What does a serving look like?

by Pip Mehrtens — last modified Sep 02, 2010 07:44 PM

We see a lot of information about servings in nutrition advice and on food packaging. If you've ever wondered what a 'serving' of a particular food looks like, this guide is for you.

These are the serving recommendations from the Ministry of Health for the main food groups.

The playing cards act as a visual comparison to give you an idea of the size of each item.

Another couple of handy tips are:

  • Carb portions are around the size of your closed fist (big men will have a bigger serve, and young children will have a much smaller serve), or around a quarter of your plate.
  • Meat portions are about the size of your palm, or around a quarter of your plate.
  • Vegetable servings (not high-carb veges like potatoes) are around half of your plate.

First published January 2006