Tuesday Tips: Estimating Measurements & Portion Sizes

Measuring with things you might have in your bag

Since I sew, and always seem to be measuring something, I tend to carry a  small retractable tape measure around with me in my purse, but in case you don't:

Checkbook length = 6 inches

$1 bill = approximately 2.5 inches x 6 inches (2.61 x 6.14)

Sheet of paper = 8.5 inches  x 11 inches (if you don't have this, you can probably visualize it)Business envelope = 4-1/8 inches x 9 3/8 inches

Business card = 3.5 inches x 2 inches

A quarter = almost an inch in diameter (.955)

Measuring with things you always have with you

Approximately 1 inch =  from the top knuckle on your thumb to your thumb tip
Approximately 4 inches = the width of your hand across the bottom knuckles (not including your thumb)
Approximately 1 yard = from the tip of your nose to the bent fingers of your outstretched arm
Approximately 1 meter = from the tip of your nose to the fingertips of your outstretched arm and hand

Estimating portion sizes for cooking or healthy eating using recognizable items

1 teaspoon = 1 die (I looked it up, the singular for dice is indeed die...)
2 tablespoons = ping pong or golf ball
1/4 cup = 1 large egg
1/2 cup = full cupcake wrapper
1 cup = fist or tennis ball
1 ounce cheese = pair of dice
3 ounces meat, fish or poultry = deck of cards or cassette tape
3 ounce fish filet = checkbook
And my personal favorite and most used estimate:
4 ounces (1 serving) dry spaghetti = the diameter of a quarter (look at it from the end of the bundle of strands) But who only eats that much spaghetti???????????????
I hope these references help you as much as they help me!

Sorry about the formatting of this post- it's driving me crazy! I'll try to fix it again later...