||
| Vegetables, chopped or salad | 1 cup | Baseball |
| Dairy Group | ||||
| Fat-free or low-fat milk or yogurt | 1 cup | Baseball | ||
| Cheese | 1½ ounces natural cheese or 2 ounces processed cheese | 9-volt battery | ||
| Ice cream | ½ cup | ½ baseball |
| Protein Foods Group | ||||
| Lean beef or poultry | 3 ounces | Deck of cards | ||
| Grilled or baked fish | 3 ounces | Checkbook | ||
| Peanut butter | 2 tablespoons | Ping-pong ball |
| Oils Group | ||||
| Margarine | 1 teaspoon | Standard postage stamp | ||
| Oil or salad dressing | 1 teaspoon | Standard cap on a 16-ounce water bottle |
Helps Kids Listen to Their Bodies
Also, help your kids listen to internal hunger and fullness cues. Discuss what it feels like to be hungry with your child. And, talk about how it feels to be full. For older children, review differences between physical hunger and boredom, sadness or fatigue. When kids listen to their bodies, they are less likely to overeat. Help them understand it is OK to stop eating when they feel full, even if there is food left on the plate.
