Just Enough for You

About 

Food 

Portions
Contents

Introduction...................................................................................1

How much should I eat? ................................................................2

What is the difference between a serving and a portion?..............3

How can I use the Nutrition Facts food label?................................4

How can I keep track of how much I am eating?............................6

How can I control portions at home?............................................10

How can I control portions when eating out? ..............................12

How can I control portions when money is tight?........................15

Resources.....................................................................................16
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 1

Introduction

To control your weight, you need to do more than just choose a 

healthy mix of foods. You should also look at the kinds of food 

you eat and how much you eat at a time. This brochure will help 

you understand how much you need to eat. It also will give you 

tips on how to control food portions so that you can eat just 

enough for you.

To control your weight, you 

should look at the kinds of 

food you eat and how much 

you eat at a time.
2 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

How much should I eat?

To keep a healthy weight, you need to balance the calories you 

eat with the calories you burn. People who are more active may 

burn more calories. Being more active may be a good way to 

help you offset the calories you eat. 

No set number of calories or amount of physical activity will 

help everyone to lose weight or keep weight off. How many 

calories you need to eat each day depends on your age, sex, 

weight, genes, and level of physical activity. For example, a 

150-pound woman who burns a lot of calories through intense 

physical activity several times a week may need to eat more 

calories than a woman of similar size who is mostly inactive 

and only goes for a short walk once a week. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides 

information that outlines the number of calories that a person 

should consider eating based on a number of factors. Check 

the Resources section at the end of this brochure for links to 

more information.

How many calories 

you need to eat 

each day depends 

on your age, sex, 

weight, genes, and 

level of physical 

activity.
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 3

What is the difference between a 

serving and a portion?

A serving size is the amount of food listed on a product’s food 

label and it varies from product to product. A portion is how 

much food you choose to eat at one time, whether in a restaurant, 

from a package, or at home. Sometimes the serving size and 

portion size match; sometimes they do not. 

For example, according to a food label, 1 cup of macaroni and 

cheese is one serving. But if you make yourself a large bowl of 

macaroni and cheese, that portion is much bigger than one serving. 

The same may be true if you pour yourself a large bowl of cereal 

for breakfast. You should be the judge of how the portion you 

choose to eat relates to the serving size noted on the food label.

The portion sizes 

you should eat may 

or may not be the 

same as the serving 

sizes on food labels.
How can I use the Nutrition Facts 

food label?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Nutrition 

Facts label (food label) is printed on most packaged foods. The 

label tells you how many calories and how much fat, protein, 

sodium (salt), and other nutrients are in one serving of food. 

Most packaged foods contain more than a single serving. 

4 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

FIGURE 1. SAMPLE MACARONI AND CHEESE LABEL

Start Here

Check Calories

Limit these 

Nutrients

Get Enough of 

these Nutrients

Adapted from http://www.fda.gov/

Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/

LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm.
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 5

Keep in mind that the serving size on the food label is not a 

suggested amount of food to eat. It is just a quick way of letting 

you know the calories and nutrients in a certain amount of 

food. The serving size may be more or less than the amount 

that you should eat, depending on your age, weight, sex, and 

activity level.

Serving Size and Servings Per Container

Take a look at the food label for a box of macaroni and cheese 

in Figure 1. To see how many servings a package has, check the 

“servings per container” listed on the top part of the label.

The serving size is 1 cup, but the package has 2 servings. This 

means that if you eat the whole package, you need to multiply 

the number of calories and nutrients by 2 to find out how many 

calories you are eating. For example, if you eat 2 servings of this 

product, you are eating 500 calories, as shown below:

250 calories per serving x 2 servings eaten = 500 calories eaten 

Other Helpful Facts on the Label

The food label has other facts about what is in 1 serving of the 

chosen food. For example, as you can see in the label on page 

4, 1 serving of this macaroni and cheese has 3 grams of saturated 

fat and 3 grams of trans fat, a type of fat that is unhealthy for your 

heart. The package includes 2 servings. If you eat the whole 

package, you will be eating 6 grams of saturated fat (2 servings 

x 3 grams per serving) and 6 grams of trans fat (2 servings x 3 

grams per serving). Check the FDA listing in the Resources 

section for the link to more information on how to use the food 

label to help you eat healthier.
6 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

How can I keep track of how much I 

am eating?

