Food coach Judy Davie shows us the size and ratios of a healthy dinner.
Super-sized meals might seem like value for money but there is no value in eating so much that you gain weight and increase the risk of many weight-related diseases.
Have a look at what a well-portioned evening meal looks like to see if you are super-sizing your meals or eating too much meat.
Vegetables take up more than half the space on the plate but only represent 20 per cent of the kilojoules of the meat and potatoes combined. For the greatest number of nutrients it's best to eat a selection of multi-coloured vegetables, and because they are low in energy, you can afford to eat a lot of them.
A 120g piece of meat, approximately the size of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards, is enough to give you a feeling of satiety and provide a range of nutrients including iron and zinc. If it hangs over the edge of the plate it's far too big.
We all like our carbohydrates but most of us eat too much. Three small potatoes or a serve of rice or pasta that takes up the same amount of space on the plate as the protein serve is sufficient.
Judy Davie is the author and co-author of the books, The Food Coach Recipe Book (Penguin), Read the Label (Random House) and Star Foods (ABC Books).
Judy also produces and presents online videos that show how to make delicious and easy healthy meals. Visit her website at www.thefoodcoach.com.au