your
favorite foods
Have you ever looked at the Food Guide
Pyramid and asked questions like these? If so,
this brochure is for you.It will show you how
to follow the Pyramid and fit the foods you
like to eat—such as pizza, fast foods, and
mixed dishes—into a healthy way to eat. It
will also help you personalize the Pyramid
for your own needs.
Why is following the
Pyramid a good idea?
The Food Guide Pyramid (Figure 1) is a good
starting point for your food choices. Choosing
foods according to the Pyramid can help you
get all the nutrients and other things, such as
fiber, that you need for health. No single
food or food group supplies all the nutri-
ents in the amounts you need—so
choose the recommended number
of servings from each Pyramid
food group.
Putting the
Guidelines
into Practice
March 2003
Center for
Nutrition Policy
and Promotion
United States
Department of
Agriculture
Home and Garden
Bulletin No. 267-3
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Where do your
favorite foods
fit?
Following the Pyramid can also help
you keep the amount of saturated fat and
cholesterol you eat low, and keep total fat
intake at a moderate level.You can do this by
choosing mostly fat-free or low-fat items from
the Milk group, and mostly lean or low-fat
items from the Meat and Beans group.
Using the Pyramid as a guide
Like the Pyramid, your food choices should be
built on a base of plant foods—grains, fruits,
and vegetables. Start with foods from these
three groups as the foundation of your diet.
Choose a variety of different foods—
especially in the Grains,Fruit,and Vegetable
groups. Include dark-green leafy vegetables
and dry beans or peas several times a week—
they are rich in many vitamins and minerals.
Also eat several servings of
whole grains each
day—whole grains
contain fiber and other
protective substances.
Each food group contains many choices.
For example, you may start some days with
cereal—from the Grains group. Other days
you may choose toast. Or, you may prefer
tortillas or rice. All of these are good ways
to get some grain foods into your morning.
Yo u m a y h a v e y o u r o w n personal choice:
Popcorn for breakfast, anyone?
In the Milk group, you may prefer yogurt,
or lactose-free or lactose-reduced milk prod-
ucts.Also, soy-based beverages with added
calcium are an option if you want a non-dairy
source of calcium. There are many choices in
each food group. However, if you avoid all
foods from any of the food groups,
ask a health care professional to
help you make choices that have
all the nutrients you need.
How much do you need
from each group?
The Pyramid gives a range of servings for
each group. The number of servings you need
depends on your calorie and nutrient needs.
These are based on your age, sex, and level of
physical activity.
Check Box 1 to see how many servings you
need from each food group. For example, if
you are an inactive woman, you should choose
the number of daily servings from each food
group in the Pyramid on the left—6 servings
from the Grains group, 3 from the Vegetable
group, and so forth. If you become physically
active, your food needs will increase and you
can choose more servings from each group.
Other family members may have different
calorie and nutrient needs. For example,a
man may need more servings from each
group—9 servings of grains, 4 of vegetables,
etc.A teenage boy may need even more—
perhaps 11 servings of grains, 5 of vegetables,
etc. Box 1 can help you find the recommenda-
tions for each family member.
Where do your favorite foods fit?
Page 2
Bread, Cereal, Rice,
& Pasta Group
(Grains Group)
6-11 SERVINGS
Fruit Group
2-4 SERVINGS
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans,
Eggs, & Nuts Group
(Meat and Beans Group)
2-3 SERVINGS TO
TOTAL 5 TO 7 OUNCES
Fat (naturally occurring
and added)
These symbols show fat and
added sugars in foods.
Sugars
(added)
Milk, Yogurt,
& Cheese Group
(Milk Group)
2-3 SERVINGS
Fats, Oils, & Sweets
USE SPARINGLY
Vegetable Group
3-5 SERVINGS
KEY
Figure 1. Food Guide Pyramid
Where do your favorite foods fit?
Page 3
Box 2. What counts as a Pyramid serving?
*Dry beans, peas, and lentils can be counted as servings in either the Meat and Beans group or the Vegetable group. As a vegetable,
1
⁄
2
cup of cooked,
dry beans counts as 1 serving. As a meat substitute,
1
⁄
2
cup of cooked, dry beans counts as 1 ounce of meat.