A food diary can be a good way to keep track of how much you 

are eating. Write down when, what, how much, where, and why

you eat. This action can help you be aware of how much you are 

eating and the times you tend to eat too much. You can keep a 

food diary in a notebook, on your cell phone, or on a computer. 

Figure 2 (see page 8) shows 

what 1 day of a person’s food 

diary might look like. As shown 

in the diary, this person chose 

relatively healthy portion sizes 

for breakfast and lunch. At 

those meals, she ate to satisfy 

her hunger. She had a large 

chocolate bar in the afternoon 

for an emotional reason. She 

ate because she was bored, not 

because she was hungry. 

By 8 p.m., this person was very 

hungry and ate large portions 

of food that were high in fat and 

calories. She was at a social event and did not realize she was 

eating so much. If she had made an early evening snack of fruit 

and fat-free or low-fat yogurt, she might have been less hungry 

at 8 p.m. and eaten less. By the end of the day, she had eaten a 

total of 3,930 calories, which is more than most people need to 

eat in a day. Repeatedly eating excess calories over time can 

cause weight gain.

A food diary can be a good 

way to keep track of how 

much you are eating.
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 7

If, like the woman in the food diary, you eat even when you are 

not hungry, try doing something else instead of eating: 

■ Take a break to walk around the block.

■ Read a book or magazine or listen to your favorite music.

■ Try doing something with your hands, like knitting or 

playing cards or checkers. 

■ Try drinking water or herbal tea without sugar or eating a 

low-fat snack such as an apple if a craving hits you. 

■ If you are at work, grab a co-worker on the job and go for 

a quick walk.

Try walking with a friend 

instead of eating when 

you are not hungry.
8 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

FIGURE 2. EXAMPLE OF A FOOD DIARY

Thursday

Time Food Amount Place

Hunger/

Reason Calories*

8 a.m. Coffee, black

Banana

Low-fat yogurt

6 fl. oz.

1 medium

1 cup

Home Slightly 

hungry

2

105

250

1 p.m. Turkey and 

cheese sandwich 

on whole-wheat 

bread with 

mustard, tomato, 

low-fat cheese, 

and lettuce

Potato chips, 

baked

Water

3 oz. turkey,

1 slice low-fat 

cheddar cheese, 

2 slices bread

1 small bag

16 fl. oz.

Work Hungry 363

150

–

3 p.m. Chocolate bar 1 bar (5 oz.) Work Not hungry/

Bored

760

8 p.m. Fried potato skins 

with cheese and 

bacon

Chicken Caesar 

salad

Breadsticks

Apple pie with 

vanilla ice cream

Soft drink

4 each

2 cups lettuce, 

6 oz. chicken, 

6 Tbsp. dressing, 

3/4 cup croutons

2 large sticks

1/8 of a 9-inch pie, 

1 cup ice cream

12 fl. oz.

Restaurant/

Out with 

friends

Very hungry 667

633

226

638

136

Total Calories = 3,930

*Estimates are based on the USDA’s online tool that measures diet and physical activity

(http://www.choosemyplate.gov).
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 9

Here is a blank version of the diary for you to copy and use. 

Time Food Amount Place

Hunger/

Reason Calories*

Through your diary, you can become aware of the times and reasons 

you eat less healthy foods or more food than your body needs. This 

can help as you try to make different choices in the future.
10 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

How can I control portions at home?

You do not need to measure and count everything you eat for 

the rest of your life—just do this long enough to recognize 

typical serving sizes. Try the ideas below to help you control 

portions at home:

■ Take the amount of food that is equal to one serving, 

according to the food label, and eat it off a plate instead of 

eating straight out of a large box or bag.

■ Avoid eating in front of the TV or while busy with other 

activities. Pay attention to what you are eating, chew your 

food well, and fully enjoy the smell and taste of your food.

■ Eat slowly so your brain can get the message when your 

stomach is full.

