In her 2018 cookbook "Cook Like a Pro," Ina Garten suggests ignoring the sizes that classify shrimp. She says that indication is arbitrary and isn't regulated by the industry.

For example, labels like "U-10" mean there are 'under' 10 shrimp in a pound. Instead of deciphering labels, Garten says to order shrimp by how many pieces you want per pound.

The smallest-sized shrimp typically contains over 50 shrimp per pound, while small shrimp has 36 to 45 per pound. Medium shrimp is typically labeled 31/35.

Large shrimp typically contain 21 to 30 pieces per pound, and jumbo shrimp come in 11/15 options. The largest size, U-10, is often called colossal shrimp.