The Reference Shelf · USDA-informed serving sizes

Portion Size Chart

How much meat, fish, or vegetable per person? The USDA puts a single adult protein serving at about three ounces cooked, which works out to roughly four to five ounces raw, since lean cuts shed a quarter of their weight on heat. The chart below collapses that math for every cut on the site.

I · Quick Reference

At a glance

Default portion sizes for the most common categories of meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables. The medium column tracks the USDA recommendation for a single serving; the adult numbers are tuned for a main-course portion, not a side. Bone-in cuts carry a heavier raw weight because the bone and skin make up roughly a third of what you buy.

Default Portion Sizes

Medium serving sizes for quick reference.

Food Type	Adult	Child (6-10)
Red Meat & Boneless Poultry Beef, pork, lamb, chicken breast, boneless thighs	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g
Chicken Thighs (Bone-In) With bone and skin	8 oz 0.5 lb 230 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g
Whole Chicken (Bone-In) Mixed pieces with bones	12 oz 0.75 lb 340 g	7 oz 0.45 lb 200 g
Whole Turkey (Bone-In) Mixed pieces with bones	22 oz 1.4 lb 620 g	7 oz 0.45 lb 200 g
Fish Salmon, cod, tuna, etc.	6 oz 0.35 lb 170 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g
Shellfish Shrimp, scallops, lobster, etc.	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g
Vegetables All vegetable types	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g

II · Red Meat

Red Meat

Beef, pork, and lamb behave the same on the plate. The default five-ounce cooked portion sits between the USDA dietary recommendation and what an American kitchen actually serves at dinner.

Red Meat

Beef

Beef New York Strip Beef Ribeye Steak Beef Short Ribs Beef Sirloin Beef Steak Beef Strip Steak Beef T-Bone Beef Tenderloin Ground Beef Hamburger Patties Meatballs Meatloaf

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

Red Meat

Lamb

Lamb Chops Lamb Shoulder Leg of Lamb Rack of Lamb

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

Red Meat

Pork

Bratwurst Chorizo Fresh Pork Sausages Italian Sausages Pork Baby Back Ribs Pork Chops Pork Loin Pork Shoulder Pork Spare Ribs Pork Tenderloin

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

III · Poultry

Poultry

Bone-in poultry needs a heavier raw weight than the same edible portion of breast meat, bones and skin make up roughly a third of what you buy. Boneless thighs and breasts track the red-meat numbers.

Poultry

Chicken

Chicken Breast Chicken Thighs (Boneless) Chicken Wings Ground Chicken

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g
Child (4-12)	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g

Chicken Thighs (Bone-In)

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	7 oz 0.45 lb 200 g	8 oz 0.5 lb 230 g	9 oz 0.55 lb 260 g
Child (4-12)	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g

Whole Chicken

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	10 oz 0.65 lb 280 g	12 oz 0.75 lb 340 g	14 oz 0.9 lb 400 g
Child (4-12)	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	7 oz 0.45 lb 200 g	9 oz 0.55 lb 260 g

Poultry

Duck

Duck Breast Duck Legs

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

Poultry

Turkey

Ground Turkey Turkey Breast Turkey Thighs

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

Whole Turkey

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	20 oz 1.25 lb 570 g	22 oz 1.4 lb 620 g	24 oz 1.5 lb 680 g
Child (4-12)	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	7 oz 0.45 lb 200 g	9 oz 0.55 lb 260 g

IV · Seafood

Seafood

Fatty fish like salmon and tuna run heavier per serving than lean white fish because the protein satisfies differently. Shellfish portions track edible meat, not shell weight, buy more if you are cooking whole shrimp or lobster.

Seafood

Fish

Ahi Tuna Bass Cod Grouper Halibut Mahi-Mahi Salmon Snapper Tuna Steak Yellowfin Tuna

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g	7 oz 0.45 lb 200 g
Child (4-12)	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g

Seafood

Shellfish

Clams Crab Lobster Mussels Sea Scallops Shrimp

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g	6 oz 0.4 lb 170 g
Child (4-12)	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g

V · Vegetables

Vegetables

Vegetables are sized for a side, not the main event. Adult portions skew small because they are meant to round out a plate rather than fill it.

Vegetables

Cruciferous Vegetables

Broccoli Brussels Sprouts Cauliflower

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

Vegetables

Fruit Vegetables

Bell Peppers Eggplant Squash Tomatoes

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

Vegetables

Leafy Greens

Kale Spinach

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

Vegetables

Root Vegetables

Carrots Potatoes Sweet Potatoes

Age Group	Small	Medium	Large
Adult	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g	5 oz 0.3 lb 140 g
Child (4-12)	2 oz 0.15 lb 60 g	3 oz 0.2 lb 90 g	4 oz 0.25 lb 110 g

VI · Guidelines

Portion Planning Guidelines

A few caveats before you shop. The numbers above are raw weights, cooked weight will be twenty to twenty-five percent less for most lean proteins. If a scale is across the kitchen, your hand is a surprisingly reliable estimator.

Notes

General Portion Tips

✓ Portions shown are for raw weight, cooked weight will run twenty to twenty-five percent less.
✓ Adult ranges are guidance, not rules, adjust for appetite, activity, and what else is on the plate.
✓ Child portions cover ages four to twelve, older kids often eat at the small-adult range.
✓ When in doubt, buy slightly more. Cold leftovers are a feature, not a problem.

Without a Scale

Hand Estimates

Hands scale with body size, which makes them a halfway-decent proxy for an individual portion when the kitchen scale is packed away.

Palm of hand Adult protein portion: 4–6 oz / 115–170 g
Thumb, tip to base Small protein portion or cheese: 1 oz / 30 g
Closed fist Vegetables or grains: 1 cup / 240 ml
Cupped hand Nuts, dried fruit, snacks: ½ cup / 120 ml

Sources & further reading

A Note on Limits

These portion sizes draw on USDA dietary guidance and the AMS purchase specifications used by institutional kitchens. Individual needs vary with age, activity, health, and goals, for personalized recommendations, talk to a healthcare provider or registered dietitian. This guide is reference material, not medical advice.

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