How much is too much food and why do takeaways always have so much carb? (2025)

I am tucking into my packet of economy rice for lunch as I’m writing this. For dinner, I might get takeout pasta arrabbiata or teriyaki chicken bento box… I’m still undecided. But whatever it is, ordering in so often within a day is nothing unusual for many of us.

And because we eat out so often, we’ve put portion control in the hands of the people who sell us our food – especially if you simply eat out of the takeaway container (I am guilty of doing so).

It also doesn’t help when food quantities have increased over the years. If you’re wondering “got meh?”, hear me out. The next time you order a single serving of any carb-dense dish such as nasi goreng, briyani, hor fun, fries, pasta or ramen, transfer it out of the takeaway container when you get home. Do you need two plates or bowls to hold everything?

“In food courts and hawker centres, the carbohydrate portion has increased but the protein and fibre portions have decreased,” observed Jaclyn Reutens, a clinical and sports dietitian with Aptima Nutrition & Sports Consultants.

“Carbohydrate foods such as rice, noodles, pasta and potato are considered cheaper than meat and seafood, which might explain why food-stall owners and hawkers especially are more generous with them,” she said.

If you’re budget-conscious and opted for a value or set meal, you could also be busting your calorie intake, said Tung Yee Nei, the lead nutritionist from Ventrickle, a Singapore-based nutrition app and food calculator.

“Consumers tend to equate larger portions with getting more for their money, even if it leads to food waste or unhealthy eating habits,” she said. So “food providers may aim to satisfy customers by offering portions that are larger than the standard size”.

HOW MUCH DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO EAT?

“Your actual caloric needs vary according to age, activity level and weight goals,” said Diane Seto, a senior dietitian from Mount Elizabeth Hospital. Generally, the average daily caloric requirements are 2,200 calories for men and 1,800 calories for women. Based on those recommendations, a meal shouldn’t exceed 600 calories for men and 500 calories for women:

• Men: 500 to 600 calories per meal; 150 to 200 calories per snack
• Women: 400 to 500 calories per meal; 100 to 150 calories per snack

In reality, just how much extra food could you be eating? Take rice portions, for example, said Seto. That serving of rice could measure a full cup or 200g, instead of the recommended half cup or 100g, she said, citing the guidelines from My Healthy Plate.

If you finish up everything in your packet of nasi padang, for instance, you could be consuming more than 200 calories just from the rice alone. That is already half of a woman’s caloric limit in a meal.

HOW CAN YOU TELL IF IT’S TOO MUCH FOOD?

One, serving sizes from different types of F&B establishments and cuisines vary greatly, said Tung. "Fast food or casual eateriestypically offer bigger portions than just right, so you'll have to adjust the portion accordingly."

Two, don’t eat straight out of the container as it’s harder to gauge the amount. Instead, get a plate that measures 25cm across or thereabouts.Here’s how much food your plate should contain:

• Carbohydrates, preferably wholegrain eg. rice, noodles, pasta, bread: 1 quarter plate
• Protein, preferably lean eg. chicken breast, fish or plant sources eg. tofu: 1 quarter plate
• Fruit and vegetables: Half plate

To get your rice portion right, measure it in a bowl with a 10cm diameter. We often accept an amount that is the equivalent of a heaped bowl instead of the flat bowl we should be eating, said Reutens. Or the rice should take up just a quarter of a 25cm-wide plate, she said.

Soupy noodle dishes such as mee siam, mee rebus, mee soto, prawn noodle soup or ban mian can also heap on too much carbs. “The noodle quantity is often way too much, whereas the protein and vegetables are only half the requirements, said Reutens.

If you don't have a 10cm bowl in the office pantry to help you gauge the quantity of asoupy dish such as mee rebus, mee siam and mee soto, eat just 3/4 of the carbohydrates, said Reutens.

Liquid-based dishes such as soups and porridge shouldn't fill the bowl to the brim; give an allowance of about 1.5cm from the top of the rim for one portion.

Still not quite sure how much food to have on your plate or bowl? Below are more visual guides of dishes from nine different cuisines that won’t bust your calorie limit per meal.

Fruits aren't included below but you should try to have a serving, such as a small apple, a medium orange or a slice of watermelon (less than 50 calories each), at lunch and dinner, saidCelia Jong, a dietitian with Tan Tock Seng Hospital's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics.

1. CHINESE

Breakfast options:

• 2 soft-boiled eggs + 2 pieces kaya toast
• 2 rolls chee cheong fun (without filling) with soya sauce

Lunch options:

• Economy rice: 1/4 plate meat + 1/2 plate vegetables (choose 2 vegetables) + 1/4platerice
• Wanton mee soup

Dinner options:

• 1 bowl sliced fish bee hoon soup (choose non-deep-fried fish, no milk andadd vegetables such as bittergourd)
• 1 bowl noodle soup with dumplings + 1bowl stir-fried vegetables

2. MALAY

Breakfast options:

• 2 pieces kueh
• Half-slice cake (any flavour)

Although kuehs and cakes are listed here, they aren't exactly healthy, said Reutens. If you want to indulge,kueh lapis or kueh salat may be slightly better choices. Keep cake slices to half of a Bengawan Solo slice, she said.

Lunch options:

• 1 bowl mee rebus
• 1 bowl lontong with2 pieces ketupat

Lontong tends to come with four or fivepieces of ketupat, so make sure you hold back if you want to keep within your meal's limit, said Reutens. Try to limit drinking the calorie-loaded coconut soup but eat up all the vegetables.

