How to Find and Measure Serving Size For Food

Eating the proper serving size is a crucial part of eating healthier and taking better care of yourself. But, sometimes it can take some sleuthing!

Portion control is a method many people use to eat less food. That is a good thing.

This is especially the case if you are eating too many portions of the wrong food. Cutting back to just one piece of cake, brownie or pie is helpful.

But, what do you do if you want to start eating a proper serving size to eat healthier, measure calories, or even lose weight?

Unfortunately, there isn’t a short answer. And, the stricter your goal, the more specific your information needs to be.

But there are some basic points to learn to make things a lot easier. Let me show you.

Let’s Use the Same Definition to Find and Measure Serving Size

First, let’s use the same definitions.

The phrase serving size refers to the information on a nutrition facts label using the guidelines published by the FDA (the Food and Drug Administration). Serving sizes are also meant to help you figure out about how much food is to eat at one time. (Note-you do not have to eat the full amount-especially if it is not a healthy option.)

In contrast to serving size, a portion is an actual amount on your plate. A portion may be more or less than a serving size. Portions are how people talk about the amount of food they eat.

Serving size helps guide you to a nutritionally appropriate serving size in most cases. If you know, you should eat a cup of yogurt but only two tablespoons of peanut butter, you can get a feel for the number of calories that are in food simply by seeing the amount.

What to Use to Measure Serving Size

You will see volumes of tools, strategies, and tricks to measuring serving size, but measuring cups and food scales are two common kitchen items that work great, and you may already have them. I like this 19-Piece Measuring Cup and Spoon Set because it has more than just the typical 4 cups and this Digital Food Scale. You may already have these in your kitchen, but if you do not please know they are worth the very small investment. The digital food scale is especially helpful with protein, nuts, and grains and is super accurate.

If you are measuring and recording your intake to lose weight, measuring or weighing your food is going to give you the most accurate results and get you to your goal faster than estimating or guessing.

Find and Measure Serving Size Found on Food Labels

Foods that are in a package are required to have a food label. There are many things listed on a food label, but for this article, we’ll focus only on the serving size and calories, which are typically listed at the top.

The serving size will list how many calories are in that measurement (and also tell you the measure of nutrients in the serving size).

Here is an example. Listed right beneath the title ‘Nutrition Facts’ you can see the serving size is 1/2 cup dry (dry meaning you will likely add liquid to it but the dry contents are listed here).

Next, you can see how many calories are in EACH SERVING of 1/2 cup, which is 150 calories. (If you eat 1 cup of the food, you are eating two servings and thus 300 calories.)

Using a food label is reasonably straightforward, but it gets more challenging when you start eating more healthy foods because you usually buy them fresh. Fresh fruits & vegetables may not always come with a food label, and you’ll need to look them up.

Find and Measure Serving Size Found on Websites

You can search online for the number of calories in specific food, and you will find numerous websites that can provide that information for you. Sometimes though, the data is hard to see on a big site.

Here is a website that offers a database of common foods, grocery foods, and restaurant foods. Find the search tab and enter your food to see the calories and nutritional information.

Some authors try to make it easier for you and show you ways to ‘estimate’ a serving size by comparing food to an everyday item. The problem now though is that many authors have added so many things it is hard to remember the menagerie of items (tennis ball, a deck of cards, baseball, dice, cupcake liner, hockey puck, spice containers, spoons, baby food jar, and even small amphibians).

So far, my favorite is this website because it has only four things to remember. That’s more my speed.

And, here is a wallet card that may be helpful.

But, honestly, in the end, calorie apps are my favorite way to go.

Find and Measure Serving Size Found in Calorie Count Apps

If you have a smartphone, free calorie count apps give you the information you need right when you need it. These two offer fabulous information for free. Both are great.

Lose it!

Fitness Pal

In closing, it can be a challenge to find and measure serving size when you are just beginning. But, I promise the more you do it, the easier it will become.

If you are eating food that comes from a package be sure to look at the food label. It does get harder to know a serving size without a food label, but with equipped websites and free phone apps, you can succeed.

Don’t give up, keep going, and moving forward. It will get easier the more you do it!