Travel Sizes Bring Portions to the Forefront
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practice applications FOR YOUR INFORMATION Travel Sizes Bring Portions to the Forefront T he past 2 decades have seen an increase in the portion sizes of commonly consumed foods, which could be a contributor to the in- creased prevalence of overweight and obesity. As Young and Nestle noted in 2003, “Most marketplace portions ex- ceed standard serving sizes by at least a factor of two and sometimes eight-fold” (1). However, recently companies have begun aggressively promoting on- the-go servings of peanut butter, pre- made salads, and soups. The impetus of this trend has been less about health concerns and more about in- creasingly busy lives. “There is an overall shift in life- styles. People multitask every aspect of their lives now,” says Danielle Marta, Campbell Soup Company’s marketing manager for soup. “If they can save time by eating on the run and have it be a nutritional item as well, why not kill two birds with one stone?” Campbell’s portable Soup at Hand line has been active since 2001, growing from four flavors to more than a dozen in 2005 (2). Marta says the target audience was originally “women on the go,” but now the brand has become strong enough to market to teen, tween, and other demographics. Food lines such as the Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs are following the trend of providing smaller portion sizes. Now consumers can purchase bite- size packs of Oreos, Wheat Thins, and other cookies and crackers (3). “These 100 calorie pouches of foods are a re- sponse to nutritionists as well as some conscious consumers,” says Rita Grandgenett, MS, RD, former man- ager of nutrition for the Kellogg Com- pany. Some food and nutrition profession- als say that purchasing on-the-go sizes on some level makes clients think about portion control, some- thing that may not have been consid- ered before. “The new guidelines and pyramid are calling out portion size, so it will be helpful to have people learn about portions,” says Kim Kirchherr, MS, RD, corporate dieti- tian for Jewel-Osco Midwest division. “Even if these aren’t exact portion sizes, it’s still better than buying a jumbo bag!” Some food and nutrition professionals say that purchasing on-the-go sizes on some level makes clients think about portion control, something that may not have been considered before. Unfortunately, consumers can often mistake smaller sizes with healthful- ness. “Some people aren’t aware or can’t distinguish between calories and nutrient density,” Grandgenett says. “[If you look at] a package of raisins or almonds, you’ll read the label and see there are nutrients like calcium or fiber. You look at a little package of cookies or gum drops and you’ll prob- ably see very little except sugar or fat. The work of the dietitian is to make sure people read the nutrition facts panel and understand what it is say- ing.” Kirchherr says one way to support portion education and healthfulness is to have clients utilize the new wave of portable, reusable containers avail- able on the market. “Even if the prod- uct isn’t technically grab-and-go, with disposable containers you can make your own grab-and-go,” she says. “It’s all about planning with a cap- ital ‘P’. That way you can buy things at the grocery store and put together a much better nutrition profile,” Grandgenett says. “It’s a grand oppor- tunity for people to put together their own snack pack—planning ahead of time—and then you have much more control over what it is you’re eating.” References 1. Young L, Nestle M. Expanding portion sizes in the US market- place: Implications for nutrition counseling. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003; 103:231-234. 2. Campbell Soup Company Web site. Soup at Hand. Available at: http:// www.campbellsoup.com/soup_at_ hand.asp. Accessed May 2, 2005. 3. Nabisco Web site. 100 Calorie Packs. Available at: http://www. nabisco.com/100caloriepacks/. Ac- cessed May 2, 2005. PERMISSION TO REPRINT Correspondence regarding permission to reprint all or part of any article published in this journal should be addressed to: Health Sciences Rights Dept, Elsevier, 1600 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 1800, Philadelphia, PA 19103-2899. E-mail: healthpermissions@ elsevier.com. This article was written by Damon Brown, a freelance writer in Long Beach, CA. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2006.04.012 © 2006 by the American Dietetic Association Journal of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION 793
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he past 2 decades have seen anincrease in the portion sizes ofcommonly consumed foods, which
ould be a contributor to the in-reased prevalence of overweight andbesity. As Young and Nestle noted in003, “Most marketplace portions ex-eed standard serving sizes by ateast a factor of two and sometimesight-fold” (1).However, recently companies have
egun aggressively promoting on-he-go servings of peanut butter, pre-ade salads, and soups. The impetus
f this trend has been less aboutealth concerns and more about in-reasingly busy lives.
