The amount of food you eat is just as important as the quality of the food you choose. A major contributor to our nation’s overall poor health is lack of portion control. For years the serving size was buried in the small print, and often it is measured in quantities that you can’t measure at home.

Serving sizes vary with age but can be estimated easily by using everyday objects. The easiest measure is the palm of the hand. It is always with you, and it grows as you grow. This makes it easy to serve up the correct amount to both your toddler and your college linebacker.

Other objects you can use to estimate portion include:

• 1 slice of bread = 1 cassette tape

• ½ cup pasta or rice = a tennis ball

• 1 piece of fruit or cup of leafy greens = tennis ball

• ½ cup fruit or chopped vegetables = lightbulb

• 3 ounces lean meat = a deck of cards, or a checkbook

• 1 ounce cheese = 4 dice

• 2 tablespoons peanut butter = 1 ping pong ball