Are you being (over) served?

You'd have to be blind to not notice that our serving sizes are out of control. Even depictions of the last supper have engorged the size of that supper. Chain restaurants want you to believe that a burger stacked the size of your head or a plate full of fries is an adequate serving. Jenny Craig wants you to believe that a thimble of chicken is a healthy portion. Can the real slim serving please stand up? How can you navigate the dysmorphic serving sizes?  Follow these simple guidelines for the size of one serving:

• Vegetables: one cup is a serving and is roughly the size of a baseball
• A serving of cheese is 1.5 oz., or the size of three dice
• One serving of yogurt is a cup, or about the size of a baseball
• A slice of bread should be the size of a cassette tape, a biscuit the size of a hockey puck and a bagel the size of a can of tuna
• A serving of cereal fills a small tea cup
• A serving of pasta or popcorn should each be the size of a baseball
• A serving of rice is the size of a light bulb
• A serving of almonds is the size of a golf ball
• One serving of chicken or lean beef should be the size of a deck of cards
• One serving of fish is the size of a checkbook.
• A serving size of most types of fresh fruit is the size of a baseball
• A serving of butter, mayonnaise, or olives is the size of a poker chip
• A hamburger should be no larger than a deck of cards
• Soup should fill a bowl the size of a baseball
• A serving of french fries is the size of a baseball, usually about 10 fries
• A slice of pizza should be the size of 2 dollar bills