PITTSBURGH - While the days of oversized portions may not be completely over, a new trend in mini-meals is emerging at restaurants across the country, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Eat??n Park recently shrunk the size of its Smiley cookie from 4 inches to 2.5 inches, although the original size is still available. The mini-version has been "overwhelmingly popular," the restaurant chain said.

Other smaller bites that have been successful include mini-Blizzards at Dairy Queen and cake pops at Starbucks. Not only have desserts been downsized. Chefs are making mini-versions of hot dogs, tacos, pizzas, lasagnas and burritos. Even food manufacturers are rolling out smaller sizes, such as Keebler??s 100 Calorie Right Bite cookies and Ben and Jerry??s 3.6-ounce ice cream containers. Mini-Wheats cereal now comes in a Little Bites size, while Pepperidge Farm offers mini bagels that you can spread Philly Minis cream cheese on.

"Diners get to sample. They get to try a lot of different things, so they don't get bored," said Tim Ryan, president of the Culinary Institute of America.

The mini trend is an extension of tapas, or small plates, that have been popular for years at Spanish cuisine restaurants. Small bites have been the staple of catered events for the portability factor, too.

"Now, we're finding mini is something people like in regular meals, too, because they are counting calories," said Ken MacIntyre, director of operations for Guckenheimer.

"Marketing is responding to the negative side of super-sized portions leading to increasing incidence of overweight individuals," said Susan Fisher, a professor of foods and nutrition at Meredith College. "Smaller sizes mean the consumer may not have to forgo the item. They can choose to keep it, just as long as the portion is within what they perceive as reasonable."