Dinner options:

• Nasi ayam penyet: 1/4 plate chicken (skin removed) + all the cucumber and raw cabbage + 1bowl rice
• 8-10 sticks chicken satay (lightly dipped in satay gravy) + all the onionand cucumber+ 1 ketupat

3. INDIAN

Breakfast options:

• 1 bowl dal + 2chapati
• 1 bowl sambar + 2tbsp coconut chutney + 3idli

The curry for prata, sambar for idli, dal for chapati as well as chutney and other condiments are often generously provided, so watch the amount you consume, said Tung.

Lunch options:

• 1/4 plate tandoori chicken + 1/2plate aloo gobi + 1/4 plate rice
• 1 bowl palak paneer + 1plain naan

Dinner options:

• Fish biryani: 1/4 plate fish+ 1bowl saag bhaji+ 1/4 plate biryani rice
• 1/4 plate tandoori grilled fish + 1bowl cabbage thoran + 1/4 plate rice

Watch your portion of biryani rice as more than one serving of rice is usually given, said Tung.

4. WESTERN

Breakfast options:

• 1 omelette (choose vegetable fillings eg. mushroom, bell pepper, onion) + 1 bowl steel-cut oats cooked with milk
• Smashed avocado on toast +2 poached eggs

Lunch options:

• 1 bowl tuna nicoise salad
• 6-inch sandwich with teriyaki chicken

Dinner options:

• 1/4 plate tenderloin + 1/2 plate grilled asparagus + 1/4 plate sweet potato mash
• 1 bowl seafood bouillabaisse + 2slicessourdough bread

If you're not sure of the pasta, mashed potato or fries that typically comes with western food, eat just half of it, said Reutens.

5. ITALIAN

Breakfast option:

• 1/2plate sauteed mushrooms + 2 poached eggs+ 2 slices sourdough bread

Lunch options:

• 2 slices thin-crust pizza (choose 1 unprocessed meat toppingand 2 vegetable toppings eg. mushroom, tomato, arugula, spinach) + 1/2 plate roasted vegetables (eg. zucchini, bell peppers)
• 1 plate marinara pasta

Pizzas are high in calories and fat but low on satiety, said Jong, which means you usually need more than two slices to feel full. However, two slices of pepperoni pizza have more calories than a serving of beef bolognese, she said. "If you must, choose thin crust and vegetable toppings such as grilled zucchini and bell pepper."

Dinner options:

• 1/2 plate seafood risotto + 1/2 plate roasted vegetables (eg. zucchini, bell peppers)
• 1/2 plate beef bolognese + 1/2 plate salad

Tomato pasta sauces are the healthiest, said Jong,as they are lower in fat and calories."Some aglio olio can be lower in calories than cream sauces if less oil is requested," she said. Also, opt for pasta with meat for a hit of protein.

6. THAI

Breakfast option:

• 1 bowl Chinese-styled porridge with an egg and pork meatballs

Lunch options:

• 1/2 plate green papaya salad (som tum) + 1 bowl tom yam goong + 1bowl rice
• 1/4 plate Thai grilled fish (pla pao) + 1/2 plate mixed veg stir-fry (pad pak) + 1bowl rice

"If you order a one-person meal such as basil chicken with rice, the amount of rice tends to be one to 1.5 bowls," said Reutens, so portion out accordingly.

Dinner options:

• 1/4 plate Thai-style steamed fish (pla nueng manow) + 1/2 plate kangkong with garlic + 1bowl rice
• 1/4 plate Thai basil minced chicken + 1/2 plate glass noodle salad (yum woon sen)

7. VIETNAMESE

Breakfast options:

• 1 bowl chicken pho soup (pho aa)
• 1 bowl chicken porridge (chao ga)

Lunch options:

• 1 bahn mi ga nuong (grilled chicken)
• 1 bowl crab and tomato noodle soup with pork (bun rieu)

Dinner options:

• 1/2 plate chicken salad (goi ga) + 1bowl rice
• 1 bowl beef pho

Dinner should be filling but not too heavy to avoid feeling sluggish or indigestion before bed, said Tung. So if you need to, reduce the rice to half a bowl.

8. JAPANESE

Breakfast options:

• 1 teriyaki chicken sando
• 1 grilled fish sando

Lunch options:

• 1/4 plate grilled/teriyaki/shio chicken or salmon + 1 bowl Japanese salad + 1/4 plate cold soba
• Nigiri sushi(6 pieces)+ 1 bowlmiso soup + 1 bowl Japanese salad

The protein portions, such as the thinly sliced salmon, are often insufficient in bento sets, said Seto, so you might benefit from adding some non-fried tofu.

Dinner options:

• Yakitori:3 sticks chicken breast + 4 sticks vegetables (eg. shiitake mushrooms, bell peppers, asparagus) + 1bowl rice
• Shabu shabu:1/4 plate lean pork slices + 1 bowl salad + 1bowl rice

There may be as much as two servings of ricewith your yakitori, said Seto. If you're not sure, just eat half the rice.

9. KOREAN

Breakfast options:

• 1 bowl cold soymilk noodle soup (kong-guksu)
• 1 roll egg gimbap

Lunch options:

• 1 bowl beef, chicken or pork bibimbap
• 1/2 plate beef/chicken/pork bulgogi + 1-2 portions of kimchi or pickled vegetables+ 1bowl rice

Dinneroptions:

• Grilled mackerel set: 1/4 plate grilled mackerel + 1 bowl of soup + 1 portion kimchi+ 1bowl rice
• Kimchi tofu stew + 1bowl rice

The information above is only a gauge. Consult your dietitian if you have medical conditions, specific nutritional needs or certain weight goals.