A helping is a portion of food served to one person — the amount placed on a plate or in a bowl at a meal. “A generous helping” and “just a small helping” calibrate appetite, politeness, and hunger in the language of the table. Portion size matters enormously in nutrition: helpings have grown over decades — the supersizing of servings is implicated in rising energy intakes — and people reliably eat more when served more. Dietitians therefore talk in helpings and portions rather than grams: “two helpings of vegetables” guides behaviour better than “160 grams.” The humble helping is where dietary guidance meets real life — and where good intentions often founder.