I've put together all the serving sizes from resource together. I may post this at the beginning of a shiny new thread:
Daily calorie ranges and servings from each group
Starchy: 6-7
Fruit: 3
Vegetables: 3-4
Milk/Dairy: 2-3
Meat/alternatives: 2
Fat: 3
Starchy - bread, other cereals and potatoes
A serving is:
• 1 slice of bread or toast
• ½ bread roll/bagel (plain or cinnamon & raisin)
• 2 crispbreads
• 3 small crackers
• ½ pitta or 1 mini pitta
• 1 small chapatti
• 3 tablespoons (tbsp.) breakfast cereal
• 2 tblsp museli
• 3 tbsp. dry porridge oats
• 1 shredded wheat or weetabix
• 2 egg-sized potatoes or 1 medium potato, half jacket potato, or 6 oven chips, 100g uncooked
• 2 egg sized pieces of yam, boiled, or 1.5 inch thick slice/100g
• 2 heaped tbsp./third of a cup cooked rice or barley (25g uncooked)
• 3 heaped tbsp./half a cup of boiled pasta (25g uncooked)
• 3 heaped tblsp boiled noodles, 25g uncooked
• 1 small plain naan bread
• 1 small chapatti
• 1 medium plantain
• 2 small oat cakes
• 1 plain/digestive biscuit
• 1 crumpet/pikelet
• ½ English muffin
• ½ fruit or plain scone
• 1 scotch pancake
• 1 small slice malt loaf
• 3 cups plain popcorn
• 1 small corn on the cob
• 1 small tortilla
• Half a medium pita or tortilla wrap
• 3-4 rye crisp breads or rice cakes
• 3 heaped tablespoons beans, lentils or sweetcorn
Tips:
• Aim for at least 2 servings at each meal
• Choose wholemeal/high fibre varieties whenever possible
Fruit and Vegetables
A serving is basically 80g or:
A serving of fruit is:
• Half a large grapefruit
• 2-3 small pieces of fruit e.g. plums, apricots, satsumas
• 1 handful of grapes
• 1 medium banana
• 7 strawberries
• 3 heaped tbsp. fruit (stewed or tinned in juice)
• 1 small glass unsweetened fruit juice (150ml)- maximum 1 portion a day
• 1 heaped tbsp. dried fruit e.g. raisins, or 3 dried apricots (maximum 1 portion per day)
• 1 medium piece of fruit such as apple, orange, pear, peach
• 1 cupful/handful of berries/grapes/lychees
• 2 small fruit such as Satsumas, plums
• 1 large slice of a large fruit such as melon or pineapple
A serving of vegetables is:
• 3 heaped tbsp. any cooked vegetables e.g. carrots, cauliflower, cabbage, mushrooms, tomatoes, leeks, swede, courgettes, broccoli, french beans, peppers, peas or sweetcorn - fresh, frozen or canned
• 1 mixed side salad (the size of a cereal bowl)
• 1-2 tomatoes, 7 cherry tomatoes (about a handful)
• Three heaped tablespoons of baked beans, haricot beans, kidney beans, cannellini beans, butter beans or chickpeas. However much you eat, beans and pulses count as a maximum of one portion of vegetables a day
• 1 portion of low fat tomato sauce for pasta or on toast
Tips:
• Frozen or canned vegetables and fruit are good options too
• Vegetables are low calorie foods - aim to fill at least ½ your plate with them at main meals
• Fruit makes a good snack at any time
• For more about serving sizes of fruit and vegetables for good health, go to the 5 A Day section on the Department of Health's website at:
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/5ADAY.
Meat, Fish and Alternatives
A serving is:
• 60-100g (2-4oz)/3 slices cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, mince, chicken, turkey or oily fish (salmon, mackerel and sardines) (size of pack of cards)
• 75-140g (2 ½ - 4 ½ oz) raw meat, poultry or oily fish
• 3 fish fingers
• 2 thin slices of lean cold meat
• 150g (5oz) of cooked white fish (size of a cheque book), seafood or canned tuna (in brine or spring water)
• 2 eggs
• 5 tbsp./1/2 large tin/1 small tin baked beans (choose low sugar/salt if possible)
• 4-5 tbsp. cooked peas, beans/pulses/lentils or dahl
• 120 -150g (4-5 oz) of soya, tofu or quorn
• 150g (6oz) of Bolognese sauce or chilli
• 35g (1.4)oz/2 level tblsp of nuts, seeds or nut butter
• 75g (3)oz reduced fat houmous
Note: Uncooked weights for meat, poultry and fish will be 25-30 per cent bigger.
Tips:
• Try to have 1 serving of oily fish each week for good health
• Lower the fat content of main meals by replacing some meat with beans and pulses e.g. in casseroles, soups, pasta dishes and curries
• Note that the serving sizes for peas/beans etc. are different to the fruit and vegetables section, as they are included for their protein content here.
