The Perfect Plate

The good news is that with a few simply changes, you take control of your portioning and plate your meals in a mindful way. This approach is geared towards a nutritious, balanced meal and you’ll find that you’re just as full.

Step 1: Make sure your plate size isn’t too big. Studies have shown that smaller plates help to trick us into thinking we’ve eaten more than we actually have. With a larger plate, you automatically feel obligated to fill it as a small portion looks unsatisfying.

Step 2: Get yourself some American cup measures, you can use these to portion out all of your food quickly without faffing with scales.

Step 3: Vegetables should always be the first food you put onto your plate. They contain so many essential nutrients and are the star of the show. You’ll want to add about two cups of vegetables with your meals, whether it’s salad, steamed or roasted veg.

Step 4: Starchy veg and grains such as rice, couscous, quinoa and lentils are difficult to portion and we are often left with a little more than we need, which we eat anyway. Next time you’re cooking these, use a cup portion as your guide. A rule of thumb is half a cup per person, although if you’re managing your weight, you could reduce this slightly to a third of a cup.

Step 5: The average adult only needs 45-55g of protein every day, which is a lot less than you think. Foods like chicken and salmon are easy as one breast or fillet is perfect, but if you're adding a stew, curry or a joint of meat aim for one cup, which is about 85g. If you're vegetarian or vegan this will be half a cup of tofu, tempeh or beans.

Of course if you're still worried about your portion sizing, we have a wide range of delicious meals available to choose from when you sign up to our plan. We've done all the hard work so you don't need to!