Practicing portion control

Food quality is vitally important, but quantity is also a big deal. Controlling how much you eat can be a simple way to establish some good habits on the way to a healthy diet. Over the past few decades, portions have increased — big time. Bagels have doubled in size since the 1990s. A regular bottle of Coca-Cola was 6.5 ounces in 1955; the standard 12-ounce can debuted in 1960; and the Super Big Gulp fountain drink, a whopping 44 ounces, rolled out at 7-Eleven convenience stores in 1983. You can try the tips and tricks below all at once. But choosing and getting used to them one at a time might help you achieve longer-lasting habits.

Your dinner plates should be 9 inches in diameter. Honest. Also, use small bowls.

Shrink your plates: Cut up your food:

More pieces take up space and seem like more food.

Paint your plate:

When your eatables are pops of color against the plate, you tend to eat less.

Recognize your thirst:

If you think you’re hungry, you might be thirsty. Drink water and wait for 15 minutes.

Time your hydration:

A glass of water up to 30 minutes before a meal can prevent overeating.

Take it out of the package:

the ice cream or chips in a bowl. Eat ice cream with a small spoon.

Think about it — slowly: Divide and conquer: Write it down:

Put

Mindful and slow eating helps you know when you’re full.

Divide those bargain-sized bags of snacks into smaller ones.

A food diary can help you keep track of what and how much you’re eating.

To learn more about how much of what kinds of food should go on your plate, go to www.myplate.gov or download the Start Simple With MyPlate app. Consider taking the MyPlate quiz to see how your diet measures up. The site also has hundreds of recipes for healthy meals. You can even buy MyPlate divided portion-control plates online.