Portion Control and Kids

Tip 96 – Use the half-cup size for portion control.

For fruits and vegetables and yogurt and other soft or liquid dairy products, the half-cup is convenient.

Today most dishes, cups, and glassware are all super sized. What was a regular-sized dish, cup, or glass, now looks small. Since we eat on big dishes and drink from big cups, the portions we serve are big too. We easily eat and drink them because they look right to us. What they have unfortunately become for us is now our new normal.

Parenting Insight…

To counteract this problem, it is okay to add another concept to your eating plan. That is “the two-serving size.” If you end up doubling up on a particular food, just make sure that you and your child record that you have eaten two servings of a particular food on your chart.

Another way to do this intervention is to have your two servings separately so that you are eating “one portion” and then “seconds.” Many children like that concept as well. “One” and “seconds” is fine. “Thirds” and more is “too much.”

Make eating into “eating habits.” That can be very helpful.

NOTE: If ever in doubt about a serving size, compare it to the size of your hand when you put it in a cup-size position. For adults that is more or less a 1/2 cup in volume. For children it will be smaller.

March! The Month of the Rainbow

Choose a color for the week and make that your color for setting your table. How about green this week? Do you have green napkins, green placemats, or even a green table cloth? Maybe your child would like to make a green centerpiece or even set out green flowers. If you have an art table, encourage your child to make different decorations all week long.

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