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Serving/Portion Sizes - The Good, the Bad, and the Ridiculous
What ARE these numbers on my box of cereal? Little percentages, strings of numbers, gram-serving-size, per serving, per 100g... HUSH, CHEERIOS! I want breakfast, not mathematical equations!
But on topic, we've all read "Serving Size" on our food and drinks, but I want to know which foods and drinks you're aware of portion sizes of, and which ones you feel are totally unreasonable - and which ones gave you a bit of a shock concerning how much more you were apparently consuming!
For example, a serving size of Breakfast Cereal. Breakfast cereals are perhaps my favourite type of food in general, and usually, it says "Serving size, 30g-45g" depending on which cereal is your go-to, and they range from the between 100kcal (bran flakes etc) to 200kcal (like the more decadent Crunchy Nut varieties) a pop.
But does anyone take heed of these portion sizes? For example, this is a "portion" size, 30g and 45g respectively, of puffed cereal and Shreddies:
(130kcal without milk)
(148kcal without milk)
I doubt wholeheartedly that those would fill me up in the morning. I think, based on this, I probably eat two to three portions of cereal in one go! But I am aware of it, and factor it in. I'm sure it'd shock a bunch of people though. But basically, those little Variety Fun Packs of cereal? Yeah, that's a standard "portion", and that's what the nutritional info's based on.
Another one that always gets me is when you get a bottle of fizzy juice. We'll take Pepsi for example -
you're just out of work or uni, and you're thirsty as hell. So you grab a 500ml bottle. Looking on the side, it's 100-odd calories per serving, and about 30g of sugar. So far, so good. But then you check it out - the bottle contains TWO servings! Say whaaat? I don't know about you, but I could easily finish my two "servings" in a single lunch hour!
But on topic, we've all read "Serving Size" on our food and drinks, but I want to know which foods and drinks you're aware of portion sizes of, and which ones you feel are totally unreasonable - and which ones gave you a bit of a shock concerning how much more you were apparently consuming!
For example, a serving size of Breakfast Cereal. Breakfast cereals are perhaps my favourite type of food in general, and usually, it says "Serving size, 30g-45g" depending on which cereal is your go-to, and they range from the between 100kcal (bran flakes etc) to 200kcal (like the more decadent Crunchy Nut varieties) a pop.
But does anyone take heed of these portion sizes? For example, this is a "portion" size, 30g and 45g respectively, of puffed cereal and Shreddies:
(130kcal without milk)
(148kcal without milk)
I doubt wholeheartedly that those would fill me up in the morning. I think, based on this, I probably eat two to three portions of cereal in one go! But I am aware of it, and factor it in. I'm sure it'd shock a bunch of people though. But basically, those little Variety Fun Packs of cereal? Yeah, that's a standard "portion", and that's what the nutritional info's based on.
Another one that always gets me is when you get a bottle of fizzy juice. We'll take Pepsi for example -
you're just out of work or uni, and you're thirsty as hell. So you grab a 500ml bottle. Looking on the side, it's 100-odd calories per serving, and about 30g of sugar. So far, so good. But then you check it out - the bottle contains TWO servings! Say whaaat? I don't know about you, but I could easily finish my two "servings" in a single lunch hour!
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yeh i've always wondered who these serving sizes are for. i easily eat over 100g of cereal at a time.
or toblerone has a supposed 25g serving size. no thanks, i'll eat the full 400g in one go. (although looking at the amount of fat in it just now has made me think i may not do that in the future
or toblerone has a supposed 25g serving size. no thanks, i'll eat the full 400g in one go. (although looking at the amount of fat in it just now has made me think i may not do that in the future
(edited 13 years ago)
Oh, and I had to laugh at the Starbucks Multi-Berry Muffin they tout as "less than 200 calories a serving."
The serving size is half a muffin.
Chortle. (*Cuts muffin in half, puts half away for tomorrow, drinks half a 500ml bottle of pepsi, etc*)
(source: http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/starbucks/low-fat-multi-berry-muffin-one-half/)
The serving size is half a muffin.
Chortle. (*Cuts muffin in half, puts half away for tomorrow, drinks half a 500ml bottle of pepsi, etc*)
(source: http://www.livestrong.com/thedailyplate/nutrition-calories/food/starbucks/low-fat-multi-berry-muffin-one-half/)
It's their way of getting round the regulations imposed on them to be more transparent about their health risks, it's quite clever really and shows the ineptitude of the regulators.
Original post by LethalBizzle
It's their way of getting round the regulations imposed on them to be more transparent about their health risks, it's quite clever really and shows the ineptitude of the regulators.
It's precisely this, although it truly doesn't help that things like adverts and boxes show massive portions and distorted, giant versions of their products either.
Here's some more hilarious ones:
Supermarket-bought mille-feuilles for parties. Now, this is clearly for many people, but states "100 calories a portion!". On the tray it states "Pastry contains 34 servings". So here's the beast:
and here's what YOU get:
...er... fulfilling.
Finally, Super Noodles
and Pop Tarts.
Super Noodles serving is HALF a block of noodles. Can you honestly tell me you eat half of a packet of Super Noodles? Also, they pack Pop Tarts in bags of two, one for each slice of the toaster. But a serving size is one.
