Food Percentages

[miscellamy]

I remember reading in the Hip Chick's Guide that the percentages of grains, veggies, beans, etc. is by weight, not by volume. So filling one's plate half full of rice is actually eating out of proportion.

How do I estimate the weights of things without getting a scale out? Does anyone have an idea of what amount 1 serving of cooked rice for someone is?

Thanks for the help!
amy

I've found that it helps to divide your plate visually. Look at it like a clock face and fill it in "ten minute" increments. If vegies are supposed to be 50% of that meal, fill in noon to 5 o'clock.

[Klara]

to anonymous,

thanks for replying to an older post - I always feel badly when some post slips by and there are no responses

ok, could be reason why I write so often, but I too would love to hear from more people

Amy, I'm on lots of discussions where people sometimes say that even this amount of grain is too much for their particular condition - and also vegetables, often, do weigh less than grains or beans. I try (don't always succeed) to have more than one vegetable, a long cooked, and a short cooked (often greens) to help ensure that I get enough vegetables.

I once spoke to a cook who says when cooking for people, she measures 1/3 to 1/2 cup (uncooked) grains per person per meal - I think 1 cup cooked grains is more than enough, but again depends on person, for some 1/2 cup cooked may be sufficient.

Also know it doesn't need to always be rice. Some people I know do better with other grains, like millet.

Also you can add some vegetables into the cooking of the rice - tho I'd heard from one teacher that doesn't count towards the quantity of the vegetables - it still counts as the rice part - but in my mind it does help to increase the vegetables you are getting, no??

also not on the dish itself, but soup and dessert (which can be made from sweet vegetables, such as carrots, pumpkins, sweet potatoes) are also included in the ratios. Also appetisers if you have them. I don't mean that just having lots of desserts counts towards vegetables lol but rather it changes the ratio of all the foods - otoh, guess we're not really to have too many sweets, meaning not every day

Klara