Healthy Recipes with Large Portion Sizes (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat big portions and still lose weight? ›

The number of meals you eat in a day and the portion size don't determine weight loss or gain. It's the total number of calories consumed that is the most important factor. If you eat a large portion of food once a day and the total number of calories you consume is less than what your body needs, you will lose weight.

What does a healthy balanced meal look like? According to the USDA, it would be about 20% protein, 20% fruit, 30% vegetables and 30% grains with a small serving of dairy.

Pasta is one of the cheapest and most filling pantry staples you can buy, and that's exactly why it's the perfect food to feed to a crowd! Plus, everyone loves a good pasta dish. Grab yourself a buffet server warming tray so you can pop your cooked pasta inside and keep it warm all evening long!

Consider one-pot meals: One-pot meals like stews, soups, and casseroles are a great option for cooking for large groups. They are easy to prepare, can be made in advance, and are often a crowd-pleaser.

It takes approximately 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to send out signals of fullness. Leisurely eating allows ample time to trigger the signal from your brain that you are full. And feeling full translates into eating less.

Using Harvard's Healthy Eating Plate as a guide, we recommend eating mostly vegetables, fruit, and whole grains, healthy fats, and healthy proteins. We suggest drinking water instead of sugary beverages, and we also address common dietary concerns such as salt and sodium, vitamins, and alcohol.

Choose foods with “good” unsaturated fats, limit foods high in saturated fat, and avoid “bad” trans fat. “Good” unsaturated fats — Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — lower disease risk. Foods high in good fats include vegetable oils (such as olive, canola, sunflower, soy, and corn), nuts, seeds, and fish.

How do you eat healthy when you're broke? ›

Create a “Bar” and feed everyone cafeteria-style

There are lots of bar ideas out there, such as the Nacho bar, Baked potato bar, Burrito bar, Hot dog bar, Root Beer float bar, Hawaiian Haystacks bar, Sandwich bar, etc. All of these can be done on the cheap, and links to all these ideas can be found below.

When feeding the masses, think big: pastas, one-pot dishes, and food that is perfect for sharing amongst many. Frittatas and slices that are easily divided can be handy for any occasion, as can hearty salads and large bakes.