Wellness - Serving Sizes

Finding It Hard to Picture What a Serving Size Is?
Below are some ways you can picture a serving size using everyday objects. Using these everyday examples can help show you that you may actually eat more servings from the Food Guide Pyramid than you think!

THE BREAD, CEREAL, RICE, and PASTA GROUP

1 cup of rice or pasta (2 servings) is the size of a tennis ball, ice cream scoop

1 pancake is the size of a compact disc (CD)

1/2 cup cooked rice is the size of a cupcake wrapper full

1 piece of cornbread is the size of a bar of soap

1 slice of bread is the size of an audiocassette tape

1 cup of cereal flakes is the size of a *fist

THE VEGETABLE GROUP

1 cup salad greens is the size of a baseball or a *fist

1 baked potato is the size of a *fist

3/4 cup tomato juice is the size of a small styrofoam cup

1/2 cup cooked broccoli is the size of a scoop of ice cream or a light bulb

1/2 cup serving is the size 6 asparagus spears; 7 or 8 baby carrots or carrot sticks or 1 ear of corn on the cob

THE FRUIT GROUP

1/2 cup of grapes (15 grapes) is the size of a light bulb

1/2 cup of fresh fruit is the size of 7 cotton balls

1 medium size fruit is the size of a tennis ball or a *fist

1 cup of cut-up fruit (2 servings) is the size of a *fist

1/4 cup raisins is the size of a large egg

THE MILK, YOGURT and CHEESE GROUP

1-1/2 ounces natural cheese is the size of a 9-volt battery, 3 dominoes

or

1 ounce processed cheese (1/2 serving) is the size of a pair of dice or your **thumb

THE MEAT, POULTRY, FISH, DRY BEANS, EGGS, and NUT GROUP

2 tablespoons peanut butter-equal to 1 oz. of meat is the size of a Ping-Pong ball

1 tablespoon peanut butter is the size of a thumb tip *

3 ounces cooked meat, fish, poultry is the size of a palm, a deck of cards or a cassette tape

3 ounces grilled/baked fish is the size of a checkbook

3 ounces cooked chicken is the size of a chicken leg and thigh or breast

FOOD MEASUREMENTS

FATS, OILS and SWEETS

1 teaspoon butter, margarine is the size of a fingertip

2 tablespoons salad dressing is the size of a Ping-Pong ball

SNACK FOODS

1 ounce of nuts or small candies is the size of one handful

1 ounce chips or pretzels is the size of two handfuls

1/2 cup of potato chips, crackers, or popcorn is the size of one man's handful

1/3 cup of potato chips, crackers, or popcorn is the size of one woman's handful

SERVING DISHES/UTENSILS

1/2 cup is the size of a small fruit bowl, a custard cup or mashed potato scoop

1-1/2 cups is the size of a large cereal/soup bowl

1/2 cup of pasta, noodles is the size of a cafeteria vegetable dish

1-1/2 cups of pasta, noodles is the size of a dinner plate, not heaped

YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW THAT...
1 cupped hand holds 2 tablespoons of liquid
1 slice of bread is one ounce or 1 serving; some rolls or bagels weight 3-5 ounces or more making them equal to 3-5 servings of bread

*Note: hands and fingers sizes vary from person to person! These are GUIDES only.
**(Note: your index and middle fingers)

Compiled by Ellen Schuster, Oregon State University Information provided by the University of Illinois Extension Office

If you are concerned about any difference in your treatment plan and the information in this handout,

you are advised to contact your health care provider.

1 cup of rice or pasta (2 servings)	is the size of a tennis ball, ice cream scoop
1 pancake	is the size of a compact disc (CD)
1/2 cup cooked rice	is the size of a cupcake wrapper full
1 piece of cornbread	is the size of a bar of soap
1 slice of bread	is the size of an audiocassette tape
1 cup of cereal flakes	is the size of a *fist

1 cup salad greens	is the size of a baseball or a *fist
1 baked potato	is the size of a *fist
3/4 cup tomato juice	is the size of a small styrofoam cup
1/2 cup cooked broccoli	is the size of a scoop of ice cream or a light bulb
1/2 cup serving	is the size 6 asparagus spears; 7 or 8 baby carrots or carrot sticks or 1 ear of corn on the cob

1/2 cup of grapes (15 grapes)	is the size of a light bulb
1/2 cup of fresh fruit	is the size of 7 cotton balls
1 medium size fruit	is the size of a tennis ball or a *fist
1 cup of cut-up fruit (2 servings)	is the size of a *fist
1/4 cup raisins	is the size of a large egg

1-1/2 ounces natural cheese	is the size of a 9-volt battery, 3 dominoes
or
1 ounce processed cheese (1/2 serving)	is the size of a pair of dice or your **thumb

2 tablespoons peanut butter-equal to 1 oz. of meat	is the size of a Ping-Pong ball
1 tablespoon peanut butter	is the size of a thumb tip *
3 ounces cooked meat, fish, poultry	is the size of a palm, a deck of cards or a cassette tape
3 ounces grilled/baked fish	is the size of a checkbook
3 ounces cooked chicken	is the size of a chicken leg and thigh or breast

1 teaspoon butter, margarine	is the size of a fingertip
2 tablespoons salad dressing	is the size of a Ping-Pong ball

1 ounce of nuts or small candies	is the size of one handful
1 ounce chips or pretzels	is the size of two handfuls
1/2 cup of potato chips, crackers, or popcorn	is the size of one man's handful
1/3 cup of potato chips, crackers, or popcorn	is the size of one woman's handful

1/2 cup	is the size of a small fruit bowl, a custard cup or mashed potato scoop
1-1/2 cups	is the size of a large cereal/soup bowl
1/2 cup of pasta, noodles	is the size of a cafeteria vegetable dish
1-1/2 cups of pasta, noodles	is the size of a dinner plate, not heaped