A portion size guide – portioning properly made easy

A portion size guide: why the right amount on the plate is decisive

Do you know how much rice, vegetables or protein actually belongs on your plate? If not, you are not alone. According to the 8th Swiss Nutrition Report, around 40 per cent of adults in Switzerland regularly eat portions that are too large – often without noticing. This portion size guide shows you step by step how to put your meals together consciously without going without enjoyment. Because a balanced diet does not begin with bans, but with the right measure.

Studies by ETH Zurich from 2025 show that mindful portion control can lower the daily calorie surplus by 18 per cent on average. That means: you do not have to eat less – you simply have to portion more cleverly. In the following sections you will learn how that works in everyday life.

What is a portion? The most important guideline values at a glance

The Swiss Society for Nutrition (SGE) updated the Swiss food pyramid in 2025 and strengthened the focus on clear portion information. Here are the most important guideline values to serve as your daily orientation:

• Vegetables: One portion corresponds to around 120 g – the aim is at least three portions a day.
• Fruit: Also about 120 g per portion – two portions a day are recommended (together with vegetables that makes the well-known “5 a day” rule).
• Protein (meat, fish, tofu): An amount the size of your palm, so about 100–120 g.
• Carbohydrates (rice, pasta, bread): A clenched fist as a guide, which is roughly 150–200 g of cooked side dish.
• Fats and oils: A tablespoon (about 10 g) per meal is usually enough.
• Dairy products: A portion of cheese is about 30–60 g, a glass of milk around 200 ml.

These rules of thumb – in the truest sense of the word – make it easy to judge portions even without kitchen scales. If you would like to change your diet in a targeted way, you will find further practical everyday tips on our page about Herbalife nutrition.

The hand method: judging portion sizes without scales

Not everyone feels like weighing every meal. The good news: your hand is an astonishingly reliable measuring instrument that you always have with you. The so-called hand method is one of the simplest techniques for judging portions correctly:

• Palm (without fingers): Corresponds to a portion of protein – meat, fish or plant-based alternatives.
• A clenched fist: The ideal size for a portion of carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes or pasta.
• Two open hands (as a bowl): One portion of salad or raw vegetables.
• A thumb tip: A guide for fats such as butter or oil (about 1 teaspoon).
• A handful: Perfect for nuts, dried fruit or snacks (about 30 g).

This method is excellent for on the move, in a restaurant or in the canteen. You do not have to weigh anything or track anything – and you still keep an overview.

Predefined portions as an everyday aid

If you want it even simpler, you can go for ready-portioned meals. This principle is also behind the trend towards so-called pre-portioned meal kits, which according to GfK data are recording growth of 25 per cent in the Swiss market in 2026. The Herbalife Formula 1 Shake Chocolate works similarly: two tablespoons of powder (26 g) with 250 ml of low-fat milk make a clearly defined meal with around 220 kilocalories and about 18 g of protein. There is no guesswork about the right portion size, which makes it easier to get started with more mindful eating.

Portion control in everyday life: five practical strategies

Knowing the theory is one thing – putting it into practice in everyday life is another. These five strategies help you make portion control a habit:

1. Use smaller crockery: Studies show that we automatically serve more on large plates. A plate with a diameter of 22 cm instead of 28 cm can make the difference without your feeling that you are eating less.

2. Plan meals consciously: Anyone who already knows in the morning what will land on the plate at midday and in the evening makes better decisions. A structured Herbalife breakfast can offer a good starting point for that and influence the rhythm of the day positively.

3. Portion protein first: The “protein-first portioning” trend has gained importance in 2026. Start plating up with the protein source, add vegetables and fill the rest with carbohydrates. That way a balanced distribution arises almost automatically.

4. Eat more slowly: Mindful eating is more than a trend. Anyone who takes 20 minutes over a meal gives the body the chance to signal fullness in good time. Chew consciously, put the cutlery down between bites.

5. Use digital aids: AI-based apps with image recognition can judge portion sizes on the plate automatically in 2026. These tools are particularly suitable in the early phase, in order to develop a feel for amounts.

Portion sizes for drinks – the often overlooked factor

When we talk about portion control, most people think of solid food. But drinks provide calories too – and they are frequently underestimated. A large glass of orange juice (300 ml) already contains around 130 kilocalories, a latte macchiato with syrup quickly 250 kilocalories and more.

So pay attention to the amount with drinks too. Water and unsweetened tea are calorie-free alternatives that you can drink spread over the day. If you are looking for variety, you can build the Herbalife Herbal Tea Lemon into everyday life as a tasty option, for example – a practical addition that is easy to portion.

The right portion size for snacks

Snacks are another area in which portion control is decisive. A handful of nuts (about 30 g) is a valuable snack; half a bag, by contrast, quickly provides 500 kilocalories. Portion snacks into small containers or bags in advance instead of eating straight from the packaging. That way you keep control without having to calculate all the time.

Portion control as a long-term habit

Perhaps the most important point in this portion size guide is this: it is not about perfection. It is about developing an awareness of amounts that becomes a habit over time. You do not have to weigh every meal to the gram. The hand method, smaller crockery, predefined meals and a little mindfulness are enough to make a noticeable difference.

If you would like to look into weight management in more depth, you will find on our page Losing weight with Herbalife further information on how mindful eating in combination with exercise can contribute to a balanced lifestyle. You will find further wellness results on herbalife.com.

Discover our products on myherbal.ch – and take the first step towards more mindful eating with clearly defined portions.