Q What are the reasons to use a smaller plate at meals and snacks? A It is a common dietary tactic often recommended by dietitians to eat meals and snacks on a smaller-sized plate—think salad plate, not a dinner plate. One of the ideas behind this concept is fairly simple—we are attempting to “trick” our minds into thinking we are getting more food, when in fact, the portion size may actually be smaller. Imagine serving up a balanced, portion-controlled meal onto a large-sized dinner plate where you might see a lot of “white space” around the edges of the plate. Those empty areas on the plate might make it seem like it’s not enough food, right? Now, instead, picture the exact same meal on a smaller salad plate. The portions of food are now grouped together, perhaps even resembling heaping-helpings and there is minimal unused space on the plate. The same portions of food now look larger and possibly even more satisfying! For some, the visual impact of eating from a smaller (and fuller-looking) plate can help increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction with the meal and may, in turn, help reduce the likelihood of returning to the kitchen for second or third helpings of a meal. The repeated impacts of this small change may have benefits in attempts at managing food and energy (i.e., calorie) intake and may be useful in efforts to help manage body weight.