Try to eat meals at regular times 

without distractions like TV.
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 11

■ Try using smaller dishes, bowls, and glasses. This way, 

when you fill up your plate or glass, you will be eating and 

drinking less.

■ Control your intake of higher-fat, higher-calorie parts of 

a meal. Take seconds of vegetables and salads (watch the 

toppings and dressing) instead of desserts and dishes with 

heavy sauces.

■ When cooking in large batches, freeze food that you will 

not serve right away. This way, you will not be tempted 

to finish eating the whole batch before the food goes bad. 

And you will have ready-made food for another day. Freeze 

leftovers in amounts that you can use for a single serving or 

for a family meal another day.

■ Try to eat meals at regular times. Skipping meals or leaving 

large gaps of time between meals may lead you to eat larger 

amounts of food the next time you eat.

■ When buying snacks, go for fruit or single-serving 

prepackaged items and foods that are lower-calorie options. 

If you buy larger bags or boxes of snacks, divide the items 

into single-serve packages right away so you won’t be 

tempted to overeat.

■ When you do have a treat 

like chips or ice cream, 

measure out only one 

serving as shown by the 

food label. Eat only 1/2 

cup of ice cream or 1 ounce 

of chips, eat them slowly, 

and enjoy them!
12 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

How can I control portions when 

eating out?

Research shows that the more often a person eats out, the more 

body fat he or she has. Try to prepare more meals at home. Eat 

out and get takeout foods less often.

Is getting more food for your money always a good value?

Have you noticed that it only costs a few cents more to get larger 

sizes of fries or soft drinks at restaurants? Getting a larger portion 

of food for just a little extra money may seem like a good value, 

but you end up with more food and calories than you need for 

your body to stay healthy.

Before you buy your next “value combo,” be sure you are making 

the best choice for your wallet and your health. If you are with 

someone else, share the large-size meal. If you are eating alone, 

skip the special deal and just order the smaller (healthier) size.

Try to prepare more 

meals at home. Eat

out and get takeout 

foods less often.
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 13

When eating out, try these tips to help you control portions:

■ Check the menu for terms and icons that indicate healthy 

items, such as low-fat, low-calorie dishes.

■ Share your meal, order a half-portion, or order an appetizer 

as a main meal. Examples of healthier appetizers include grilled 

or steamed seafood, minestrone soup, tomato or corn salsas, 

and vegetable salads with dressing on the side. 

■ Stop eating when you no longer feel hungry. It may take 15 

minutes or longer for your stomach to signal to your brain 

that you are full. Put down your fork and focus on enjoying 

the setting and your friends or family for the rest of the meal.

■ Avoid large beverages such as “super size” sugar-sweetened 

soft drinks. They have a large number of calories. Instead, 

try drinking water with a slice of lemon. If you want to 

drink soda, choose a calorie-free beverage or a small glass 

of regular soda. Other options are small glasses of slightly 

sweetened iced tea or lemonade.

Order an 

appetizer such 

as minestrone 

soup for a main 

meal.
14 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

On the Road Again?

Tips for Traveling

■ Pack a small cooler of foods that are hard to find on the 

road, such as fresh fruit, sliced raw vegetables, and fatfree or low-fat yogurt. 

■ Include a few bottles of water

instead of sugar-sweetened 

soda or juice. 

■ Bring dried fruit, nuts, and 

seeds to snack on. Since 

these foods can be high 

in calories, measure 

and pack small portions 

(1/4 cup) in advance.

■ If you stop at a restaurant, 

try to choose one that serves 

a variety of foods such as salads, 

grilled or steamed entrees, or vegetables. 

■ Consider drinking water or low-fat or fat-free milk

instead of sugar-sweetened soft drinks with your meal. 

■ If you choose a higher-fat option like fries or pizza, order 

the small size. Or, you can ask for a single slice of pizza 

with vegetable toppings such as mushrooms or peppers.
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 15

How can I control portions when 

money is tight?

Eating better does not have to cost a lot of money. Here are 

some ways you can keep track of your portions without adding 

extra costs to your grocery bill:

■ Buy meats in bulk. When 

you get home, divide the meat 

into single-serving packages 

and freeze for later use.

