by Laura Everage

Today I couldn’t stand the smell coming from the refrigerator any longer. Something lurking inside has been there for a long time. The culprit was rice. Actually, nine out of 10 times, rice is the culprit for the stink coming out of our refrigerator. The waste drives me crazy, but I just can’t seem to prepare the proper amount for dinner. 

Our family isn’t into controlling portions for weight loss, but we do need to know how much is enough. So, I did a bit of investigation. A typical portion size for grains is one-half cup, or roughly a handful. But that would mean I’m making 3 cups of rice for a meal, and that, I know, is way too much for us. No doubt, following those guidelines would lead to a stinky fridge.

It is hard to figure out, especially when kids are involved. One day they love the rice, the next day they have no interest in eating it. For that reason, I am determined to use that rice in lunch and dinner leftovers before it goes bad. 

As I think about portion sizes, I’m having the same problem with pasta, couscous, and other side dishes I make. I remember making a mac and cheese recipe found in a Mollie Katzen cookbook, and as I poured in the recommended amount of pasta, I realized, this just isn’t going to feed our family.  I immediately doubled the recipe, but it made me wonder, am I over feeding my family? 

The correct portion size for pasta size is a half a cup, or roughly the size of a tennis ball. If I served a tennis-ball sized mound of pasta to my kids, I know that they’re going to ask for more (and, I’m assuming that this recommendation is for adults).