You really like food, don't you?
Original post by Lewroll
You really like food, don't you?
The irony is that I'm pretty underweight. But yes, I'm pretty fond of foodie-talk.
Supernoodles are evil. It says on the packet a calorie amount per 100g 'as served' (as that's how much the packet weighs) but it also says another (higher amount of calories) 'per half pack serving'. Unneccesary confusion 
Original post by Pink Sparkles
Supernoodles are evil. It says on the packet a calorie amount per 100g 'as served' (as that's how much the packet weighs) but it also says another (higher amount of calories) 'per half pack serving'. Unneccesary confusion
Pasta in general is amongst the cruelest in terms of portion sizing. For example, take spaghetti. When cooked and weighed, a "portion" of spaghetti to compare to the stated nutritional information is about the size of a tennis ball:
Which I'm sure you'd agree is absolutely absurd. In reality, you'd eat like, two or three times that with your meat and veggies.
If you're a STUDENT, on the other hand, portion is probably closer to this :P -
Original post by TotoMimo
you're just out of work or uni, and you're thirsty as hell. So you grab a 500ml bottle. Looking on the side, it's 100-odd calories per serving, and about 30g of sugar. So far, so good. But then you check it out - the bottle contains TWO servings! Say whaaat? I don't know about you, but I could easily finish my two "servings" in a single lunch hour!
Agree with you on the cereal one! Also drinks - my friend had a 500ml ribena which turned out to be around 80% of her daily sugar requirements
Original post by TotoMimo
and here's what YOU get:
...er... fulfilling.
and here's what YOU get:
...er... fulfilling.
"Please rate some other members before rating this member again."
I have literally no idea how you come up with so many food related threads, but I think they're great
I found this in the Sunday Times -
A study of 831 products suggests that manufacturers may be reducing serving sizes deliberately to keep the salt content as low as possible. That on a pack of chicken nuggets, for example, suggested a serving size of 15g (0.53oz) — the equivalent of only one nugget.
One nugget?!
Original post by TotoMimo
Also, they pack Pop Tarts in bags of two, one for each slice of the toaster. But a serving size is one.
That really ticks me off. You eat one and then the other ones goes a bit stale if you leave it, so inevitably you do eat it when you only wanted one.
Saying that, I had ONE pop tart for breakfast this morning.
Cereal portion sizes are ridiculous.
I'm not a fan of cereal, but even my small bowls are bigger than the suggestion. They seem more like kids portions. You can tell this if you buy those variety pack things, they're so small if you have one box but I think they're about the same as a suggestion.
Slightly related to someone's post on sugar content, it pisses me off when people think drinking a litre of orange juice is good for them, and that the sugar in it is okay. Worse is that people don't realise how much sugar is in there.
What also makes me hate people is when they get something because it's 'low in fat', but really high in sugar etc. People think that 'fat' is terrible, not knowing about the different types or even understanding what calories are.
Rant over
. But yeah, portion sizes are underestimated :P.
Slightly related to someone's post on sugar content, it pisses me off when people think drinking a litre of orange juice is good for them, and that the sugar in it is okay. Worse is that people don't realise how much sugar is in there.
What also makes me hate people is when they get something because it's 'low in fat', but really high in sugar etc. People think that 'fat' is terrible, not knowing about the different types or even understanding what calories are.
Rant over
. But yeah, portion sizes are underestimated :P.
Original post by TotoMimo
Pasta in general is amongst the cruelest in terms of portion sizing. For example, take spaghetti. When cooked and weighed, a "portion" of spaghetti to compare to the stated nutritional information is about the size of a tennis ball:
Which I'm sure you'd agree is absolutely absurd. In reality, you'd eat like, two or three times that with your meat and veggies.
If you're a STUDENT, on the other hand, portion is probably closer to this :P -
Which I'm sure you'd agree is absolutely absurd. In reality, you'd eat like, two or three times that with your meat and veggies.
If you're a STUDENT, on the other hand, portion is probably closer to this :P -
So true...I managed to eat 500g of pasta in one sitting last week...
Original post by Liam_G
"Please rate some other members before rating this member again."
I have literally no idea how you come up with so many food related threads, but I think they're great
I found this in the Sunday Times -
One nugget?!
I have literally no idea how you come up with so many food related threads, but I think they're great
I found this in the Sunday Times -
One nugget?!
Holy hell. That's absurd. I thought MY examples posted were Moby-Dickulous, but that truly takes the cake. Another great one is plain ol' cheese. Know when the packet states those hundreds of cals per portion? Well a portion is the equivalent of six dice. SIX DICE.
I'd bet that there are some folks that eat that whilst cutting the cheese for their sarnies!
Nasty, evil serving sizes; I weighed my average bowl of cereal for breakfast and it came in at 60g... Twice the reccomended portion size... Add that to the fact I also tend to eat an apple, toast, any stray biscuits lying around, and drink at least two cups of tea.... Well. It all turns out to be a pretty calorific breakfast.
(... This still doesn't explained why I've stayed stubbornly under 100lbs at 5'6" for over two years -.-)
EDIT:
Wooahhh, this has lots of Neg rep!
is it for being thin? Or for complaining? Or just from people who dislike my breakfast? 
(edited 12 years ago)
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