3-DAY FOOD INTAKE RECORD
The 3-Day Food Intake Record is to be submitted through Blackboard along with the Diet
Project Part One Questions.
Helpful Hints for Recording your Intake
Write down everything you eat and drink for 3 days, including water, all ingredients (if the food is
unusual, complicated or homemade) and the estimated ‘Amounts/Units’ or serving sizes you
consumed. Include the units with your amounts, such as 1 cup or 3 oz meat.
Do not use one serving, for example as your amount; you must be precise with your measurements.
You will lose points if you just write “a glass” or “a cookie”, you must be specific (i.e. “8 oz of water”
or “6 in. cookie”. )
Be as specific as possible when recording food and drink. For example, 1%, milk, 2% milk, whole milk or
chocolate milk. Margarine instead of butter or reduced calorie margarine instead of regular margarine,
and diet or regular soda, for example.
Carry the food record with you at all times. Record what you eat and drink (including water) as soon
after consumption as possible. Do not rely on your memory.
Record every item consumed, including snacks, condiments (mustard, ketchup, soy sauce, mayonnaise,
cream, sugar, and so forth), and all drinks, including water and alcohol. Do include powdered or liquid
supplements, such as protein powders. Do not record any vitamin pills, herbs, or supplements in pill
forms.
If the item is mixed, split the items when recording it. For example, do not put ham sandwich. You
would put 2 slices of wheat bread, 3 oz. of ham, and 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise.
Use the following guidelines to estimate portion or serving sizes:
• a drumstick or thigh contains about 2-3 oz. of meat
• one, 3 oz piece of meat is about the size of a deck of cards or palm of your hand
• a split (or half) of one breast contains about 3-4 oz. of meat
• a ‘thumb’ sized piece of cheese is approximately 1 oz
• a ‘handful’ of chips or pretzels or a snack-sized bag of about 12-15 is 1 oz
• a side salad contains about 0.5 or ½ oz. of cucumber, tomato, onion, and diced carrots
• a medium sized salad contains about 1 cup of lettuce
• a stir-fry contains about 1-2 oz of each vegetable contained1 oz. of dry cereal (like cheerios or
flakes) equals ¾ cup
Please remember: Be as honest as possible about what and how much you consume. I do not make
judgments about your intake; in fact, I do not even take notice.
Below is the 3-Day Food Intake Record. For each food item, enter the food item name, the amount,
the reason that you ate that item, and the level of hunger.