Grains Group
●
1 slice of bread
●
About 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal flakes
●
1
⁄
2
cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
Vegetable Group
●
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
●
1
⁄
2
cup of other vegetables—cooked or raw*
●
3
⁄
4
cup of vegetable juice
Fruit Group
●
1 medium apple, banana, orange, pear
●
1
⁄
2
cup of chopped, cooked, or canned fruit
●
3
⁄
4
cup of fruit juice
Milk Group
●
1 cup of milk or yogurt
●
1
1
⁄
2
ounces of natural cheese (such as Cheddar)
●
2 ounces of processed cheese (such as American)
Meat and Beans Group
The Pyramid recommends 2 to 3 servings for a total of 5 to
7 ounces.The following all count as 1 ounce equivalent:
●
1 ounce of cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish
●
1
⁄
2
cup of cooked, dry beans*
●
1
⁄
2
cup of tofu or 2
1
⁄
2
-ounce soyburger
●
1 egg
●
2 tablespoons of peanut butter
●
1
⁄
3
cup of nuts
Box 1. How many Pyramid servings do YOU need?
Find the number of servings that are right for you:
*Older children and teens 9 to 18 and adults over 50 need 3 servings from the Milk group. Others need 2 servings daily.
How do your choices stack up?
Check the number of servings you usually eat in each group to see how your choices match Pyramid recommendations.
Remember—your portion may be more than one serving.
Children 2 to 6, most women,
some older adults
(about 1,600 calories)
Older children, teen girls,
active women, most men
(about 2,200 calories)
Teen boys,
active men
(about 2,800 calories)
Milk Group
2 or 3
servings
Vegetable
Group
5 servings
Fruit
Group
4 servings
Vegetable
Group
4 servings
Fruit
Group
3 servings
Vegetable
Group
3 servings
Fruit
Group
2 servings
Grains
Group
11 servings
Grains
Group
9 servings
Grains
Group
6 servings
Meat and
Beans Group
7 ounces
Meat and
Beans Group
6 ounces
Meat and
Beans Group
5 ounces
Milk Group
2 or 3
servings
Milk Group
2 or 3
servings
= 1 serving = 1 ounce
*
*
*
Fats, Oils, &
Sweets
Use sparingly
Fats, Oils, &
Sweets
Use sparingly
Fats, Oils, &
Sweets
Use sparingly
Where do your favorite foods fit?
Page 4
Box 3. Mixed dishes—How do they contribute to
Pyramid food groups?
NOTE: The values listed are estimates based on how these foods are often prepared.
The amounts in an item you eat may be more or less than these examples.
Pyramid servings in this portion
Meat and Fat,
Food and Grains Vegetable Fruit Milk Beans Group % Daily
sample portion Group Group Group Group (oz. equiv.) Value*
Cheese pizza (2 medium slices) 2
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
2
0
1
⁄
2
019
Lasagna (1 piece 3
1
⁄
2
”by 4”) 1
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
2
0
1
⁄
2
123
Macaroni and cheese
(1 cup, made from packaged mix)
200
1
⁄
2
030
Tuna noodle casserole (1 cup) 1
1
⁄
2
00
1
⁄
2
229
Spinach quiche (1 piece) 1
1
⁄
2
0
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
2
40
Chicken pot pie (8 oz. pie) 2
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
2
001
1
⁄
2
43
Beef taco (2) 2
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
2
0
1
⁄
4
240
Bean and cheese burrito (1) 2
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
4
01144
Egg roll (1)
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
4
00
1
⁄
2
10
Chicken fried rice (1 cup) 1
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
2
00119
Rice and beans (1 cup) 1
1
⁄
2
0001
1
⁄
2
17
Stuffed peppers with
rice and meat (
1
⁄
2
pepper)
1
⁄
2
100119
Beef stir-fry (1 cup) 0 1
1
⁄
2
001
1
⁄
2
16
Clam chowder–New England (1 cup)
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
4
0
1
⁄
2
3
1
⁄
2
8
Cream of tomato soup (1 cup)
1
⁄
2
10
1
⁄
2
07
Double cheeseburger (with mayo) 3
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
2
0
1
⁄
2
2
1
⁄
2
54
Italian sub (6” sub) 2
1
⁄
2
0
1
⁄
2
2
1
⁄
2
58
Peanut butter & jelly sandwich (1) 2000122
Tuna salad sandwich (1) 2
1
⁄
2
00211
Chef salad (3 cups, no dressing) 030035
Pasta salad with vegetables (1 cup) 1
1
⁄
2
100024
Apple pie (1 slice) 2 0
1
⁄
2
0025
Pumpkin pie (1 slice) 1
1
⁄
2
1
⁄
4
0
1
⁄
4
1
⁄
4
22
What other mixed dishes do you enjoy?
