Portion Sizes

[BernK]

How many of you out there actually use the portion sizes that CL magazine recommends. I rarely use the portion size that is recommended. They usually seem very small to me. I know my husband would not be satisfied with their portions. I wonder how many extra calories I'm consuming because of that.

[LIsaP]

I agree-they are almost always too small! Usually if it says it makes 4 servings, I get 2 dinner and one lunch. Sometimes, however, I only get half of the servings they say you should. At least it is light and healthy. I don't worry too much about it.

[emilycat]

The serving sizes are usually right on target for me; when I was watching my intake too closely, they were actually too large! Dessert servings, I have found however, to be rather small.

[Grace]

I lost 30 pounds 4 years ago, and I have been really conscious of portion sizes since then. I agree that CL portions can be "small", but I think it's more a matter of what we've come to think as a portion size that's distorted. I try measuring my portions out according to the portions that they suggest, and if that's not enough for me, I'll eat a little more, but then I account for those calories so I can keep track and keep myself in check. Before I lost the weight, I used to wonder even more about their portion sizes, because at the time, if a recipe said it serves 8, I could count on it serving us two, and maybe enough left over for one lunch. No wonder I was 30 pounds overweight!!! I still have a big appetite, and it can be a challenge to eat just one "portion", but I really think CL is right about their portion sizes in terms of it's healthier to eat less. I also find that eating soup before a meal makes it EASY to eat just one portion - you really get filled up on the soup. Oh, and my husband, who is maybe 10 pounds overweight, usually eats two portions. I agree that one portion for him would never be enough, but men in general can eat so many more calories than women, and CL recipes are so much healthier than most other choices, so he's still better off eating a double portion of a CL recipe than a double portion of almost anything else!

[Mandy]

I agree that their portions are small. When I have a recipe that says it will serve 4 it usually will give us two dinner servings and one lunch serving, like LisaP said. I actually think that works great, because I'm the one that usually has the leftovers for lunch. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif And I agree that the dessert servings are very small. Who ever said that ONE cookie is a "serving of cookies"? And how do you cut a cake into 18 slices?

[pmmahan]

I think its a toss up. Sometimes, their portions are very hearty, other times they are a bit skimpy! I think it really depends on the amount of high fat/calorie foods in the recipe. For Example, in the Complete CL cookbook, I made Maple Scones (very good, by the way) However, it said there were something like 12 servings! Huh?? From a 9 in. cake pan? There was 1/4 cup butter in the recipe, that's why!
I think that they assume you will be rounding out the recipe with additions (for pasta or pizza, a salad and dessert, for example)
And I definitely think the dessert portions are too small!

[Kerri]

I have always felt that they main course portion sizes are pretty right on. Sure I could eat more after eating 1 serving, but usually I am full and I am fine if I stop. But the dessert, oh my!!! Totally ridiculous! It is nice that we can watch what we eat and still have some treats, but I really wish that cooking light would be a little more realistic.

[Sarah R]

Portion sizes seem small in these recipes only because we are used to eating more. It is easier to keep track of fat and calories if you stick to the portion sizes given but make up food volume by adding more fruits, vegetables or other foods that have minimal calories (either with the meal or after it). Have some dried apricots, an apple, or other fruit with your coffee, or add some salad or extra vegetables with your main. It is hard to get used to but eventually it will come to seem like a normal portion!

[RunnerKim]

I actually find the portion sizes to work well for me. I more or less keep track of what I'm eating (tally daily fat grams) We'll usually make 3 servings and split one for our lunch the next day. I also usually serve 1 or 2 other items (veggies, bread) so the main course isn't the whole meal. I agree the desserts are often small - I never bother to make brownies because their serving size is just way too small. But often the cakes, particularly cheesecakes are fine.

You'd be surprised at what you can get used to. It was a hard adjustment cutting down to only a half cup of ice cream (low fat) but now its normal. My husband and I almost dropped our mouth open in shock when we were at his parents house and his siblings/mother started talking about how a pint of ice cream is really only 1 maybe 2 servings (vs. the "real" 4). There was a time we would have felt the same.

Kim