SAN DIEGO — A new year and new resolutions. Many people want to lose weight and eat healthier. But it can be tough if American dinner plates look much bigger than what they were in the 1960’s.
THE QUESTION
Are dishes larger than what they were in the 1960’s?
THE SOURCES
- Lisa Andrews, Ed.D, RD
- Sandra Frank, Ed.D, RND
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History
THE ANSWER
Yes, the sizes of dishes are larger than what they were in the 1960’s
WHAT WE FOUND
There are mixed studies on whether larger plates impact how much people eat. Dieticians say it’s all about portion control but admit plate sizes have grown in the last six decades.
“Plates themselves have definitely increased. So, the size of the plate previously was between about seven to nine inches. And now most of your restaurant plates are about 13 inches in diameter, so they are quite a bit bigger about 36%,” said Andrews.
When you Google "plate sizes over the years” the blog post written by registered nutrition dietician Sandra Frank is populated at the top.
“I started to wonder how much has plate sizes changed. And that's when I went into The Dollar Store with a tape measure. And I started to pull different plates,” said Frank.
She said she also knows from personal experience but also measured plates and found they have grown from 8.5 inches in 1960 to ten inches in the 1980’s, eleven inches in the 2000’s and 12 inches today. That means salad plates today are the size of what dinner plates used to be in the 60’s.
Frank says this means with dishes that size, calories on a plate have more than doubled.
“People like to fill their plates. And once they fill their plates, and they eat everything on the plate is a feeling of satisfaction,” said Frank.
"To go cups" are sizing up too.
Food historian Ashley Young, PhD, at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History says anecdotally, she's observed the increase in plate size in the second half of the twentieth century but points to an exhibit in the museum.
It shows in the 1970's 7-11 Slurpees were served in 12 oz cups and in 2017 the Texas based, Stripes convenience store served the slushie in a 64 ounce container.
Dieticians believe when it comes to losing weight to use plates that have marked portions.
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