When cooking for one person or a crowd, it’s always important to know how much food to prepare. Make too little, and you’ll have hungry diners lurking in the cupboards looking for snacks. Too much, and you’ll be eating leftovers for days! Our comprehensive guide takes the guesswork out of cooking rice, and will help you learn exactly how much rice to make to satisfy everyone at your table. Learn from the pros, and discover a world of delicious meals that handily fit into any balanced diet.
What is a serving?
A serving, or serving size, is a measured amount of food or drink. Examples, as per the United States Department of Agriculture, include one banana, one slice of bread and one cup of yogurt.
What is the serving size for rice?
The ideal serving size for rice changes depending on which variety you’re making. When cooking white or brown rice, an adult serving is considered to be 1/2 cup. For basmati, jasmine and quinoa, an adult serving is 1/4 cup. The American Heart Association recommends that adults consume six servings of grains per day, half of which should be whole grains. These can include rice, pasta, bread, cereal, and more.
How you choose to enjoy your grains is entirely up to you! Serve white rice at breakfast, in a grab-and-go breakfast burrito. Or dish out brown rice as part of a Tuesday taco fiesta. You could even save the best for last, with a creamy, fruity, basmati rice dessert sure to inspire everyone to linger around the table longer than usual.
However you incorporate rice into your daily diet, you can serve it confidently knowing that it’s naturally gluten free and contains a number of key vitamins and minerals. Reach for brown rice and quinoa if you want the benefit of additional nutrients and whole grains.
What is the recommended serving size of rice for children?
When cooking rice for children, experts recommend a slightly smaller serving size of each variety. For toddlers, experts recommend a serving size of 1/4 cup of cooked rice. From the ages of 4 to 6, 1/3 cup is adequate. Between the ages of 7 and 10, children can eat 1/2 cup of cooked rice per serving.
Helpful rules of thumb
- Rice is a healthy part of a balanced diet. At every meal, reach for the variety (white, brown, etc.) that bests suits your recipe and your dietary needs.
- An adult serving of rice is equivalent to the size of half of a baseball.
- Half of your daily servings of grains should be whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, etc.)
- Aim to make nutritious, quality foods (including grains, lean meats, vegetables, fruits and fat-free or low-fat dairy) 85% of your diet. Reserve treats or other foods for the remaining 15%.
- One bag of Success® Rice yields four adult servings of rice.
Daily Grains
No measure, no mess Success® Rice takes the mystery out of cooking rice, whether you opt for classic white, protein-packed quinoa or another tasty variety. Plus when meetings run late, or the kids aren’t hungry, having extra is never a problem! Learn the ins and outs of reheating rice and you’ll avoid waste and be halfway to another delicious dinner.
With enough recipes to inspire the cook in the family while delighting everyone around the table, Success® Rice is the secret ingredient you’ll want in your corner as you make rice a part of your daily diet.