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How to Keep a Food Diary
Eating in-between meals and munching throughout the entire day
are patterns of eating that could be contributing more calories
to your diet than you realize. A food diary is a tool for
recording the foods (and portion size/amount) you’ve eaten
in a day so you can increase your awareness of what you are consuming.
To start, keep a food diary throughout three or four days (ideally
including one or two weekend days) to help you determine “what” you’re
eating and “when” you’re eating. Look carefully
at the foods you choose and do your best at estimating the portion
size of the food you’re eating. Although this will
not be a perfect representation of your typical diet, after four
days it should give you better information about your “patterns” or
eating habits.
Tips for Using a Food Diary
- It is best to record what you eat as soon as you can and record
all foods that are eaten, so you have an accurate record of what
calories are “sneaking” into your daily consumption.
- Remember to include the beverages you drink as part of what
you consume for meals and snacks.
- If you eat a “mixed food” such as a sandwich, include
the mayo or butter that you might add to the bread. Include
butter that you might put on cooked veggies or dressing that
might top off a salad.
Portion Size Guidelines
Here are some portion size guidelines to help you in determining
how much you might be eating. Keep in mind, a portion of
food is fairly small. The amounts you normally eat probably
constitute more than one serving. For example, a typical
portion of cooked spaghetti noodles, cereal, or cooked rice equals
about 2.5 cups. That’s how much we would normally
eat! Yet, the correct portion is one half cup. This
means that under typical circumstances, we’re eating five
servings but count it as ONE!
Portions of Food
| Food |
Size of one serving |
easy way to assess |
| Breads |
1 slice |
store cut slices of loaf bread |
| Hot dog bun |
1/2 of bun |
whole bun = 2 servings |
| Hamburger bun |
1/2 of bun |
whole bun = 2 servings |
| Sub roll |
1/2 of a 4” roll |
whole sub roll = 4+ servings |
| Cereal |
3/4 cup |
amount to fill a cupcake liner |
| Rice, pasta, beans |
1/2 cup cooked |
size of a tangerine |
| Cooked veggies |
1/2 cup |
size of a tangerine |
| Raw veggies |
1 cup |
size of a tennis ball |
| Fruit |
1 small |
4" banana or half a fist |
| Canned fruit |
1/2 cup |
half a fist |
| Fruit juice |
3/4 cup |
size of a medium potato |
| Dried fruits or nuts |
1/4 cup |
sprinkle over the palm |
| Milk or yogurt |
1 cup |
size of tennis ball |
| Cheese |
1 1/2 -2 ounces |
size of small bar of soap |
| Turkey or chicken |
3 ounces |
size of a small cell phone |
| Beef, pork, fish |
3 ounces |
size of a small cell phone
|
| Butter, margaine, oil |
1 tablespoon |
top of your thumb with nail |
Creating a Food Diary
Following is an example of a page from a food diary and a blank form for you
to start your own.
Example:
Date June 5, 2005
Food Item Eaten/Beverage Consumed — Portion
Size
Breakfast: blueberry yogurt—1 serving (6
oz); whole wheat toast—1 piece with butter—1 pat
Snack: cranberries—1 cup; coffee—1
cup with 2 creams added
Lunch: turkey sandwich (2 slices wheat bread,
1 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 leaf of lettuce, 1 slice Swiss cheese, about
1 serving of sliced turkey); 1 bag potato chips; 1 medium apple;
1 soda (12-ounce can); and 1 chocolate chip cookie
Snack: microwave popcorn—1 bag; 1 soda
(12-ounce can),
Dinner: homemade turkey pot pie—2 servings
(mixed vegetables—corn, peas, carrots, potatoes; pastry
crust; gravy); 1 glass of milk (8 ounces); 1 white dinner roll
with butter—1 pat
Snack: ice cream—3 scoops; 1 soda (12-ounce
can),
Download Food Diary in PDF form.
Before beginning any diet or exercise program, it is recommended
that you consult your physician or other qualified health care provider.
More fitness & Nutrition Tips >>
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