Step One Part Three Bowls

Again if you move your family to smaller size bowls the odds of you over eating and consuming more calories then you intended is less.

The first picture here is of 3/4 cup (one serving size of Cascadian Farms Multi Grain Squares). It comes up to about 1/2 up the bowl. Add in your 1/2 cup of milk (skim in their label) and it looks like a full bowl of cereal at a count of 150 calories.



This second picture is of 3/4 cup (one serving size of the above) and it barely covers the bottom of a typical household bowl. Most people would double the amount easily just to make it look like a bowlful after milk. So your talking 300 calories in your big bowl of cereal.


I suggest you play around with your dishes to see what your dishes look like at the serving size for your food. When you downsize your dishes your lowering your chance of overeating just because we've learned to fill up our plate and eat everything on it.

Okay starting tomorrow I'm doing step two. Overhauling your family snacks. I'll share photos, tips, and ideas.

Examples in sizes

Meal on a typical sized dinner plate. One sandwich, one serving of carrots, and an apple. See how the plate still looks empty.



Same meal as above but on a salad plate. Notice how your meal looks bigger and like you have lots of food yet it's the same as above.



Two glasses with orange juice. Each glass contains 8 oz of juice which is what one serving size is with the juice I used as an example. The glass on the left looks only half full yet the glass on the right is almost to the top. Each serving of this orange juice is 110 calories so just by filling the cup on the left up you would be drinking at least 220 calories.

Step One Part Two Glasses

The next step would be to downsize your glasses. The big glasses are fine for water but filling them up with juice jumps you up to a more calories and sugar then you probably think. 6 oz. is the guideline for fruit juice. Most glasses that I see friends using are at least 12 oz or more. That's two serving sizes and your thinking I only had a glass of juice. If you have smaller glasses on hand for juice and other drinks besides water and you fill them up your family doesn't look at the barely filled glass and think "geez Mom is cutting back on the good stuff." Instead the smaller glass tricks the family into thinking they are still getting a full glass, which they are but an appropriate serving, and they are less likely to realize you are changing their eating habits.

I still keep big glasses on hand cause there is no limit to water. The kids know small glasses are for all drinks but water. It will take some time to get them into the habit of only using big glasses for water so don't give up but just give gentle warnings.

Step One Part One Dinner Plates

I use salad plates for our main dishes. Why? Because you trick your mind into thinking your eating the same amount of food yet your really not. For some reason in our society these days we feel the urge to load our plates up. If you plate is smaller to begin with you won't be over eating. Plus a healthy size sandwich looks small on a regular dinner plate but on a smaller plate you'll find it looks bigger.

Once you switch your plates over divide your plate into thirds. Some people do fourths and that works too but I find it easier with the smaller plates to do thirds. One third of the plate should be your protein source, one third your carb source, and the final third should be your vegetables. If you are using the fourths on a bigger plate you'd go one quarter protein source, one quarter carb source, and one half vegetables. I know there are lots of theories on this but I find this works well for our family.

This step is a very easy step and you may think why even bother with this since you just want tips on healthy eating. Well we as a society are over eating and larger plates are a big reason. And remember you want to slowly phase your family in to a more healthier eating program so they don't think they are being deprived or revolt against your goal. Most likely they won't even realize that your switching the size of your plates and you've made your first step towards a healthy eating family.