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Food Fact Sheet
Portion sizes
It is important to be aware of portion
sizes as too much or too little of any
type of food can increase our risk of
health problems.
This is because the body may be getting too much or
too little of what it needs to stay healthy. This Food Fact
Sheet will provide an overview of recommended portion
sizes of typical foods. As every person is different, the
recommended number of portions for each food will
vary, but this sheet provides a good place to get you
started.
Carbohydrates – what is a portion?
Protein – what is a portion?
What is a portion
1 medium slice of bread
Pasta (boiled) 2-3 tablespoons
Rice (boiled) 2-3 tablespoons
Animal Protein
Amount in
grams (g)
What does
this look
like?
Cooked meat (beef/pork/
lamb/mince/chicken/turkey)
60g-90g
A deck of cards
Cooked white fish (cod or
plaice) or canned fish
140g
Palm of hand
Cooked oily fish (salmon,
mackerel, sardines)
140g
Palm of hand
2 eggs
120g
Plant Protein
Amount in grams (g)
2 egg sized new potatoes (boiled)
1 medium baked potato (with skin)*
Breakfast cereal: 3 tablespoons
Porridge oats: 3 tablespoons
* Potatoes do not contribute to one of your 5 a day, however sweet potatoes,
parsnips, swedes and turnips do.
TOP TIP: Choose wholegrains or higher fibre versions
with less added fat, salt and sugar. For more information,
see the BDA Food Factsheet on ‘Wholegrains’.
Be mindful that the carbohydrate portions provided
contain different amounts of carbohydrate and calories.
Dairy – what is a portion?
Type of dairy
food
Portion size in grams
or mililitres (ml)
What does this
look like?
Milk
200ml (1/3 pint)
1 glass
Calcium fortified
soya alternatives
200ml (1/3 pint)
1 glass
Yoghurt
125g
1 standard pot/
3 tbsp
Cheese (hard)
30g
A matchbox size
piece
TOP TIP: Try to always choose lower fat and lower
sugar options where possible.
4 tablespoons of baked
beans
150g
4 tablespoons of beans
(kidney beans/butterbeans/
black eyed beans
150g
4 tablespoons of pulses
(lentils/chickpeas)
150g
4 tablespoons of soya/
tofu, vegetable based meat
alternative
100g
1 tablespoon/handful of nuts
or peanut butter
30g
TOP TIP: Eat more beans and pulses, and two portions
of sustainably sourced fish per week, one of which is
oily. Eat less red and processed meat.
www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts
Mixing food types and portions
People will often have more than one portion of one
food type at each meal.
Based on the portion sizes above:
Fruit and vegetables – what is a portion?
What is a portion
1 apple/pear/orange/banana
A handful (10-12) grapes/
berries
2 plums/apricots/kiwis/
satsumas
1 small handful/ 1 tablespoon
of dried fruit (eg. raisins or
sultanas)
3 heaped tablespoons of
peas/carrots/sweetcorn/mixed
vegetables
Amount in grams (g)
1/2 pepper/1 medium tomato/ 1
medium parsnip
80g
•
a sandwich with 2 slices of bread with 2 teaspoons
of butter (1 on each slice) would be 2 portions of
carbohydrates and 2 portions of fats
•
a meal including meat or fish plus beans or pulses
would be 2 portions of protein
•
a meal containing broccoli and carrots would be 2
portions of vegetables.
80g
80g
Eatwell Guide
Check the label on
packaged foods
80g
Use the Eatwell Guide to help you get a balance of healthier and more sustainable food.
It shows how much of what you eat overall should come from each food group.
Each serving (150g) contains
Energy
1046kJ
250kcal
13%
Fat
Saturates Sugars
3.0g 1.3g
LOW
LOW
4%
7%
Salt
34g 0.9g
HIGH
of an adult’s reference intake
Typical values (as sold) per 100g: 697kJ/ 167kcal
of
a
Fr
ui
ta
n
nd
Potatoes
v
Eat at
leas
t5
Chopped
t omatoe s
Whole
grain l
cerea
Bagels
Whole
wheat
pasta
Porridge
Tuna
Plain
nuts
Beans
lower
salt
and
s ugar
Chick
peas
Oils and spreads – what is a portion?
Type of oil/spread
Amount in grams (g)
1 teaspoon of butter or spread
5g
1 teaspoon of oil
3g
TOP TIP: Keep to a minimum/small amounts of oils and
spreads and measure out. Opt for unsaturated fats.
Spaghetti
L o w f at
s o f t ch e es e
n
Leaince
m
Semi
skimmed
milk
Crisps
Eat less often and
in small amounts
Limit fruit juice
and/or smoothies
to a total of
150ml a day.
Rice
Lentils
TOP TIP: Eat at least five portions of a variety of fruit
and vegetables every day.
w
Cous
Cous
Frozen
peas
Sauce
ot
Water, lower fat
milk, sugar-free
drinks including
tea and coffee
all count.
rch
ta
rs
he
80g
d
Raisins
gar
and su
salt
fat,
ed
s
dd
drate
ohy
sa
arb
les
yc
po
rtio
ns
it
fru
of
les
ty
ab
rie
et
va
eg
6-8
a day
ith
30g
Choose foods lower
in fat, salt and sugars
Choos
e wh
oleg
rain
or h
Pota
toes
igh
, br
er
ead
fib
re
, ri
ce
ve
,p
rsi
as
on
ta
s
a
y day
ever
les
tab
ege
dv
an
MED
38% 15%
Be
ans
, pu
Ea
lses
, fish
so t more
, eggs
u
, meat and
red rced beans
other proteins
and
and fish
proc per we pulses, 2 portions of sustainably
ek
esse
d mea, one of which is oily. Eat less
t
Veg
O il
Soya
drink
s
tive
rna
alte
nd
fat a
wer tions
se lo
Choo ugar op
s
lower
and
Dairy
Per day
Source: Public Health England in association with the Welsh government, Food Standards Scotland and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland
Lower fatad
spre
Plain
Low fat
y o g hu r t
2000kcal
Oil & spreads
Choose unsaturated oils
and use in small amounts
2500kcal = ALL FOOD + ALL DRINKS
© Crown copyright 2016
The Eatwell Guide (above) shows how much of what
we eat overall should come from each food group to
achieve a healthy, balanced diet. You can find more
information about the guide at www.nhs.uk/Livewell/
Goodfood/Pages/the-eatwell-guide.aspx
We also have Food Fact Sheets available on a
range of topics including Weight Loss, Malnutrition,
Alcohol, getting your 5-a day and general healthy
eating as well as a range of medical conditions.
Visit bda.uk.com/foodfacts for more information.
This Food Factsheet is a public service of The British Dietetic Association (BDA) intended for information only.
It is not a substitute for proper medical diagnosis or dietary advice given by a dietitian. If you need to see a
dietitian, visit your GP for a referral or: www.freelancedietitians.org for a private dietitian.
To check your dietitian is registered check www.hcpc-uk.org
This Food Fact Sheet and others are available to download free of charge at www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts
Written by Sammie Gill, Dietitian. Reviewed by Sian Porter and Lucy Turnbull, Dietitians.
The information sources used to develop this fact sheet are available at www.bda.uk.com/foodfacts
© BDA September 2016. Review date September 2019.