Many people feel that the bigger the portion,

the better. But is that so? Not if you’re trying 

to manage your weight. One key to getting or

keeping your weight in a healthy range is to eat

sensible portions. That’s easy to say—but not

always so easy to do! This brochure gives tips

to help you decide what sensible portions 

are for you, and to help you stick to those

reasonable portion sizes.

How much do you eat?

Suppose you had dinner at an Italian restaurant last night.You ordered spaghetti with

meatballs. While you were waiting for your

order, you ate 2 slices of garlic bread. How can

you tell if this dinner is too much food for

you? You need to estimate how much you ate,

and then compare that to Food Guide

Pyramid recommendations.

Think about your plateful of spaghetti 

and meatballs. Estimate the amounts of

spaghetti, sauce, and meat.You may decide,

for example, that the spaghetti portion was

about 2 cups, the tomato sauce looked like

about 1 cup, and the meatballs were about 6

ounces. With the 2 slices of garlic bread, you

now have an idea about how much you ate

for dinner. But how do your portions translate into standard servings? Chart 1 [page 3]

lists the serving sizes for each Food Guide

Pyramid food group. According to the

Pyramid, your portions equal the following

number of servings:

Spaghetti Dinner:

Number of

One Pyramid Pyramid

Your Pyramid food servings

Food portion serving group you ate

Spaghetti 2 cups 1⁄2 cup Grains 4

Garlic 2 slices 1 slice Grains 2

bread

Tomato 1 cup 1⁄2 cup Vegetables 2

sauce

Meatballs 6 oz. 2-3 oz. Meat and 2-3

beans

Howmuch

Putting the 

Guidelines 

into Practice

March 2002

Center for 

Nutrition Policy 

and Promotion

United States 

Department of 

Agriculture

Home and Garden 

Bulletin No. 267-1

“Make that mega-sized.”

“I’ll have the gigantic-gulp.”

“I don’t believe I ate

the whole thing!”

Howmuchare

youeating?
Pyramid recommendations

To figure out if your spaghetti dinner was 

the right amount of food for you, use the

Pyramid. Chart 1 also lists the number of

servings recommended for each Pyramid food

group, based on your calorie needs. Over a

day, you should plan on eating the number of

servings recommended from each group.

For example, if you need about 1,600 calories a day,the Pyramid recommends 6 daily

servings from the Grains (Bread,Cereal,Rice &

Pasta) group.How does this compare to your

spaghetti dinner?Your dinner had 6 servings—

the total daily recommendation forsomeone

with your calorie needs.If you had counted

your portions of spaghetti and bread as only 1

serving each,you might think you had only

eaten 2 servings from the Grains group.But,you

actually ate 6! By comparing the portion you ate

with a standard Pyramid serving,you can judge

whether your daily intake is right for you.

Pyramid serving sizes and the recommended number of servings from each group

are guides to help determine your daily intake.

Your portions do not have to match the standard serving size—they can be larger or

smaller. But, the amount you eat over the day

should match the total amount of a food that

is recommended. Often, the food portions of

grains and meats that people choose are larger

than the Pyramid serving size. Be especially

careful when counting servings from these

groups to figure out how many Pyramid

servings are in your portions.

The number of servings from each food

group recommended by the Pyramid

depends on your calorie needs.

● Children ages 2 to 6 years, many inactive

women, and some older adults may need

about 1,600 calories per day.

● Most children over 6, teen girls, active

women, and many inactive men may

need about 2,200 calories per day.

● Teen boys and active men may need

about 2,800 calories per day.

How much are you eating? Page 2

Portions and servings—

What’s the difference?

A portion is the amount of food you choose to eat. There is no

standard portion size and no single right or wrong portion size.

A serving is a standard amount used to help give advice about 

how much to eat, or to identify how many calories and nutrients 

are in a food.

For example:

You eat a sandwich with 2 slices of bread.

The Food Guide Pyramid serving size for bread is 1 slice.

Your portion is 2 slices, which equals 2 servings from the 

Pyramid Grains group.

Your 2 servings are one-third of the Pyramid recommendation of 

6 servings for people needing 1,600 calories per day. (See Chart 1.)
How much are you eating? Page 3

Chart 1. How to use the Food Guide Pyramid

How many servings do you need each day?

Children ages 2 to 6, Older children,

women, some teen girls, active Teen boys and

older adults women, most men active men

What counts as a serving? (1,600 calories) (2,200 calories) (2,800 calories)

Grains Group (Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta)— 6 9 11

especially whole grain

● 1 slice of bread

● About 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal

● 1⁄2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta

Vegetable Group 345

● 1 cup of raw leafy vegetables

● 1⁄2 cup of other vegetables—cooked or raw

● 3⁄4 cup of vegetable juice

Fruit Group 234

● 1 medium apple, banana, orange, pear

● 1⁄2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit

● 3⁄4 cup of fruit juice

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group— 2 or 3* 2 or 3* 2 or 3*

preferably fat free or low fat

● 1 cup of milk** or yogurt

● 11⁄2 ounces of natural cheese (such as Cheddar)

● 2 ounces of processed cheese (such as American)

Meat and Beans Group (Meat, Poultry, 2, for a total 2, for a total 3, for a total

Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts)— of 5 ounces of 6 ounces of 7 ounces

preferably lean or low fat

● 2–3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish

These count as 1 ounce of meat:

● 1⁄2 cup of cooked dry beans or tofu

● 21⁄2 ounce soyburger

● 1 egg

● 2 tablespoons of peanut butter

● 1⁄3 cup of nuts

* Older children and teens ages 9 to 18 years and adults over age 50 need 3 servings daily; others need 2 servings daily.

** This includes lactose-free and lactose-reduced milk products. Soy-based beverages with added calcium are an option for those who

prefer a non-dairy source of calcium.
How much are you eating? Page 4

Chart 2. Sample food portions larger than 1 Pyramid serving

This list shows the size of a portion you may choose or be served. They are not recommendations. This chart compares these

portions to Pyramid servings, so that you can judge how they might fit into your overall daily eating plan.

Approximate

Sample portion Compare to Pyramid servings 

Food you receive Pyramid serving size in this portion

Grains Group

Bagel 1 bagel 41⁄2” in diameter 1⁄2 bagel 3” in diameter 4

(4 ounces) (1 ounce)

Muffin 1 muffin 31⁄2” in diameter 1 muffin 21⁄2” in diameter 3

(4 ounces) (11⁄2 ounces)

English muffin 1 whole muffin 1⁄2 muffin 2

Sweet roll or cinnamon bun 1 large from bakery (6 ounces) 1 small (11⁄2 ounces) 4

Pancakes 4 pancakes 5” in diameter 1 pancake 4” in diameter 6

(10 ounces) (11⁄2 ounces)

Burrito-sized flour tortilla 1 tortilla 9” in diameter 1 tortilla 7” in diameter 2

(2 ounces) (1 ounce)

Individual bag of tortilla chips 13⁄4 ounces 12 tortilla chips (3⁄4 ounce) 2

Popcorn 16 cups (movie theatre, medium) 2 cups 8

Hamburger bun 1 bun 1⁄2 bun 2

Spaghetti 2 cups (cooked) 1⁄2 cup (cooked) 4

Rice 1 cup (cooked) 1⁄2 cup (cooked) 2

Vegetable Group

Baked potato 1 large (7 ounces) 1 small (21⁄4 ounces) 3

French fries 1 medium order (4 ounces) 1⁄2 cup, 10 French fries 4

(1 ounce)

Meat and Beans Group

Broiled chicken breast 6 ounces 2 to 3 ounces 2

Fried chicken 3 pieces (7 to 8 ounces) 2 to 3 ounces 3

Broiled fish 6 to 9 ounces 2 to 3 ounces 3

Sirloin steak 8 ounces (cooked, trimmed) 2 to 3 ounces 3

Porterhouse steak or prime rib 13 ounces (cooked, trimmed) 2 to 3 ounces 5

Ham or roast beef 5 ounces 2 to 3 ounces 2

(in deli sandwich)

Tuna salad (in deli sandwich) 6 ounces 2 to 3 ounces 2
How much are you eating? Page 5

How can you follow Pyramid

recommendations?

Let’s go back to the spaghetti dinner. In this

example, you know that you should have 6

daily servings from the Grains group. Before

dinner, you estimate that you have already had

3 Grains group servings. So, only 3 more servings would meet your recommended intake.

To keep to 3 servings, you eat only one slice of

garlic bread. When you see the large plate of

spaghetti, you set aside half on your plate and

ask for a “doggie bag” to take it home. Then,

the following would have been your choices

from the Grains group over the day:

In 4 sensible portions, you have consumed

your recommended 6 servings of grains.

