Hands up for Portion Control

Over the last 30 years portion sizes, especially in packaged foods, have dramatically increased. The culture of ‘supersizing’ has distorted our view of just how much is enough.

The good news is that the answer is in our hands, literally. A hand is something we all own, and it’s usually just the right size for us. So why not use your hands as a guide to serving yourself the right portion size:

• Two cupped hands should be the amount of vegetables or salad on your dinner plate.
• A clenched fist is the size of the carbohydrate on your dinner plate.
• Use your palm (excluding fingers) and the thickness of your hand to determine the portion of meat on your dinner plate.

Using this as a guide means that everyone, from child to an adult, can look at their own hands and know how big their portion sizes should be. Use this as an easy way to begin teaching your children about healthy eating habits.
Studies have shown that the larger the portion, the more we tend to eat. Using the hand guide will combat this and is even more effective if you serve your vegetable portion first, which automatically makes you cut down your meat and carb servings.

Happy, healthy eating everyone!