Food and Health Communications

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Does Plate Size Really Matter?

How many calories can you save by switching from a dinner plate to a salad plate? About half!We used diced bread to test the plate size, portion size and calorie outcome for three different plates.Here is what we found:Best Plate Practices:If you put 3 cups of salad on a dinner plate you would end up with 2 servings of vegetables. Putting the entree on the salad plate would yield a dinner for around 350-400 calories. This is a great way to have more food for fewer calories.Use a salad plate for buffets and parties to help you eat less.The next time you order food out, take it home and serve it on your own plates. You will eat less than if you are just eating out of the package.Use a salad plate for portion control with chips and snacks - one small layer is one ounce.Make a healthy plate - use ChooseMyPlate.gov to learn more but half your plate should be fruits and vegetables with 1/4 protein and 1/4 whole grains.