“There is an overall shift in life-tyles. People multitask every aspectf their lives now,” says Daniellearta, Campbell Soup Company’sarketing manager for soup. “If they
an save time by eating on the runnd have it be a nutritional item asell, why not kill two birds with one
tone?” Campbell’s portable Soup atand line has been active since 2001,
rowing from four flavors to morehan a dozen in 2005 (2). Marta sayshe target audience was originallywomen on the go,” but now the brandas become strong enough to market toeen, tween, and other demographics.
Food lines such as the Nabisco 100alorie Packs are following the trendf providing smaller portion sizes.ow consumers can purchase bite-
ize packs of Oreos, Wheat Thins, andther cookies and crackers (3). “These00 calorie pouches of foods are a re-ponse to nutritionists as well asome conscious consumers,” says Ritarandgenett, MS, RD, former man-ger of nutrition for the Kellogg Com-any.Some food and nutrition profession-
ls say that purchasing on-the-goizes on some level makes clientshink about portion control, some-
This article was written byDamon Brown, a freelancewriter in Long Beach, CA.doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2006.04.012
a
2006 by the American Dietetic Associat
hing that may not have been consid-red before. “The new guidelines andyramid are calling out portion size,o it will be helpful to have peopleearn about portions,” says Kimirchherr, MS, RD, corporate dieti-
ian for Jewel-Osco Midwest division.Even if these aren’t exact portionizes, it’s still better than buying aumbo bag!”
Some food andnutrition professionalssay that purchasingon-the-go sizes onsome level makesclients think about
portion control,something that may
not have beenconsidered before.
Unfortunately, consumers can oftenistake smaller sizes with healthful-ess. “Some people aren’t aware oran’t distinguish between calories andutrient density,” Grandgenett says.[If you look at] a package of raisins orlmonds, you’ll read the label and seehere are nutrients like calcium orber. You look at a little package ofookies or gum drops and you’ll prob-bly see very little except sugar or fat.he work of the dietitian is to makeure people read the nutrition factsanel and understand what it is say-ng.”
Kirchherr says one way to supportortion education and healthfulnesss to have clients utilize the new wavef portable, reusable containers avail-ble on the market. “Even if the prod-ct isn’t technically grab-and-go, withisposable containers you can makeour own grab-and-go,” she says.“It’s all about planning with a cap-
tal ‘P’. That way you can buy things
t the grocery store and put togetherion Journa
much better nutrition profile,”randgenett says. “It’s a grand oppor-
unity for people to put together theirwn snack pack—planning ahead ofime—and then you have much moreontrol over what it is you’re eating.”
eferences. Young L, Nestle M. Expanding
portion sizes in the US market-place: Implications for nutritioncounseling. J Am Diet Assoc. 2003;103:231-234.
. Campbell Soup Company Web site.Soup at Hand. Available at: http://www.campbellsoup.com/soup_at_hand.asp. Accessed May 2, 2005.
. Nabisco Web site. 100 CaloriePacks. Available at: http://www.nabisco.com/100caloriepacks/. Ac-cessed May 2, 2005.
P E R M I S S I O NT O R E P R I N T
Correspondence regarding
permission to reprint all or part
of any article published in this
journal should be addressed to:
Health Sciences Rights Dept,
Elsevier, 1600 John F. Kennedy
Boulevard, Suite 1800,
Philadelphia, PA 19103-2899.
E-mail: healthpermissions@
elsevier.com.
l of the AMERICAN DIETETIC ASSOCIATION 793
