What's a Serving Anyway?

There can be a big difference between a serving and a helping. A serving is a measured amount of food, like 1/2 cup or one ounce. It's like a measuring tool. A helping is what most people usually eat. Helpings may be larger or smaller than servings. It all depends on how much you eat. Keep in mind that the amount of food you put onto your plate may be bigger or smaller than Pyramid servings. Use this chart to compare typical helping sizes with actual Pyramid serving sizes.

 

A PYRAMID SERVING	THE"TYPICAL" HELPING
1/2 cup rice or pasta	1 cup rice or pasta
1/2 bagel or 1/2 hamburger bun	1 bagel or 1 hamburger bun
1 chicken leg and thigh	1/4 chicken
1 order (1/2 cup) french fries	large order (3/4 to 1 cup) fries
1 order (1/2 cup) cooked red beans	big bowl (1 to 2 cups) chili beans
1 cup leafy greens	large green salad (2 cups greens)

How do your Helpings Measure Up?

Picture this...you're starving...you wolf down a huge bowl of cereal, then notice the serving size on the side of the box...oops. Did you just eat a day's worth of food from the Bread Group?
Use the following link to find out the nutritional value of some popular "fast foods"! **
(** Leaving the yourSELF Website!)

If you would like to download a copy (.pdf file) of the yourSELF magazine, click here!