Plating it up: the portion guide

Get the right size plate

Most dinner plates and bowls are too large which can make portion control challenging. Having the right size plate makes it easier to avoid overfilling your plate and your stomach. Aim for your dinner plate or bowl to be less than 25 centimetres wide (outer rim).

How to get the portions right for a balanced meal

Even when planning and preparing a healthy meal, it is important to consider portion size of different foods

These include serving sizes of:

  • Lower GI carbohydrate
    (e.g. Pasta, rice, bread, sweet potato, corn, lentils and legumes)
  • Lean protein
    (e.g. Trimmed meat, skinless chicken, fish and seafood, tofu, egg)
  • Cooked or salad vegetables
    (e.g. Carrot, broccoli, peas, capsicum, cucumber, beans, beetroot, cabbage, bok choy, eggplant etc.)

Check your ingredient list, chopping board and finally your plate to reflect this balance

Low-GI carbohydrates

Choose one of:

  • Pasta or noodles
  • 1 cup cooked or 50g dry
  • Rice (Basmati / Mahatma / Doongara)
  • 1 cup cooked or 50g dry
  • Sweet potato
  • 200g (leave skin on where possible)
  • Corn
  • 1 cob or ½ cup corn kernels
  • Grain bread or wholemeal flat bread
  • 1–2 slices, or 1 small chapatti / pita / roti
  • Legumes or lentils
  • 150g cooked or canned

Lean protein

Choose one of:

  • Lean meat - beef, lamb, pork etc
  • 150g raw or 120g cooked
  • Skinless chicken or turkey
  • 150g raw or 120g cooked
  • Fish and seafood
  • 170g raw or 150g cooked
  • Tofu
  • 150g
  • Egg
  • 2 whole
  • Legumes or lentils
  • 150g cooked or canned

Vegetables

  • Salad, stir-fried or raw vegetables
  • 2–3 cups
  • Cooked vegetables
  • 1.5–2 cups

Beverages

  • Water
  • Plain mineral water or soda water
  • Diet soft drink or diet cordial
  • Tea or coffee

Meal examples

Chicken / meat / fish and vegetables

Spaghetti bolognese

Spaghetti bolognese

Spaghetti bolognese

Curry and rice/chapatti

Stir fry rice

Grilled meat and rice

Sandwich

Sandwich

Sandwich

Plate guide

Tip: Fill half your plate first with vegetables and salad, followed by lean protein and then low-GI carbohydrate to ensure your serving sizes follow the plate guide.

Low-GI carbohydrate (¼ plate)
Pasta, rice sweet potato, corn, lentils,
legumes and bread

Portion = Fist size

Lean protein (¼ plate)
Trimmed meat, skinless
chicken, fish, seafood, tofu,
egg

Portion = Palm size

Vegetables (½ plate) Raw or cooked: Carrot, broccoli, peas, capsicum, cucumber, beans, beetroot, cabbage, bok choy, eggplant, lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, tomato, onion etc. Portion = 2 open hand

Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute
Level 4, The Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, Vic 3004 Australia
T (03) 8532 1800 F (03) 8532 1899 W www.baker.edu.au
© 2017 Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute | Review date: 2019 | Literacy Level assessed.

No part of this information may be copied or reproduced in any form without written permission of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute.