Portion sizes can be confusing. The table below is designed to provide some context to “a cup of…” and other similar measurements.
The measurement of one serving size is either in cups (fruit, vegetables, dairy), oz (grains, protein) or teaspoons (fats and oils).
| Fruits 1 cup | Vegetables 1 cup | Grains 1 oz equivalent | Protein 1 oz equivalent | Dairy 1 cup | Fats and oils teaspoons |
| ½ large apple 1 small apple 1 cup sliced apple 1 cup applesauce | 1 cup cooked dark green leafy vegetables | 1 slice bread | 1 oz cooked lean meat | 1 cup any milk or yogurt | ½ medium avocado = 3 teaspoons |
| 1 medium pear 1 cup sliced pear | 2 cups raw dark green leafy vegetables | 1/3 bagel | 1 oz cooked poultry without skin | 2 cups cottage cheese | 4 large olives = ½ teaspoon |
| 1 banana 1 cup sliced banana | 1 cup broccoli 3 broccoli spears | 1 small muffin | 1 sandwich slice of turkey | ½ cup ricotta cheese | 1 oz hazelnuts = 4 teaspoons |
| 1 cup pineapple | 1 cup raw or cooked carrots 2 medium carrots | ½ cup cooked grains (rice, millet, buckwheat, oat, pasta) | 1 egg | 1 cup frozen yogurt | 1 oz almonds, cashews, peanuts, mixed nuts = 3 teaspoons |
| 8 strawberries 1 cup (straw)berries | 1 cup cooked sweet potato, pumpkin or butternut squash | 1 oz dry grains (rice, millet, buckwheat, oat, pasta) | 1 oz cooked fish | 1 cup pudding with milk | 1 oz seeds = 3 teaspoons |
| 100% fruit juice | 1 large baked sweet potato | 1 cup cereal | 1 oz cooked shellfish | 1.5 oz hard cheese | |
| ½ any dried fruit | 1 large pepper | 3 cups popped popcorn | 12 almonds | 1/3 cup shredded cheese | |
| 1 cup sliced watermelon | 1 large tomato 1 cup raw or cooked tomato 1 cup tomato juice | 5 whole wheat crackers | 24 pistachios | 1.5 cups ice cream | |
| 1 cup sliced plum 2 large plums 3 medium plums | 1 cup green peas, white potatoes or corn | 1 tortilla | 7 walnut halves | ||
| 1 large orange 1 cup sliced orange | 1 medium baked or boiled white potato | ½ oz nuts or seeds | |||
| 1 cup mixed fruit | 1 cup cooked beans and peas | 1 tsp nut butter | |||
| 1 medium grapefruit 1 cup sliced grapefruit | 1 cup raw or cooked mushrooms | ¼ cup cooked beans, peas, tofu | |||
| 1 cup sliced pineapple | 1 cup raw or cooked onions | 1 oz tempeh | |||
| 1 large peach 2 canned peach halves 1 cup sliced peach | 1 cup cooked zucchini | 2 tbsp hummus | |||
| 1 cup grapes 32 grapes | 1 cup raw cucumbers |
