When you’re served larger portions, you’ll most likely finish them and then some, according to University of Illinois researchers, who invited subjects to eat soup from bowls equipped with hidden refilling devices that kept the amount of soup in each bowl constant. Subjects who sipped from these bowls consumed 73 percent more soup than those who used ordinary bowls. However, they didn’t rate their feelings of satiety any higher than those who consumed less.

The presentation of portions can also influence the amount of food you eat. Most of us are likely to eat considerably more than usual from a buffet-style table. One study showed that just increasing the variety of foods available increased intake by 60 percent. In other words, you really do eat with your eyes.

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