Portion Size Guidelines

Even on Lifetime Maintenance, it's important to be able to judge portion size, especially for higher carb foods.

How much is 1/2 cup?

What does a 3-inch slice look like?


These charts should help you estimate portions at a glance.


Bread, Grains, and Pasta....................Think of

1 one-ounce slice of bread................. An index card

1 two-ounce piece of Italian bread....... A bar of soap

1 three-ounce bagel.......................... A can of tuna

1/2 cup, cereal, or pasta.................... 1/2 baseball

1 two-ounce muffin............................. A cupcake wrapper


Fruits and Veggies..............................Think of

1 medium fruit or 3/4 cup cut -up fruit.... A tennis ball

1 cup green sald................................. A fist

1/2 cup cooked veggies...................... A scoop of ice cream


Protein and Cheese..........................Think of

2 tablespoons peanut butter..............Two tea bags

3 ounce beef, chicken, or pork............A small pack of tissues or cigarettes

1 ounce of cheese.............................A pair of dice

1 ounce of nuts................................One Ping-Pong ball or a small child's handful


Snacks and Desserts..........................Think of

1 ounce of chips................................A medium-size handful

1 three-inch piece of cake...................A small stack of business cards

1 cup of ice cream.............................A baseball


Measurements....................................Think of

1 tablespoon.......................................A tea bag

1 teaspoon.........................................A thimble

1 cup................................................A fist or a baseball

1/4 cup.............................................A large egg