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Food Group
& Servings |
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What Counts As
One Serving |
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Choose These
More Often |
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Choose These
Less Often |
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Meat & Beans
Go lean with protein
2-3 servings
every day
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One serving is:
2–3 oz cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
For ages 2 to 3 years: Total of 3oz-4 oz/day
For ages 4 to 8 years: Total of 5 oz/day
For ages 9 and older: Total of 6 oz/day
These foods count as 1 oz cooked meat:
1 egg
2 tablespoons peanut butter*
1/2 cup cooked dry beans or peas
1/4 cup tuna fish
1/3 cup nuts* |
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• lean cuts of meat with fat trimmed off such as round, sirloin, chuck, loin
• chicken and turkey without the skin
• baked or broiled fish
• tuna fish canned in water
• cooked dry beans or peas
• low fat hot dogs*, low fat sausage*
• low fat lunch meat such as turkey, lean ham, or lean roast beef
• natural peanut butter or nuts & watch serving size as these are higher in calories |
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• fatty cuts of meat such as regular ground beef, short ribs, spare ribs, fried chicken
• fried fish, tuna fish canned in oil
• regular hot dogs*
• lunch meat such as bologna, salami
• ham hocks, oxtail, neckbones
• sausage, bacon, pepperoni |
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Milk
Get your calcium-rich foods
2-3 servings
every day
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One serving is:
For ages 2 to 3 years: 1/2 cup milk
For ages 4 to 8 years: 3/4 cup milk
For ages 9 and older: 1 cup milk
These foods count as 1 cup milk:
1 cup yogurt or pudding
11/2 oz natural cheese
2 oz processed cheese
11/2 cups ice cream, ice milk, or frozen yogurt
1 cup cottage cheese counts as 1/2 cup milk |
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• fat free or 1% low fat milk such as fluid, evaporated or dry
• fat free or low fat plain yogurt
• reduced fat, low fat, fat-free cheese
• cottage cheese with 0-2% fat
• fat free or low fat frozen yogurt
• fat free or low fat ice cream
• ice milk
• pudding made with fat free or
low fat 1% milk |
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• whole or 2% reduced fat milk
• yogurt made with whole milk
• regular cheese
• cottage cheese with more than 2% fat
• regular ice cream or frozen yogurt
• pudding made with whole or
2% reduced fat milk |
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Fruits
Focus on fruits
2-4 servings
every day
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One serving is:
1 medium piece of fresh fruit
1/2 – 1 cup chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
1/2 cup fruit juice
1/4 cup dried fruit*
Serving sizes should be smaller for children 2 to 3 years old. |
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• fresh fruit, canned or frozen fruit packed in natural juices or rinsed if packed in heavy syrup
• 100% unsweetened fruit juice, no more than 4-8 oz per day
• frozen fruit juice bars |
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• fruit with added sauces
• fruit packed in heavy syrups
• avocado
• coconut* |
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Vegetables
Vary your veggies
3-5 servings
every day
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One serving is:
1/2 cup cooked or chopped raw* vegetables
1 cup raw* leafy vegetables
3/4 cup vegetable juice
Serving sizes should be smaller for children 2 to 3 years old |
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• raw vegetables*
• low sodium canned or frozen vegetables without added sauces
• baked or boiled potatoes
• vegetable juice – low sodium
• salads* prepared with fat free or light dressings or mayonnaise |
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• vegetables made with butter, fat back, cream, or cheese sauces
• fried vegetables, french fries
• hash browns, potato puffs
• potato chips*
• cole slaw* or potato salad* made with regular mayonnaise |
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Grains
Make half your grains whole
6-11 servings
every day
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One serving is:
1 slice bread
1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, pasta, or grits
1 cup dry cereal (about 1 oz)
3 to 4 small plain crackers
1 4-inch waffle or pancake
1 6-inch tortilla
1/2 hamburger bun, roll, English muffin,
or bagel
3 cups low fat popcorn*
10 small pretzels*
Serving sizes should be smaller for children 2 to 3 years old |
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• whole grain bread, rolls, bagels, English muffins, pita bread
• cold cereals that are low fat, low sugar & high fiber
• cooked cereal, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, grits
• low fat waffles or pancakes
• soft tortilla (corn or flour)
• soda crackers, animal crackers, graham crackers
• whole grain crackers
• baked snack chips*, pretzels*
• low fat popcorn* |
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• cereal high in fat/sugar
• pasta or rice prepared with cream, butter or cheese sauces
• high fat crackers
• pastries, muffins, biscuits
• sweet rolls, doughnuts, croissants
• fried tacos*
• fried tortillas*
• regular snack chips*
• cheese puffs* |
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