■ Buy fruits and vegetables 

when they are in season.

Buy only as much as you will 

use, so they will not go bad. 

Check out your local farmers 

market, as it may be less 

expensive than a grocery store. 

■ Watch your portion sizes.

Try to stick to the serving 

sizes listed on the food label 

of prepackaged foods. Doing so can help you get the most 

out of the money you spend on that food. You can also 

better control the fat, sugar, sodium, and calories you eat.

Remember...

The amount of calories you eat affects your weight and health. 

In addition to selecting a healthy variety of foods, look at the size 

of the portions you eat. Choosing healthy foods and keeping 

portion sizes sensible may help you eat just enough for you.

Check out your local farmers 

market for deals on fruits and 

vegetables.
16 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

Resources

Additional Reading from the Weight-control Information Network

Active at Any Size. Provides ideas and tips on how people 

who are overweight or obese can be physically active. Focuses 

on handling common barriers and setting goals. Available in 

English online at http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/

active.htm.

Better Health and You: Tips for Adults. Offers general 

information and practical steps for starting a healthy eating 

plan, maintaining a healthy weight, developing habits of 

regular physical activity, and learning the health risks of being 

overweight. Part of the series Healthy Eating and Physical 

Activity Across Your Lifespan. Available in English and Spanish 

online at http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/index.htm.

The World Around You. Provides tips on how to use the world 

around you, no matter who you are or where you live, to stay 

healthy and fit. Available in English online at 

http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/way.htm.

Walking ... A Step in the Right Direction. Explains how to start 

a walking program. Also presents a sample walking program and 

shows stretches for warming up and cooling down. Available 

in English and Spanish online at http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov/

publications/index.htm.
Just Enough for You: About Food Portions | 17

Additional Resources

2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Offers 

ideas on different types and amounts of physical activity and 

how they can benefit you. Available at http://www.health.gov/

PAGuidelines.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. HHS and U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA). Contains information 

and tips on healthy eating, shopping, and cooking. Available at 

http://www.health.gov/DietaryGuidelines.

National Diabetes Education Program. Provides information 

about diabetes and obesity prevention and control. Visit http://

www.yourdiabetesinfo.org or phone 1–888–693–6337.

Nutrition.gov. Offers a gateway to reliable information on 

nutrition, healthy eating, physical activity, and food safety for 

consumers. Available at http://www.nutrition.gov.

U.S. Department of Agriculture. ChooseMyPlate website. 

USDA Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. Provides 

many resources on healthy eating, including interactive tools to 

help you find out how many calories and how much physical 

activity you need. Available at http://www.choosemyplate.gov.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Website. Offers several 

resources and tools for using the Nutrition Facts label. Available 

at http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/

LabelingNutrition/ucm274593.htm.

Inclusion of resources is for information only and does not 

imply endorsement by NIDDK or WIN.
18 | Just Enough for You: About Food Portions

Weight-control Information Network

1 WIN Way

Bethesda, MD 20892–3665

Phone: 202–828–1025

Toll-free number: 1–877–946–4627

Fax: 202–828–1028

Email: win@info.niddk.nih.gov

Internet: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov

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The Weight-control Information Network (WIN) is a national 

information service of the National Institute of Diabetes and 

Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National 

Institutes of Health (NIH). WIN provides the general public, 

health professionals, and the media with science-based, up-todate, culturally relevant materials and tips. Topics include healthy 

eating, barriers to physical activity, portion control, and eating 

and physical activity myths. Publications produced by WIN are 

reviewed by both NIDDK scientists and outside experts. Delia 

Smith West, Ph.D., of the Fay W. Boozman College of Public 

Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, reviewed 

the updated version of this publication.

This publication is not copyrighted. WIN encourages users of 

this brochure to copy and share as many copies as desired. This 

brochure is also available at http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov.

Participants in clinical trials can play a more active role in their own 

health care, gain access to new research treatments before they are 

widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research. 

For more information, visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov.

Why should I participate in clinical trials?
NIH Publication No. 09–5287 • June 2009 • Updated March 2012

For more information from WIN, visit http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov

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