The Upside to Downsizing Dinnerware
We live in the land of the large. Even the dishes we serve our food on have evolved from efficient to indulgent. Dinner plates today push 11 inches in diameter, with some making it to 12. A Franciscan Ware dinner plate from the 1930s measures 9 inches across, in contrast.
Because dinnerware and glass sizes have grown over the years, we have a misperception of what normal portions look like.
We can trick ourselves into eating less by downsizing dinnerware. A properly portioned meal will “look” like more food when served on smaller plate, says Amy Jamieson Petonic, a registered dietitian at Fairview Hospital in Cleveland. Some people stash their dinner plates for posterity and use salad plates, about 6 inches across, for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The Art of Composing a Meal
To be sure you’re getting the best nutritional balance from a dinner, experts recommend visually dividing a plate into quarters: Fill one-quarter with protein, one-quarter with whole grains or rice and one-half with vegetables.
