The United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Food Guide Pyramid is an outline of what
to eat each day based on the UDSA Dietary
Guidelines. It's not a rigid prescription but a
general guide that lets you choose a healthful
diet that's right for you. The Pyramid calls for
eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients
you need and at the same time the right amount
of calories to maintain healthy weight.
Use the Pyramid to help you eat better
according to the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. Start
with plenty of breads, cereals, rice, pasta,
vegetables, and fruits. Add 2-3 servings from
the milk group and 2-3 servings from the meat
group. Remember to go easy on fats, oils, and
sweets, the foods in the small tip of the
Pyramid.
What Counts as One Serving?
The amount of food that counts as one serving is
listed below. If you eat a larger portion, count
it as more than 1 serving. For example, a dinner
portion of spaghetti would count as 2 or 3
servings of pasta.
The pyramid recommends eating at least the
lowest number of servings from the five major
food groups listed below. You need them for the
vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and protein
they provide. Just try to pick the lowest fat
choices from the food groups. No specific
serving size is given for the fats, oils, and
sweets group because the message is USE
SPARINGLY.
Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese: 2-3 Servings
1 cup of milk or yogurt
1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese
2 ounces of processed cheese
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and
Nuts: 2-3 Servings
2-3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
1/2 cup of cooked dry beans
1 egg, or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter count
as 1 ounce of lean meat
Vegetable: 3-5 Servings
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
1/2 cup of other vegetables, cooked or chopped
raw
3/4 cup of vegetable juice
Fruit: 2-4 Servings
1 medium apple, banana, orange
1/2 cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
3/4 cup of fruit juice
Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta: 6-11
1 slice of bread
1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
