Recommended Serving Sizes

Grains

  • 1 slice of bread
  • 1 oz dry cereal (ranges from 1/2 - 1 1/4 cups depending on the cereal)
  • 1/2 cup cooked rice or pasta
  • 1/2 cup cooked cereal
  • 2 cups cooked popcorn

Vegetables

  • 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables
  • 1/2 cup cooked vegetables
  • 6 oz (3/4 cup) vegetable juice
  • 1 carrot
  • 5 sticks of celery
  • 5 cherry tomatoes

Fruits

  • 6 oz (3/4 cup) fruit juice
  • 1 medium whole fruit (banana, apple, peach, orange, etc.)
  • 1/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, apricots, prunes, etc.)
  • 1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned fruit
  • 15 large grapes

Dairy

  • Half cup of milk
  • 3 cheese cubes
  • 1/2 cup cottage cheese

Use your hands and common objects to estimate the recommended serving sizes:

Two thumb tips together
approximately 1 tablespoon
  • 1 oz of cheese
  • butter
  • salad dressing
  • peanut butter
  • dips
  • dessert sauces
  • mayonnaise
Size of your fist
or
Two hands cupped together
or
Tennis ball
approximately 1 cup
  • cereal
  • soup
  • salads
  • stews
  • fresh fruit like apple or orange
  • pasta
Deck of Cards
or
Palm of your hand
approximately 3 oz
  • meal
  • poulty
  • fish
Golf Ball
or
Palm of your hand
approximately 1/4 cup
  • nuts
  • dried fruit
One hand, cupped
approximately 1/2 cup
  • pasta
  • rice
  • cereal
  • fresh fruit
  • pasta sauce
  • cottage cheese
  • pudding
  • applesauce
  • vegetables

Note: Nutrition Facts serving sizes on product labels and Food Pyramid serving sizes may vary from the portion sizes estimated using these charts.