How Many Pieces of Beef Jerky is One Serving? A Snacker’s Guide to Portion Control

Beef jerky is one of the world’s greatest snacks. Its perfect balance of savory and sweet flavors satisfies cravings and delivers a hearty dose of protein to keep you going. However with its addictive taste and conveniently lightweight, snack-size packaging it can be easy to get carried away when noshing on jerky. So an important question for any beef jerky enthusiast is “how many pieces of beef jerky is one serving?”

As a dedicated jerky lover myself, I totally get the temptation to reach for “just one more piece” from the bag. But for better health and portion control, it’s good to keep an eye on suggested serving sizes. In this article, I’ll break down how many pieces of beef jerky generally make up a single serving. I’ll also look at how you can practice mindful snacking, so you can keep enjoying this tasty and protein-packed snack.

Serving Sizes Vary Between Brands

There’s no universal rule across all beef jerky products for how many pieces make a serving. Looking at popular brands you’ll find a range of answers

• Jack Link’s defines a serving of their Original Beef Jerky as 1 oz or about 5 pieces.

• For Krave Jerky, they consider 2 pieces as a single serving size.

• Old Trapper Beef Jerky uses 28 grams or 1 oz as their serving size, which works out to around 3-4 medium strips.

So as you can see, serving sizes aren’t standardized across the board even though the general weight of a serving (about 1 ounce) stays relatively consistent. Whenever trying a new brand, check the nutrition label to see their exact serving definition.

Serving Size Depends on the Cut

Another factor in determining serving size is the style of jerky you choose. The number of pieces that make up an ounce can vary quite a bit between different cuts:

• For whole muscle jerky cut from steak, a serving may only be 1-2 pieces since these strips tend to be larger and weigh more.

• With sliced or chopped jerky made from ground beef, you’ll get a lot more, smaller pieces per ounce. A serving size could be around 4-6 pieces.

• For something like jerky sticks or nuggets, 1-3 pieces is generally considered a single serving.

So opting for whole muscle cuts over ground options will normally mean fewer total pieces per serving, though the calorie and protein content should be roughly the same by weight.

Read the Nutrition Facts for Your Specific Product

Because serving sizes differ so much across brands and cuts, your best move is to always check the nutrition label of the exact beef jerky package you’re eating. There you’ll find the serving size clearly listed in both grams and typical number of pieces.

For instance, if I’m eating Old Trapper peppered jerky, I’ll see a serving is 28 grams, equal to around 3-4 pieces. This takes all the guesswork out and lets me easily portion out servings as I snack directly from the bag.

Mindful Snacking Tips

Armed with the serving size knowledge from the nutrition facts, you can be more mindful about your jerky consumption. Here are some tips to keep your snacking under control:

• Portion out servings – Instead of eating from the bag, pre-portion your jerky into snack-size bags or bowls based on the serving info.

• Slow down – Avoid mindlessly grabbing piece after piece. Put the bag away between servings and take a short break before getting another.

• Drink water – Staying hydrated and sipping water between servings can help you refrain from oversnacking.

• Track servings – Make a tally mark on the bag each time you eat a serving so you stay aware of how much you’ve consumed.

• Watch calories – Be extra conscious of serving sizes if also eating high calorie foods or drinking sugary beverages with your jerky.

The Serving Size Isn’t a Limit

Now I don’t want to discourage beef jerky enthusiasm here! Remember, the listed serving on the package is not a hard limit or nutritional directive. It’s perfectly fine to eat more pieces in a sitting if that amount leaves you satisfied. Serving sizes are just a baseline reference for planning out a healthy diet.

So take the time to see how many pieces of jerky make a serving in your favorite brand. But don’t stress about sticking to that exact amount every time if more feels right for your appetite. Just be conscious of portions, listen to your body’s hunger cues, and keep an eye on your overall consumption as part of a balanced diet.

With a little bit of awareness and planning, you can keep enjoying the smoky satisfaction of beef jerky without going overboard. Because at the end of the day, jerky is an incredibly tasty snack we all want to make sure we can keep savoring for years to come!