PORTION CONTROL: Oil Spray Bottles

Cooking at home is a great way to support weight maintenance. However, portion control when cooking can still be an issue, especially when it comes to oil. Measuring oil carefully is especially important because even though many varieties contain healthy fats (olive, safflower, avocado), they can still pack on the calories pretty quickly. The key is to avoid pouring oil directly into your pan or over food without being aware of the amount. Cue brands like Evo or Chosen Foods. They allow for controlled amounts of your favorite cooking oils and dressings in a safe, healthy way.  These products provide ¼ teaspoon per spray, which is a much more effective way to portion control while still getting an even distribution of oil. 

3 Portion Control Tips When Cooking:

- Measure your ingredients: use measuring cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, or food scales to accurately assess ingredients (especially if they are calorically dense like fats/oils, nuts, seeds, etc). 

-Check your dish size: Measure the amount of food that can fit on your dinner plate, cups, bowls etc...you may be surprised by what you find... a bowl that you thought was 8oz may actually hold 10oz or even 16oz. 

-Pre-portion single servings: To avoid over eating it is best to pre-portion your food into single servings or 100 calorie snack packs. That way you will instantly know the number of portions you are consuming.