Note that an active man may need about

2,800 calories each day. Checking chart 1, this

man’s Grains group recommendation would

be 11 servings per day. The full spaghetti dinner might fit easily within his recommended

food choices for the day.

One key to making wise food choices is

knowing how much you are eating, as well as

how much you should eat. This is especially

important if you are trying to lose weight or

manage your weight.

Don’t be fooled by 

large portions

Many items sold as single portions actually

provide 2 or more Pyramid servings. For

example, a large bagel may actually be equal 

to 3 or 4 servings from the Grains group.

A restaurant portion of steak may be more

than the recommended amount for the whole

day. Chart 2 [page 4] lists other common

examples of foods that are often sold or

prepared in portions larger than 1 Pyramid

serving.

Tips to help you choose sensible portions

When eating out:

● Choose a “small” or “medium” portion. This includes main dishes,

side dishes, and beverages as well. Remember that water is always a

good option for quenching your thirst.

● If main dish portions are larger than you want, order an appetizer or

side dish instead, or share a main dish with a friend.

● Resign from the “clean your plate club”—when you’ve eaten

enough, leave the rest. If you can chill the extra food right away,

take it home in a “doggie bag.”

● Ask for salad dressing to be served “on the side” so you can add only

as much as you want.

● Order an item from the menu instead of the “all-you-can-eat” buffet.

At home:

● Once or twice, measure your typical portion of foods you eat often.

Use standard measuring cups. This will help you estimate the portion

size of these foods and similar foods.

● Be especially careful to limit portions of foods high in calories, such

as cookies, cakes, other sweets, and fats, oils, and spreads.

● Try using a smaller plate for your meal.

● Put sensible portions on your plate at the beginning of the meal, and

don’t take “seconds.”

Grains Group Pyramid Grains

Meal portions Group servings

Breakfast 1⁄2 cup = 1 serving

of oatmeal

Lunch 1 hamburger = 2 servings

bun

Dinner 1 slice of = 1 serving

garlic bread

Dinner 1 cup of = 2 servings

spaghetti

TOTALS 4 portions = 6 servings
How much are you eating? Page 6

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The Dietary Guidelines offer sound advice that will help to promote 

your health and reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as 

heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis.

The 10 Guidelines are grouped into the ABC’s of nutrition:

A: Aim for fitness

• Aim for a healthy weight.

• Be physically active each day.

B: Build a healthy base

• Let the Pyramid guide your food

choices.

• Choose a variety of grains daily,

especially whole grains.

• Choose a variety of fruits and

vegetables daily.

• Keep food safe to eat.

C: Choose sensibly

• Choose a diet that is low in saturated

fat and cholesterol and moderate in

total fat.

• Choose beverages and foods to

moderate your intake of sugars.

• Choose and prepare foods with

less salt.

• If you drink alcoholic beverages,

do so in moderation.

To order Dietary Guidelines publications,

call 888-878-3256. Ask for the Dietary

Guidelines for Americans (40-page

bulletin, $4.75 per copy) or Using the

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

(5-panel brochure, $.50 per copy).

You can also find out more about 

the Guidelines and download these

publications by visiting USDA’s Center 

for Nutrition Policy and Promotion

website at www.cnpp.usda.gov.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability,

political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for

communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC

20250-9410 or call 202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Nutrition Facts label

serving sizes

The serving sizes listed on the Nutrition

Facts label may be different from Food

Guide Pyramid serving sizes. Many

Pyramid serving sizes are smaller than

those on the Nutrition Facts label. For

example, 1 serving of cooked cereal, rice,

or pasta is 1 cup for the label but only

1⁄2 cup for the Pyramid.

Use the Nutrition Facts label to make

nutritional comparisons of similar

products. The label serving size is not

meant to tell you how much to eat, but 

to help identify nutrients in a food and 

to make product comparisons easier.

To compare the calories and nutrients in

two foods, first check the serving size and

the number of servings in the package.

Serving sizes are provided in familiar

units, such as cups or pieces.

The TheBottom Line Bottom Line

Choosing sensible portions is a key to

controlling calorie intake and getting or

keeping your weight in a healthy range.

What is sensible for you?

● Each day, choose the recommended

amount from the five Pyramid food

groups—depending on your calorie needs.

● A Pyramid serving may not be the same as

the portion you choose to eat—compare to

find out how many servings are in your

portion.

● Keep sensible portions in mind at restaurants as well as at home.