Portion Control: Try These Strategies on for Size!

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We all know that people tend to eat more when they're offered larger servings. The question remains whether it's being offered more food or bigger plates, bowls, bags or other containers that make the difference in how much people eat.

To find out, researchers in Belgium offered 88 college students the option of choosing one of three bowls of M&M's to snack on as they watched a 22-minute TV show: a small (one-cup) bowl filled with  7 ounces of M&M's, a large (three-cup) bowl with 7 ounces of M&M's, or a large (three-cup) bowl filled with 21 ounces of M&M's. The students ate twice as much candy from the two large bowls (about 2 ounces, or 300 calories more) than they did from the small bowl (approximately 1 ounce, or 150 calories less).

What's the lesson in all of this?
Think twice about the size of your dishes at home. If your dishes are on the larger side and you're working on cutting down on your intake, it is most definitely worth investing in smaller serving dishes.

Also, keep in mind that studies show that people tend to eat more of the remaining chips, cookies or crackers left at the bottom of a large bag than they would from a smaller bag. That being said, make sure to repackage your foods from larger bags into smaller (preferably reusable) containers or bags.

And another quick and helpful tip - If you are trying to avoid overeating when you go out to eat, make sure to ask your server for a to-go container when you place your order. When your meal arrives, set aside the amount you are going to eat and package up the rest of it. You can even ask the server to wrap half of it up before it even reaches the table to prevent you from being tempted. Finished eating and the food is STILL sitting there? Ask your server to take the plate away to prevent you from continuing to pick at it.

Implementing these portion control tips and strategies are a sure way to keep you from overeating and seeing the results you've been looking for.

Healthy wishes,

Maura, Marilyn, Jessica and Alissa
Your Vermont State Employees' Wellness Team

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