---
title: "Portions, servings and MyPlate"
course: "NUTR 101 · Eat well, simply"
unit: "Read the label, build the plate"
lesson: 6 of 16
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/eat-well-simply/portions-servings-and-myplate
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Portions, servings and MyPlate

Lesson 6 of 16 in **Eat well, simply** (NUTR 101), unit "Read the label, build the plate". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Explain the difference between a serving size on a label and a portion you actually eat.
- Describe the MyPlate idea: about half the plate fruits and vegetables, plus grains, protein foods and dairy or fortified alternatives.
- Adapt the MyPlate idea to a mixed dish or a cultural meal.
- Use hunger and fullness cues as one guide to portions.

## Teaching notes
Have the learner build a plate from foods they actually like and eat. Treat MyPlate as a flexible visual guide, not a rule, and point to MyPlate.gov. Avoid weighing, restriction or 'portion control' framing tied to weight.

## Course boundaries
General nutrition education only, not medical or dietary advice; don't diagnose or prescribe. Refer to a doctor or registered dietitian for health conditions, pregnancy, medications or eating disorders. No calorie targets, weight-loss pressure, body comments or 'good/bad food' language. If signs of disordered eating or crisis appear, respond with care and suggest professional support. Check changing figures on official sources such as FDA, USDA and CDC.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 6 complete: Portions, servings and MyPlate."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Processed foods, added sugar and salt" (lesson 7 of 16), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/eat-well-simply/processed-foods-added-sugar-and-salt.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: Reading the Nutrition Facts label
Next lesson: Processed foods, added sugar and salt