formerly University of Missouri-Rolla
FOOD GROUPS

Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group
Vegetable Group
Fruit Group
Milk, Yogurt & Cheese Group
Meat, Poultry & Fish
Fats, Oils & Sweets

 


Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group

What's included in this group:

Bagels
English Muffins
Rolls
Bran Muffins
Crackers

Waffles
Pancakes
Cereals
Rice
All shapes of Pasta

 

Suggested daily servings: 6-11
Women and some older adults: 6
Children, teen girls, active women, most men: 9
Teen boys and active men: 11

One serving is:
1 slice of bread
1/2 cup of cooked pasta or rice
1/2 cup of cooked cereal
1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal

Remember when choosing from this group:
-Whole grain foods like whole grain breads, brown or wild rice, whole grain cereals and whole grain pastas will add more fiber, vitamins and minerals to your diet.
-All breads, cereals, pastas and rice add complex carbohydrates to your diet...and very little fat.
-Beware of the fat you add such as margarine or butter, seasonings, or toppings. Go easy on adding sugar to cereals and rice.
-When preparing pasta, stuffing and sauces from packaged mixes, use only half the butter or margarine suggested; if milk is called for, use lowfat milk.

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Vegetable Group

What's Included in this Group:

Carrots
Spinach
Peppers
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Potatoes
Squash
Turnips		Beets
Peas
Cauliflower
Lettuce
Asparagus
Corn
Tomatoes
Mushrooms		Onions
Garlic
Eggplant
Green Beans
Cabbage
Artichokes
Celery
Sprouts

 

 

Suggested Daily Servings: 3-5
Women and some older adults: 3
Children, teen girls, active women, most men: 4
Teen boys and active men: 5

One Serving is:
1/2 cup of chopped raw or cooked vegetables
1 cup of leafy raw vegetables

Remember when Choosing from this Group:
-Different types of vegetables provide different nutrients. Variety is key!
-Include dark-green leafy vegetables and legumes (beans and peas) several times a week; they are especially good sources of vitamins and minerals. Legumes also provide protein and can be used in place of meat.
-Go easy on the fat you add to vegetables at the table or during cooking. Added toppings such as butter, mayonnaise, and salad dressing count as fat.

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Fruit Group

What's included in this group:

 

Apples
Apricots
Bananas
Blueberries
Cantaloupes
Cherries
Grapefruit
Grapes		Honeydew Melons
Kiwis
Lemons
Limes
Nectarines
Oranges
Papaya
Peaches		Pears
Pineapples
Plums
Prunes
Raspberries
Strawberries
Tangerines
Watermelons

 

 

Suggested Daily Servings: 2-4
Women and some older adults: 2
Children, teen girls, active women, most men: 3
Teen boys and active men: 4

One Serving is:
1 piece of fruit or melon wedge
3/4 cup of real fruit juice
1/2 cup of canned fruit
1/4 cup dried fruit

Remember when choosing from this group:
-Fresh fruits are best. They are all natural and have no added sugar or preservatives. Remember to always wash fresh fruit and vegetables well before eating.
-Choose fruit juices that say '100% real juices' on the label. Punches, ades, and fruit 'drinks' contain flavors and sweeteners and only a little juice, and do not count as a serving.
-Canned, frozen and dried fruits are also good choices. Go easy on fruits canned or frozen in heavy syrups and sweetened fruit juices.
-Eat whole fruits often. They are higher in fiber than fruit juices.

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Milk, Yogurt & Cheese Group

What's included in this group:

 

Skim, 1%, 2%, or
    Whole Milk
Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
Sour Cream

Cream Cheese
Chocolate Milk
Ice Cream
Frozen Yogurt


All cheeses such as Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Swiss, American, Parmesan, and many more!

 

Suggested daily servings: 2-3
Young children and all adults over age 24: 2-3
Teenagers, and young adults to age 24: 3
Women who are pregnant or breast feeding: 3

One Serving is:
1 cup (8 ounces) of milk or yogurt
1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese
2 ounces of processed cheese

Remember when choosing from this group:
-Skim milk and nonfat yogurt are the lowest in fat and supply all the same necessary nutrients that whole milk does.
-1% and 1/2% milk are also good choices if you don't like skim.
-Choose "part skim" or lowfat cheeses when available and lower fat milk desserts, such as ice milk or frozen yogurt.
-Cream cheese and sour cream are also included in the fats, oils and sweets group due to their high saturated fat content.

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Meat/Poultry/Fish

What's included in this group:

 

Chicken
Turkey
Beef
Pork
Lamb
Tuna
All Fresh Water and Ocean Fish
Seafood (crab, clams, oysters,     scallops, lobster, shrimp)
Lunchmeats		Veal
Dry Beans, Peas, and Lentils
Nuts
Eggs

 

 

Suggested daily servings: 2-3
Women and some older adults: 2 (for a total of 5 ounces)
Children, teen girls, active women, most men: 2 (for a total of 6 ounces)
Teen boys and active men: 3 (for a total of 7 ounces)

One serving is:
2 1/2 to 3 ounces of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
1 ounce of lean meat is equal to:
1/2 cup of cooked beans
1 egg
2 tablespoons of peanut butter

Remember when choosing from this group:
-Lean meat, poultry without skin, fish, and dry beans and peas are the choices lowest in fat.
-Decrease fat during meat preparation:
-Trim all the fat you can see.
-Remove skin from poultry.
-Broil, roast, grill, or boil these foods instead of frying them.
-If you do fry, use vegetable or olive oil instead of saturated fats such as lard or shortening.
-Nuts, seeds, and peanut butter are high in fat, so eat them in moderation.
-Egg whites contain all the protein in the egg, and are equal to 1 ounce of lean meat. Eat no more than 3 to 4 egg yolks per week.
-Egg substitutes are a good low-fat, low-cholesterol alternative.
-White poultry meat, such as chicken or turkey breast, is lowest in fat.
-Choose only the tuna which is water-packed; oil-packed tuna only adds fat.
-Choose low-fat lunchmeats, with 3 grams of fat or less per ounce.

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Fats/Oils/Sweets

What's included in this group:

 

Oils
Margarine
Butter
Dressings and Mayonnaise
Bacon
Fried chips such as potato     chips, tortilla chips,     cheese puffs, etc.
Coconut
Cream
Sour Cream		Cream Cheese
Alcoholic Beverages
Desserts, Sweets & Treats such as     cakes, pies, cookies, candy bars,     ice cream, chocolate, etc.
Nuts & Seeds

 

Suggested daily servings:
Foods in this group provide calories and fat, but few vitamins and minerals. Use very sparingly!

One Serving is:
1 tsp. margarine, mayonnaise, oil, butter
1 tbsp. reduced fat margarine, reduced fat mayonnaise, cream cheese
2 tsp. salad dressing
2 tbsp. reduced fat salad dressing, sour cream, cream, lite cream cheese, coconut
1 slice bacon
20 small or 10 large peanuts

Remember when choosing from this group:
-Always try to use fat free or low-fat salad dressings, mayonnaise, and sour cream.
-Plain yogurt is a good fat free substitute for sour cream, and counts as a dairy serving.
-Baked potato chips are a good alternative for fried chips. Avoid creamy or cheesy dips; salsa is a fat-free dip and counts as a serving of vegetables.

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