Serving Sizes Vs Package Sizes

xrayhexx
xrayhexx Posts: 11 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I knew that serving sizes weren't always the same as the package sizes different foods came in. Now that I'm tracking everything I eat, it's really amazing the difference there can be. For example, a snack size tube pack of Blue Diamond almonds holds 80g, but a single serve is around 27g. On the flip side, my local supermarket sells a 3-pack of single serve hummus. The nutritional info on the back is for *the entire three pack*, not a single container. (Honestly, I felt a bit deflated when I initially thought one tiny serve would equal an entire meal's calories before I realized the error.)

So while I was aware that there were differences between serving size and package size, it's pretty eye-opening to see that example played out from meal-to-meal on a daily basis!

Anyone else had similar experiences or an advise on packaging/serving size related missteps to watch out for?

Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    Yeah, unfortunately the manufacturers will fool around with serving size to get the numbers to line up the way they want them. Like snack bags of chips that a small person could inhale in 2.7 seconds that says there are 2 servings in the bag. I've also found foods where the "serving size" is different on different sized packages.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    Read labels carefully before eating. Sometimes the information is for the whole thing or as you noted just a portion. A packet or ramen or a can of spaghetti might suprise some people by the amount of servings on the label. Some higher calorie foods give a serving size that is not the whole thing or is an odd amount to appear lower calorie. You might have to do some math to figure it out for what you would actually eat as a normal person.
    For logging a serving size is whatever you actually ate. If you can log by grams it is easier.
  • xrayhexx
    xrayhexx Posts: 11 Member
    Lounmoun wrote: »
    If you can log by grams it is easier.

    Yes, I'm doing this. :) I've found grams is the easiest way to measure.

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    A serving is whatever the manufacturer wants it to be. To be certain you're eating the amount of calories you think you are, you must be certain you're eating the number of servings you think you are. And that can be tricky enough. A portion is how many servings you choose to serve yourself (and that number can be one, or less than one, or more than one). I'm not always happy to live in Norway, but I like that we don't use "servings" very much, almost not at all; nutritional values are given for 100 grams.
  • xrayhexx
    xrayhexx Posts: 11 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I'm not always happy to live in Norway, but I like that we don't use "servings" very much, almost not at all; nutritional values are given for 100 grams.

    Interesting. I like the idea of everything being given values per 100g. It'd make everything that much easier to track.

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    xrayhexx wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I'm not always happy to live in Norway, but I like that we don't use "servings" very much, almost not at all; nutritional values are given for 100 grams.

    Interesting. I like the idea of everything being given values per 100g. It'd make everything that much easier to track.
    I would be happy to say that it keeps people thin, but we struggle with weight here too :# Eating too much (or not) is always going to be a personal choice; facilitating better decisions, is all the government/manufacturers/shop owners can do for our health.
  • DX2JX2
    DX2JX2 Posts: 1,921 Member
    xrayhexx wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I'm not always happy to live in Norway, but I like that we don't use "servings" very much, almost not at all; nutritional values are given for 100 grams.

    Interesting. I like the idea of everything being given values per 100g. It'd make everything that much easier to track.

    We're kind of there in the US for small items. Serving sizes reflected on packages tend to be for 28g, or per one ounce.

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