As with weighing food, measuring level, standard size spoons of different foods means you are more likely to be having the correct calories.

A standard size teaspoon is 5 ml

A standard size dessertspoon is 10 ml

A standard size tablespoon is 15 ml

Now I appreciate it isn’t always practical to use standard measuring spoons for serving our food so sometimes we say "a rounded spoonful" of something.

For example if you are serving out peas or baked beans, it would take forever using a level measuring spoon so use a rounded one.

With high calorie food such as pesto or mayonnaise (even the lower-calorie kinds), it’s really not difficult to consume those extra calories that could slow weight loss.

Draw the blade edge of a knife across your spoon to level it off.

It’s a good idea to have a measuring jug for liquids.

Ladles come in various sizes, but one that holds 150ml/¼pint water is useful �?2 ladles full give and average 300ml/½pint serving of soup.