The standard serving size defined by the USDA for dietary requirements of the Food Pyramid
differs from portion size. One serving of pasta, for example is 1/2 cup, a fraction of the portion
you might actually eat.
To visualize these serving sizes, think of a baseball as being the equivalent of a medium sized
piece of fruit or 1 cup of food. Half a cup would be around the size of half a baseball.
FRUIT
1 medium sized piece of fruit or 1/2 cup of sliced fruit
VEGETABLES
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables or 1/2 cup of cut vegetables
FRUIT OR VEGETABLE JUICE
3/4 cup
FISH, MEAT, POULTRY
2-3 ounces (about the size of a deck of cards)
BEANS
1/2 cup
DAIRY PRODUCTS
1 1/2 ounce cheese (about the size of half a deck of cards)
1 cup of milk or yogurt
NUTS
1/3 cup
BREAD
1 slice
CEREAL
1 cup
RICE, PASTA
1/2 cup
Serving Size