2/2/11 Avoid oversized portions. Post #2 of 6
February 2, 2011 
A second key message from the 2010 Dietary Guidelines to consumers: Avoid oversized portions.
Oversized portions? Avoid eating out, expecially at buffets or ordering all you can eat items off the menu. If you do go out to eat, try subbing typical sides that come with your meal (baked potatoe/french fries) for a vegetable or fruit. Ordering a hamburger, have some steamed broccoli, a salad, or fruit cup on the instead of those fries.
SHARE foods while at home and out. We, as a family, often share 1-2 adult meals for the four of us. Kids don’t typically get the kids meal while out to eat.
SPLIT foods. Eat 1/2 banana and give the rest to someone else. Have 1/2 of a sandwich and get a side salad.
COOK at home. Your oversized portions will be harder to do at home.
Restuarants are TERRIBLE about giving too much food! I typically bring half home to have a second meal (if my husband with the excellent metabolism doesn’t eat it first)! We do try to share with the kids but they don’t always like what we like…so what do you recommend for that situation?
Thanks April for your comment. Here are some examples of what we do. (Our reasons are doubled. For me, it is about the nutrition. For my husband, it is about that green dollar!)
Kids meals tend to be over-priced and include a drink and a not so nutritious side.
1. We usually all drink water when we dine out, so therefore the kids do too.
2. One of the adults will order an adult meal that we know the kids will like too. (Today, ordered chicken tacos. My nephew ate the grilled chicken by itself, rice & beans, and some of a plain tortilla.) Sometimes kids do better with adult foods “broken up” a bit.
3. We share fajitas for one often. This is enough food for all four of us believe it or not….when speaking about controlled portions.
4. If all else fails, order one kid’s meal to split between maybe 2 or 3 kids. The main entree could be shared and then the kids can share some sides that the parerents are getting.