There’s a good chance you and your friends are almost, always, over-ordering food. You probably waste at least 20% of it, or eat 20% more than you should. Here’s the kicker: you’re wasting food and money. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Learn the craft of portion control to save your waist and wallet.

Let’s examine some of the ways you can do this.

1. Keep sharing and dividing the food in mind when ordering

Ordering for 2, or more? Get one large main portion, and then divide it into multiple smaller plates. This will increase the variety you get to enjoy while saving space for something else.

2. Use smaller plates.

According to psychologists, optical illusions lead us to make inaccurate estimates. An experiment conducted by Brian Wansink from Cornell University and Koert van Ittersum discovered that a shift from 12-inch plates to 10-inch plates resulted in a 22% decrease in calories.

By doing so, you’re tricking your brain that the portion you see on your plate is enough to satiate you. Plus your bill will probably be less too!

3. Check out this “Handy” guide to keep portion sizes reasonable

Overeating isn’t enjoyment. Remember that. This is enough for you.

4. Understand restaurant menu psychology and how not to fall for it.

Menus are a nightmare to look at. So much choice. And the pressure of being hungry could send you into an ordering frenzy. They are designed to do that to you, so take your time and remember the first 3 points above before you start visualizing every food item on your table.

It’s not hard to watch how you spend. You really just need to pay attention.

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