What's the Difference Between a Portion & a Serving?

Last month's nutrition label post started a conversation about serving size vs. portion size. Here are the definitions, courtesy of NHLBI's We Can! program:
- portion:  how much you choose to eat.
- serving:  a measured amount of food or drink.

For example, many people drink a 20 ounce bottle of soda in one sitting (a portion). The company considers a serving size as 8 ounces (1 bottle = 2.5 servings). Current labels show nutrition info (calories, sugar, etc.) based on the company selected serving size. Newer labels will be more likely to reflect what an average person would consume (portion size). 

If you haven't already, click on the above link for their tips, family-friendly recipes, etc.!

Learn more with:
- WebMD's Portion Size & Weight Loss. If you prefer pictures, try their Portion Size Plate.
- Cooking Light's 10 Top Secrets to Portion Control
- Centers for Disease Control's How to Avoid Portion Control Pitfalls...

Not a fan of strict attention to portion size? Go, Slow, Whoa!... may be for you (or your family). This link is from KidsHealth. However, a printable, picture, & Spanish version are also available through We Can!