Dinner Plate and Portion Sizes through the Years

Oh my, how time has changed the size of our dishes. Look at the dinner plate, for example. Go to your kitchen cabinet and take out one of each size plate you have. Do you remember when you purchased the plates? The decade will matter. Line them up. Which plate do you eat off the most?

Why should you care about what size plate you use? The health of your body and finances will benefit.  

Let’s look at plate size through the years. 

—1960’s=8.5 inches. About 800 calories. 

—1980’s=10 inches. About 1000 calories.

—2000’=11 inches. About 1600 calories.

—2009= 12 inches. About 1900 calories.

WOWZA! Plate sizes have increased, leading to more significant food portions. After all, we have more real estate to cover, so we load up the plate and don’t realize how much we eat. We lose sight of how our portion size should look. Not only have plate sizes grown larger, but bowls and glasses too! We serve more and eat more. 

When I was younger, I was told to clean my plate. If I eat it all, I can have a treat. It has taken me years to undo that mindset. Primarily when someone else fixes my plate and because I want to be polite and eat it all. I have learned to say NO. I have learned to eat my portion and STOP there.  

There has been a lot of research into the psychology of eating, showing that plate size can impact the amount we eat without affecting our perceived satisfaction. 

They even looked at plate color. Did you know that eating greens from a green plate makes you more likely to eat all your green vegetables? If you eat pasta alfredo from a red plate, the white pasta alfredo contrasts with the red plate, and you can see the portion size. You can recognize the amount right away. The green plate with green veggies you eat up without noticing the amount. Color contrast works.  

Portion control saves money. We are not wasteful and have plan-overs set aside for a future meal.           

Here are a few tips when using today’s dishes:

• Use a smaller plate to have better control of the portion. It appears you are eating a large portion. 
• Be mindful of your portion size when using larger 11- and 12-inch plates. 
• Use color plates that contrast with the food served, allowing you to see the portion size immediately. 
• Measure portions by using your hand as a visual for your portion size. Protein should be the size of your palm. 
• Carbohydrates should be the size of your clenched fist. 
• Veggies should be the size of your cupped hand.    
• Healthy fats should be the size of your thumb. 

Purge those large dishes in your cabinet and set yourself up for success in the kitchen! Your body will reward you in ways you never imagined!