How to Control Portions When Ordering Takeout

December 1, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the CDC, restaurant portion sizes have grown significantly over the past decades, leading many people to consume more calories than intended. This guide explains how to control portions when ordering takeout, providing practical strategies to navigate supersized meals and make smarter choices for your health without sacrificing flavor or convenience.

Quick Summary

Combat large restaurant servings by implementing smart strategies like splitting meals, re-portioning at home, and making mindful menu selections to effectively manage your calorie intake and support your health goals.

Key Points

Pre-Meal Strategy: Combat large portions by planning ahead, such as sharing a meal or selecting smaller-sized options like appetizers or lunch specials.
Re-Plate Your Food: Avoid the mindless eating that comes from eating straight out of the box by transferring a single serving onto a smaller plate and putting the rest away immediately.
Mindful Consumption: Eat slowly and without distractions to give your brain enough time (around 20 minutes) to receive the fullness signals from your stomach.
Bulk Up with Veggies: Improve the balance of your takeout meal by adding nutrient-dense, low-calorie side dishes like a simple salad or steamed vegetables.
Request Sauces on the Side: Take control of added calories, sodium, and fat by asking for dressings, gravies, and other sauces to be served in a separate container.

Understand the Psychology of Portion Distortion

Large portion sizes are not an accident; they are a well-documented phenomenon known as 'portion distortion'. Decades of increasing portion sizes in the food industry have warped our perception of what a normal meal looks like. Our brains are wired to use the initial serving as a powerful cue for what constitutes an appropriate amount of food, often overriding our body's natural hunger signals. This external cue, known as the Portion Size Effect, means that the bigger the plate, the more we tend to eat, regardless of how hungry we actually are. Fortunately, understanding this psychological driver is the first step toward reclaiming control. With the right techniques, you can consciously counteract these environmental influences and restore a healthier balance to your takeout meals.

Strategic Ordering: Before the Food Arrives

Controlling your portion size starts long before the delivery driver rings your doorbell. By making strategic decisions while you browse the menu, you can set yourself up for success.

Search for menu modifications: Many restaurants offer nutritional information online, or you can check for healthier menu symbols. Look for options like grilled, baked, or steamed instead of fried or battered, and ask for sauces and dressings on the side.
Choose smaller sizes: Opt for the lunch-sized portion, an appetizer as your main course, or order from the kids' menu. This immediately reduces the total amount of food available to you.
Start with low-calorie items: Begin your meal with a glass of water, a broth-based soup, or a side salad to help you feel full faster.
Share a meal: If you're dining with someone else, agree to split a single entree. Alternatively, if you're eating alone, ask for a to-go box when you order and immediately pack away half of your meal before you even take the first bite.

Mindful Eating at Home: After the Food Arrives

Once your takeout is delivered, your actions at home are just as important as your ordering choices. The convenience of eating straight from the container is a major pitfall to portion control.

Plate your food: Never eat directly from the takeout container. Transfer a single portion onto a smaller plate or bowl. This creates a powerful visual cue that you have a full and satisfying meal, and it prevents mindless overconsumption. Put any remaining food in the fridge immediately to avoid temptation.
Eat slowly and without distraction: Turn off the TV, put away your phone, and focus on the flavors, textures, and aromas of your food. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to register that your stomach is full, so eating slowly gives your body a chance to catch up and signal satiety.
Hydrate before and during: Drinking a glass of water 15-30 minutes before your meal can increase feelings of fullness and help you distinguish between true hunger and thirst.
Incorporate more vegetables: If your takeout meal is lacking, bulk it up with some simple, high-fiber additions. This could be a side salad, some steamed broccoli, or a handful of fresh spinach. These additions fill your plate and your stomach with nutrient-dense, low-calorie volume.

Comparison of Takeout Portion Control Strategies


Strategy	Pros	Cons	Best For
Split a Meal	Cost-effective; instant portion control for two people; reduces food waste.	Requires a dining partner with similar tastes; may not work for solo diners.	Couples, families, and friends dining together.
Order an Appetizer as Main	Naturally smaller portion size; often more variety on the menu.	May not feel as substantial as a traditional entree; some appetizers can still be calorie-dense.	Diners with lighter appetites or those looking for more food variety.
Re-Portion at Home	Full control over portion size; creates easy leftovers for later meals.	Requires self-discipline to put half away before eating; relies on a food storage container.	Anyone, especially solo diners, who can manage immediate re-portioning.
Use the MyPlate Method	Creates a balanced meal visually; encourages more vegetable consumption.	Doesn't directly address oversized takeout portions; requires supplementing with fresh produce.	Those who want to improve the nutritional balance of their meal at home.

Conclusion

Navigating the world of oversized restaurant portions can be challenging, but it is far from impossible. By combining smart choices made during the ordering process with mindful eating habits at home, you can successfully manage your portion sizes when ordering takeout. The key is to recognize the psychological cues that push us toward overeating and consciously adopt strategies to override them. Whether you're splitting an entree, re-plating your food, or simply focusing on slowing down, these methods empower you to enjoy your favorite takeout guilt-free while staying in control of your health and wellness goals. Remember, your takeout experience can be both convenient and healthy with a little intention. For more science-backed nutrition tips, explore the resources from organizations like the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

Frequently Asked Questions

You can use your hand as a quick visual guide. For example, a palm-sized portion can represent your protein, a cupped hand can indicate your carbohydrates, and your thumb is a good estimate for fats.

Yes, this is an excellent strategy. As soon as your meal arrives, ask for a to-go box and immediately pack away half of the entree. This prevents overeating and provides a convenient, pre-portioned meal for later.

Simply ask your server to remove the bread basket or chips from the table. If they are already with your order, set them aside or give them away to minimize temptation and avoid mindless snacking.

Supplementing your meal with a healthy side from home is a great idea. Prepare a simple side salad, steam some vegetables, or add extra leafy greens to balance out the meal and add low-calorie volume.

Yes, drinking a glass of water before you eat can help you feel more full, which may lead you to consume less of your takeout meal. It also helps you differentiate between hunger and thirst.

Look for menu items that are described as grilled, baked, steamed, or broiled rather than fried. Also, choosing an appetizer, a side salad, or a cup of soup can provide a more controlled portion.

This is a common psychological behavior often rooted in childhood habits like the 'clean plate club'. It's a mental cue that can be consciously overridden by paying attention to your body's fullness signals and strategically re-portioning your meal.