additional guidance on food portion sizes

Meat and fish 1 portion is the size of a deck of playing cards.

Cheese 1 portion is the size of a small box of matches.

Fruit and vegetables A good measure is what would fit into the palm of your hand or the size of your own fist for 1 portion. A minimum of 5 portions each day is recommended. We suggest that you continue to set SMART goals to increase this.

A portion is not a serving! When counting portions on the programme we are using the term “portion” as a measurement to support weight loss. It is not the same as a serving determined by a food outlet or manufacturer or what you may normally put on your plate. A meal may contain more than 1 portion of your daily allowance (e.g. for the food group “potatoes, bread, rice, pasta and other starchy carbohyrates” a sandwich would be 2 slices of bread which counts as 2 portions, a medium jacket potato is likely to be 2 portions) Here are some examples of how you may choose to spread your portion allowance throughout the day:

Portion plan 1 Portion plan 2 Portion plan 3

Breakfast 6 tablespoons of breakfast flakes with milk and mixed berries

Snack Banana 2 slices toast with low fat spread (2 tsps) Small glass of pure fruit juice

Baked crisps 2 poached eggs on muffin with low fat spread (2 tsps) (split into 2 halves) Small handful of dried fruit OR smoothie

Lunch Tuna mayo sandwich (2 slices of bread with spread (1tsp) 2 tsp low cal mayo) Yoghurt (1 pot – 200g) Apple Medium jacket potato (or sweet potato) with spread (1tsp) with baked beans Large slice of melon

Snack Slice of malt loaf Apple

Dinner Spaghetti Bolognese (mince fried in 1 tsp olive oil, pasta – 6 tbsp) made with extra veg and a mixed salad Baked apple with cinnamon and Fromage frais (1 pot – 150g)

Evening snack 2 satsumas

Other Milk for cereal/hot drinks (1 portion) Baked salmon filet, cous cous (3 heaped tbsp), green beans and sweetcorn Yoghurt

Handful of grapes and matchbox size piece of low fat cheese, 3 crackers Milk for hot drinks (1 portion) Low fat cream cheese (equivalent to 4 matchbox size) on crackers (6 crackers) topped with pineapple

½ bagel with low fat spread (2tsps)

Chicken with rice (4 tablespoons) and mixed vegetables Fresh fruit salad

2 kiwi fruit

Milk for hot drinks (1 portion)

total portions used

Starchy carbs 7 Protein 2 Dairy 3 Fruit & veg 6 Oil & spreads 2 High fat/high sugar 1 Starchy carbs 7 Protein 2 Dairy 3 Fruit & veg 6 Oil & spreads 2 High fat/high sugar 1 Starchy carbs 7 Protein 2 Dairy 3 Fruit & veg 5 Oil & spreads 2 High fat/high sugar 0

This plan adds up to the daily portion allowance for a woman. A man would need to add: 1 additional starchy carb portion.