Super-sized meals might seem like value for money but there is no value in eating so much that you gain weight and increase the risk of many weight-related diseases.
Have a look at what a well-portioned evening meal looks like to see if you are super-sizing your meals or eating too much meat.
Vegetables
Vegetables take up more than half the space on the plate but only represent 20 per cent of the kilojoules of the meat and potatoes combined. For the greatest number of nutrients it's best to eat a selection of multi-coloured vegetables, and because they are low in energy, you can afford to eat a lot of them.
Snow peas, zucchini and asparagus = 171kJ
Capsicum and carrot = 60kJ
Pumpkin and squash = 150kJ
Protein
A 120g piece of meat, approximately the size of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards, is enough to give you a feeling of satiety and provide a range of nutrients including iron and zinc. If it hangs over the edge of the plate it's far too big.
120g lean steak = 885kJ
Carbohydrate
We all like our carbohydrates but most of us eat too much. Three small potatoes or a serve of rice or pasta that takes up the same amount of space on the plate as the protein serve is sufficient.
3 small potatoes = 902kJ
Posted in: Diet
