Proper

Portioning Procedures
Why should we care about accurate portion sizes in hospital foodservice?

The cooks prepare a certain amount of each food item based on the number of patients that
order that food. Accurate portioning ensures that waste is minimized and that the trayline
doesnt run out of food.
Portion sizes are specifically set to provide patients with adequate nutrition. Following the
portion size guidelines prevents patients from being served too much or too little food.
This is especially important for patients who are not on regular diets because their health
may be impacted if they get more or less of a particular nutrient

Quick & Easy Guide to Using Scoops, Ladles, and Spoodles

Ladle/Spoodle Size

Scoop Size

Color

Yield

#20

Yellow

1 oz

2 oz

#16

Dark Blue

cup

#12

Green

cup

4 oz

#8

Gray

cup

6 oz

cup

8 oz

1 cup

Regular Portions vs. Diabetic (CCD) Portions

Utensil

Regular
Portion

Tongs

4 oz

Spoodle
or Spatula
Scoop or
spoodle
Scoop or
spoodle

6 oz
4 oz
4 oz

Tongs

4 oz

Scoop or
spoodle

4 oz

Spoodle

4 oz

Item
Protein
sliced meat
Casserole
Entre*
Starch Rice

Diabetic
(CCD)
Portion

Utensil

4 oz

Tongs

4 oz
3 oz

Spoodle
or Spatula
2-#20
scoops
2-#20
scoops

Starch
Short-Pasta
Starch Long
Thin Noodles
Starch
Potato

3 oz

Tongs

4 oz

Scoop

Vegetable

4 oz

Spoodle

3oz

TIP: When portioning out

protein or pasta with tongs,
imagine a deck of cards or the
palm of your hand these are
good visual guides for
estimating the correct amount
of meat, chicken, or fish!

*When serving casserole entrees, be sure to check with the directions or chef to make sure the precut portions are the appropriate size for each diet.