Milk and dairy foods
serving is:
• 300ml (1/2 pint) skimmed or 200ml (1/3 pint) semi skimmed milk or fortified Soya milk
• 1 small pot/150g of low fat /diet yogurt / fromage frais/soya dessert
• 1 small matchbox size (30g / 1oz) cheddar or other hard cheese (brie, camembert, edam, smoked Austrian) (size of a small matchbox)
• 45g (1 ½ oz) of half-fat cheese
• 90g (3oz)/2 heaped tblsp/1 small pot of cottage cheese
• 200g/1 large pot low fat cottage cheese
• 60-80g (3oz) of low fat soft cheese
• 50-80g (3oz) half fat soft cheese
Tips:
• Use smaller amounts of stronger-flavoured cheese in cooking
• Skimmed and semi-skimmed milk contain just as much calcium as full-fat milk
• Check labels for fat and calorie content. Remember that less than 3g fat per 100g is low fat.
Fat and oils
A serving is:
• 1 tsp. nut butters
• 1 tsp. double cream
• 1 tsp. tahini
• 2 tsp. reduced fat spread / reduced calorie dressing
• 1 tsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp blue cheese dressing
• 2 tsp. reduced-fat mayonnaise or low-fat dressing
• 1 tblsp salad cream/ 2 tblsp reduced fat salad cream
• 2 tsp double cream/5 tsp single cream
• 2-3 tsp. soured cream or half-fat crème fraiche
• 1 teaspoon of oil, spread, margarine, butter or mayonnaise (size of small postage stamp)
• 2 tablespoons of fat-free dressings
• 1 tblsp gravy or white sauce made with fat and flour base (roux)
• 4 tblsp gravy or white sauce (made with cornflour, no fat added)
Tips:
• Choose a reduced fat/low fat spread
• Always measure out your oil (1 teaspoon per person per recipe) and choose a polyunsaturated or monounsaturated variety ( e.g. olive, rapeseed, corn, soya )
• Replace cream/crème fraiche in cooking with low-fat yogurt or fromage frais
Snacks/extras
Choose mainly fruit, vegetables or starchy-based snacks for good health.
Snacks around 50 calories
• 1 plain biscuit
• 1 medium piece of fruit
• 2 crackers/crispbreads
• Small pot of 'diet' yogurt or fromage frais
• 1 serving of 'slim' soup
• 1 serving of low calorie hot chocolate drink
• Raw vegetable crudités with 30g (1oz) low fat cream cheese or 2 tablespoons salsa
• 1 meringue nest
• 1 packet sugar free polo mints
• 1 pub measure spirits
Snacks around 100 calories
• 2 pieces of fruit
• 2 rice cakes with reduced fat spread and honey
• 1 cereal bar
• 1 fun-sized chocolate bar
• 2 plain biscuits
• 1 plain or chocolate digestive style biscuit
• 30g (1oz) boiled sweets or wine gums
• 1 small packet of lower fat crisps
• 1 small tube/bag of sweets
• 1 crumpet with reduced sugar jam/honey
• ½ bread muffin with reduced fat spread
• 1 slice of toast with reduced fat spread and yeast extract (or other extra starch serving)
• 1 large pub measure of spirit with diet mixer
• 150 ml glass of wine
• ½ pint ordinary strength lager/beer
• Small pot of yoghurt or one other dairy serving
• 2 crisp bread with 50g/20z tuna or thinly spread peanut butter or half fat soft cheese
• 1 crisp bread with 1 level tablespoon hummus
• 25g/1oz nuts and raisins
• 1 mini fruit bun, small cereal bar, mini chocolate bar or chocolate biscuit
• Small bag of savoury snacks (around 100 calories)
• 25ml liqueur
• 1 small scoop of ice cream
• Snacks around 150 calories
• 2 small slices toast with low-fat spread
• 1 fruit bun or scone
• 1 English bread muffin with scraping of jam
• 1 bread roll
• 1 small slice of cake (50g)
• 1 potato scone
• 150g pot of low-fat yogurt, custard or rice pudding
• 1 small packet of crisps (25g)
• 1 small chocolate bar (30g/1oz)
• 1 chocolate biscuit
Snacks around 200 calories
• 2 slices bread or toast (with spread from allowance)
• or any 2 other starchy food or dairy food servings
• 2 crackers with 30g (1oz) cheese
• 3 tbsp. breakfast cereal with 1/3 pint semi skimmed milk
• 1 plain or fruit scone
• 2 fun-sized chocolate bars
• Mini pork pie
• 1 small slice fruit cake or sponge cake
• 1 pint ordinary strength beer/lager
If you choose ready prepared items:
Ready made sandwiches or snack meals - choose one with around 300 calories
Ready meals - to have in place of a main meal. Choose meals with around 400 calories and serve with plenty of extra vegetables or salad.
Drinks
Have at least 6 to 8 drinks over the day. Choose from: water, mineral water, sugar free squashes and soft drinks, herbal tea, tea or coffee with milk from exchange lists.
Miscellaneous
Enhance the natural flavours of your cooking with herbs, spices, garlic, chilli, lemon or lime juice, flavoured vinegars, tomato puree, a well flavoured stock, a splash of wine, soya sauce, hot pepper sauce, teriyaki sauce, capers, a few olives and mustards.
Supplements
While the eating plan is well balanced, a one a day multivitamin and mineral supplement (which provides amounts close to the Recommended Daily Allowance) can be a good 'insurance policy' for eating plans with less than 1900 calories.