e-Newsletter Sign Up
UW Carbone
A Guide to Serving Sizes
Portion sizes in America are becoming too large. You may be eating more than you think. The United States Department of Agriculture's standard serving sizes can help you learn what the standard servings are and what they look like. How many standard servings go into the portions you normally eat? It's important to enjoy your food, but avoid large portions. Control portion sizes at home and in restaurants to help control your body weight.
Standard Serving Sizes
| FOOD | SERVING | LOOKS LIKE |
| Chopped Vegetables | 1/2 cup | 1/2 baseball |
| Raw Leafy Vegetables (such as lettuce) |
1 cup | 1 baseball or average adult fist |
| Fresh Fruit | 1 medium piece 1/2 cup chopped |
1 baseball 1/2 baseball |
| Dried Fruit | 1/4 cup | 1 golf ball |
| Pasta, Rice, Cooked Cereal | 1/2 cup | 1/2 baseball |
| Ready-to-Eat Cereal | 1 oz., varies from 1/4 cup to 1¼ cups |
|
| Red Meat, Poultry, Seafood | 3 oz. (boneless, cooked weight from 4 oz. raw) |
Deck of cards |
| Dried Beans | 1/2 cup cooked | 1/2 baseball |
| Nuts | 1/3 cup | Level handful for average adult |
| Cheese | 1½ oz. | 4 dice or 2 9-volt batteries |
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
These suggestions are not meant to replace talking to your doctor and registered dietitian. For more information regarding increasing calories and protein in your diet, schedule an appointment with the Registered Dietitian at the UW Carbone Cancer Center by contacting Cancer Connect by calling (608) 265-1700.