YOUR (HANDY) GUIDE TO PORTION SIZING PICK A SMALL PLATE
Think you know how big a serving should be? Follow this simple trick to avoid piling up your plate
Most foods that we enjoy are ne in moderation. However, if you’re trying to eat healthily, accidental upsizing is one of the most common ways that we undo all that good work.
“Having big portions obviously means we eat more, and it’s really easy to cook and serve out more than you need,” nutrition scientist Helena Gibson-moore explains. “A quick check of your food portions when cooking and serving may help to save on calories – it’s all about getting the portion size right for you.”
If you use a huge plate or bowl, you can ll it and not realise you’re overeating. “Using smaller plates will help you serve more realistic portion sizes,” suggests Helena. “If you’re still hungry, you can then have second helpings of the vegetables or salad, or have fruit for afters.”
SNACK ATTACK
When munching away on snacks such as sweets or chips, make sure that you check your portion size as it’s easy to keep nibbling on the naughty stu “When eating a small bag of crisps or a small chocolate bar, aim to keep your intake within 100 to 150 calories,” advises Helena.
LEAVE THE LEFTOVERS
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Resist going back for extras when you’ve nished your meal. “If you’ve got enough for another portion, then have it for lunch the next day or pop it in the freezer for a meal when you’re pushed for time,” says Helena. Always making more? Try to adjust how much you cook for future meals.
FILL UP ON FRUIT & VEG
“e good news is that, provided you don’t add fat and sugar, you can have servings of most fruit and vegetables for relatively few calories,” says Helena. Size up on these rather than carbs when you’re feeling extra hungry.
PERFECT PREP
Try to avoid cooking more than you need. “Weighing foods is the most accurate way to check how much to cook, but you can also use your hands or other measures,” says Helena.
FRUIT
Small fruits, such as berries and grapes, can be piled into cupped palms. Low in calories, virtually fat-free and rich in antioxidants, blueberries and raspberries can be added to porridge or yoghurt.
NUTS
A great snack option, nuts and seeds are filling and contain important unsaturated fats, essential for a healthy heart, hair and skin. A serving should fit into a cupped palm.
CHEESE
Protein-rich but still fairly high in fat, you should only have around 30g of cheese at each serving, which comes in at around 125 calories.
VEGETABLES
A clenched fist works out to be the 30g you need to eat for one serving of fresh vegetables. Mix up vegies like broccoli, carrots and sweetcorn to get a good variety.
OILY FISH
Eat around 200g of oily fish, such as mackerel, salmon and tuna, twice a week. They’re rich in omega oils, which are essential for heart function.
BUTTER
Portions of butter and other spreads like peanut butter should be no bigger than a thumb tip. Try not to have more than two portions a day.
POTATO
A baked potato has around 200 calories of the carbs needed for energy. Try a sweet potato for a healthier option that’s also high in vitamin A.
MEAT
A portion of meat should be the size of your palm, not including fingers. Opt for lean options such as steak or low-fat beef mince, but don’t eat more than 500g a week.
UNCOOKED PASTA AND RICE
A 75g portion of uncooked pasta provides around 200 calories and essential carbs for energy. Choose wholemeal or brown over white varieties.
CHOCOLATE
A few squares of chocolate, around 20g, add up to 100 calories. Go for darker, high-cocoa content varieties, which contain antioxidants. Enjoy as an occasional treat.
Autumn is easing its way into the landscape after a summer that has been extreme for many of us. You’ll nd that now is a much more comfortable time of year to be getting out in the garden. It’s also a good time to plan a few tasks to help your garden bounce back from the recent heat while also building resilience for winter.
FLOWERING NOW
e early bloomers that we often associate with cooler seasons are kicking o now. Some standouts are:
SASANQUA CAMELLIAS ese gorgeous early- owering camellias have simple, open owers in pinks, reds and whites. It’s not unusual for the leaves to be almost completely obscured by blooms on an abundantly owering plant. As they prune well, they can make fabulous hedges too.
AZALEAS In the cooler regions the early varieties are just kicking o their seasonal cavalcade of colour. In pinks, near reds, whites and everything in between, many will reach their peak in autumn and keep spot owering until spring! ey are available in small to medium shrub forms.
TIBOUCHINA ere are a few di erent species but the largest can grow as tall as 10m under ideal conditions. Tibouchina granulosa, “purple glory bush”, is in full
ower now. Massed with luxuriant, velvetylooking blooms in violet-purple, rosypurple and pink, they are just gorgeous.
STENOCARPUS SINUATUS A fabulous native tree that’s now in ower is the Queensland rewheel tree, Stenocarpus sinuatus. Its bright orange to scarlet owers have a fascinating at circular shape, giving them a wheel-like look. Kids will be absolutely fascinated by the fallen owers.
WHAT TO PLANT
It’s time to start planning for the cooler months as well as the coming spring. Autumn is a fabulous time for planting.
ere are still plenty of nice, long, warm days, so the soil stays warm, giving plants a chance to establish before winter.
ANY CONTAINER-GROWN PLANTS It may sound like a sweeping generalisation but experienced gardeners will tell you now is the time to plant potted shrubs and trees.
SPRING FLOWERING BULBS Plant jonquils, da odils, Dutch iris, freesia, hyacinth, snow akes, ranunculus and more now. Make sure beds or pots have good drainage, and if the soil is still very wet then perhaps hold back until it dries a little.
CLASSIC MARIGOLDS ese owers will quickly establish if planted now.
PANSIES & SMALLER VIOLAS ey will give you a long, colourful and cheerful show well into winter. Some varieties look lovely in baskets and pots too.
THE VEGIE PATCH
Unless you’re in the tropics or warm sub-tropics, then clear out all of those summer vegie crops. Before you plant your new season crops, make sure you feed the soil with compost, manure and suitable fertiliser to match the needs of the varieties you’ll plant.
Crops to plant now include:
• Beetroot and its close cousin, silverbeet
• Broad beans
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Peas
• Onions
• Winter varieties of lettuce