Many of my clients tell me that they are confused about how much they should (or shouldn’t) be eating.

It can be very misleading when reading food packaging to gauge exactly how much is a recommended portion size.

More often than not, restaurants and supermarkets lead us to believe that what they are selling is the correct portion size for one person. When, in reality, it’s likely to be about one and a half to two times as much!

So how do we control the amount of food that we eat? The best way is to educate ourselves on what is the right portion size for all foods from the various food groups. This way we can be armed with the knowledge before we are presented with more than we need.

However, this doesn’t mean complaining to the restaurant manager next time we eat out, or stopping ourselves from enjoying the odd take away. It means that by being aware of the recommended portions sizes we can help to ensure that both ourselves and our families eat the right amount of food for the majority of the time.

I found Bupa’s guidelines on portion sizes to be the most clear and easy to understand. Below is a summary of their recommendations:

STARCHY FOODS: Eight to 10 portions per day (to maintain weight for an average adult, depending on your activity level)

Some typical amounts for one meal may include the following:

• Cereal – nine tablespoons (three portions)
• Bread – two slices (two portions)
• Baked potato – one medium baked potato (two portions)
• Boiled potatoes – four small potatoes (two portions)
• Pasta – nine tablespoons (three portions)
• Rice – six tablespoons (three portions)
• Noodles – one block of dried noodles (one portion)
• Pitta bread – a filled pitta bread (two portions)

Meat, fish and other proteins: Two to three portions per day (with at least one portion of oily fish a week)

One portion counts as the following:

• Lean meat – 100g raw / 75g cooked
• Fish – 75g oily fish or 150g white fish
• Eggs – two medium sized eggs
• Baked beans – five tablespoons (half a tin)
• Pulses – four tablespoons
• Nuts – two tablespoons

DAIRY: 3 portions per day

A portion includes the following:

• Milk – 200ml (a small glass)
• Yoghurt – 150ml (a small pot)
• Hard cheese – 30g (size of a small matchbox)
• Cottage cheese – 90g or about two tablespoons

FRUIT & VEGETABLES: At least 5 portions per day

One portion is 80g of any fruit or vegetable. Examples include:

• Large fruit – one or two slices of large fruit (such as mango, pineapple or papaya)
• Medium sized fruit – one medium sized fruit (such as an apple, orange, banana or peach)
• Small fruit – two small fruits (such as kiwis, plums, satsumas or clementines)
• Grapes and berries – one to two handfuls of grapes or berries
• Fruit juice and smoothies – 150ml (a small glass)
• Mixed veg – three heaped tablespoons (such as peas, carrots and sweetcorn)
• Salad leaves –one dessert bowl
• Beans – three heaped tablespoons

FAT & SUGAR: limit your intake of these foods

Foods high in fat include butter, cream, chocolate and cakes. Foods and drinks high in sugar include soft drinks, sweets and biscuits. You should only eat foods from this group sparingly.