What size portions do you serve up?

[ohgoonthen]

Hi all,

This may seem like a really really stupid question but what do you consider to be "normal" sized portions of food?

I'm mean for example, if you are making mashed potato for two, how many potatoes? How many slices of roast beef? How much spaghetti etc etc

I have come to the conclusion that I really have no idea what a "normal" sized portion is!!

I always had huge portions as a child and never realised how much I was overeating until I now longer ate at home, which resulted in hugggge weightloss!

Yes, I should have figured this all out by now but apart from eating with family (who are all massive eaters) I don't really have any experience of others eating habits.

God, reading that back sounds so sad! I promise I have actually left the house....once or twice!

So, I think that I still serve up wayyy to much for myself and DH, we do waste alot, our shopping bill is huge and I'm sure we are going to end up much more cuddly!

Some guidelines would be very much appreciated

Easiest way to eat up all the food is to have rugby playing (or rowing) teenage boys. If you don't have that luxury, just serve yourself half what you are serving at the moment.

If you then feel hungry, you can always revert to a slice of bread.

It was always considered immoral in my house to throw food away when I was growing up (I still feel the same way). My grandfather said that when he was a child, if he ever wanted seconds of anything he was made to eat a slice of DRY bread first. If he still wanted more, then he could have some (he rarely did as the bread had stuck to the roof of his mouth).

I always serve a little less than I think they can eat so if they are hungry they can have more. They then feel like they are doing well if they have seconds but not too bad if they have to leave a little.

I started to think about it more when I visited Dover Castle and there was a display of the soldier's luxury Sunday lunch in the 1940's. The plate was full of meat, potatoes, veg and gravy. But it was a much smaller plate than we are used to seeing now.

My best advice would be to get smaller plates. I got some this year at Matalan, about £1 each.

I don't know where I got this from but I use 60gms of pasta per adult and 40-50gms per child. It works for us and I find it easier to put spagetti on the scales before cooking than try and guess.

I suppose I peel 2 medium pots per person, there are 4 of us so I peel 8 then maybe add a couple if it's a weekend. A med pot would cut in half for roasting so give 4 smallish roast pots per person.

Rice I weigh as well and give 60gm per adult or 200 for all 4 of us in a risotto say or curry.

I think we are naturally big eaters as we all love food so I need these guides or else we would all enjoy getting very carried away!

I think your post is very valid and something I have been cocnerned about lately. DH has an incredibly high metabolism and is a marathon runner so needs to eat large portions of carbs but I'm concerned this has clouded my judgement as to what a normal portion looks like!

I never weigh anyhting, I always go by sight, perhaps I ought to do this. Although would have to weight it cooked so DH could have more, that would be rather a faff.

i read somehwre that a portion of meat should be the size of the palm of your hand?

I think if you find you are throwing away food then as AP said, start by givig yourselves half what you normally have and you can work up from there if necessary.

I'm going to try the smaller plate tip I think- thanks.

I second the weighing idea particuarly for dried ingredients. I started doing this after getting a good set of digital scales (simple to use and small to store and have at hand).

It really cut down on waste with things like rice, cous cous and pasta. Also I tend to serve up a smaller portion and if still hungery have seconds, rather than starting with a large plate and then feeling like you have to eat it all. Also if you start to work out how to use left overs you ar less likely to feel the need to use it all up in on sitting.

If you google Paul Mckenna his way of eating is what you need, so you ONLY eat when you're hungry and STOP when you're full (eat with yr eyes closed first) . You eat less but more often and loose weight!!