List them below and “guess-timate” their servings from the food groups:
Grains Vegetable Fruit Milk Meat and
Food and portion servings servings servings servings beans servings
*The % Daily Value (%DV) shows how much of the recommended daily limit for fat is in these sample portions of food. %DVs are based on
recommendations for a 2,000-calorie diet.The %DV in this table can be compared to the %DV listed on Nutrition Facts labels on food packages.
Where do your favorite foods fit?
Page 5
Note that in the Milk group, the number
of servings you need depends on your age.
Older children and teenagers (ages 9 to 18)
and adults over 50 need 3 servings daily.
Others need 2 servings daily. During preg-
nancy and breastfeeding, the recommended
number of Milk group servings is the same as
for nonpregnant women.
How much is a serving?
Pyramid serving sizes for some common
foods in each group are listed in Box 2. Some
of the serving sizes are smaller than the
portions you might usually eat. Some are also
smaller than the serving listed on the
Nutrition Facts label. For example, you may
eat 2 slices of bread in a sandwich, which
equals 2 Pyramid servings. One cup of cooked
pasta or rice also equals 2 Pyramid servings.
So it’s easy to meet the recommended number
of servings. For more information about por-
tion sizes and Pyramid serving sizes, see the
brochure “How much are you eating?”
NOTE:Young children 2 to 3 years old need
the same number of servings from each food
group as others but, except for milk,smaller
serving sizes. Offer a portion about
2
⁄
3
the size
listed in Box 2.
Where do pizza and
other mixed dishes fit
in the Pyramid?
Many popular foods don’t fit neatly into one
Pyramid group. For example, cheese pizza
counts in several Pyramid groups: Grains (the
crust), Milk (the cheese), and Vegetable (the
tomato sauce).You can choose the mixed
dishes you like to eat—from fast food places,
ethnic restaurants, or “Mom’s” kitchen—and
still eat the Pyramid way. In a bean burrito the
tortilla counts in the Grains group, the
beans in the Meat and Beans
group, and the cheese in the Milk
group. The chicken in a pot pie or
fried rice counts
in the Meat and
Beans group, and the spinach in a quiche or a
chef’s salad counts in the Vegetable group.
Check Box 3 to see how some of the foods you
eat fit into the Pyramid. Some mixed dishes
also contain a lot of fat. Box 3 also shows about
how much fat is in these foods.
Fast food and the Pyramid
Does eating the Pyramid way mean “no
more fast food”? No…but you do need
to pay attention to your choices. Many
menu items may be high in calories
and fat,especially saturated fat. Fast
food menus also tend to have limited variety,
and especially limited choices of vegetables,
fruits,and whole grains.Make sure you get
enough of theseatothermealsorassnacks.
If you eat fast foods often, try these tips:
●
Extras such as sauces, cheese, or
bacon on burgers can add a
lot of calories and fat. Try
your burger with lettuce,
tomato, and onion instead.
●
Order small or medium
sizes—giant-size portions
aren’t a bargain if they’re
more calories and fat than
you need.
●
Tr y a g reen salad instead of fries.
●
Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, fruit juice,
or water as a beverage instead of a
soft drink.
Portions and servings—
What’s the difference?
A portion is the amount of food you choose to eat.There is no
standard portion size.
A serving is a standard amount of food, like 1 cup or 1 ounce.
It is used to help give advice about how much to eat, or to identify
how many calories and nutrients are in a food.
Where do your favorite foods fit?
Page 6
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
The Dietary Guidelines offer sound advice that will help to promote
your health and reduce your risk for chronic diseases such as
heart disease, certain cancers, diabetes, stroke, and osteoporosis.
The 10 Guidelines are grouped into the ABC’s of nutrition:
A: Aim for fitness
• Aim for a healthy weight.
• Be physically active each day.
B: Build a healthy base
• Let the Pyramid guide your food
choices.
• Choose a variety of grains daily,
especially whole grains.
• Choose a variety of fruits and
vegetables daily.
•Keep food safe to eat.
C: Choose sensibly
• Choose a diet that is low in saturated
fat and cholesterol and moderate in
total fat.
• Choose beverages and foods to
moderate your intake of sugars.
• Choose and prepare foods with
less salt.
• If you drink alcoholic beverages,
do so in moderation.
To order Dietary Guidelines publications,
call 888-878-3256.Ask for the Dietary
Guidelines for Americans (40-page
bulletin, $4.75 per copy) or Using the
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
(5-panel brochure, $.50 per copy).
You can also find out more about
the guidelines and download these
publications by visiting USDA’s Center
for Nutrition Policy and Promotion
website at www.cnpp.usda.gov.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability,
political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W,Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW,Washington, DC
20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The
Bottom Line
The
Bottom Line
●
Use the Food Guide Pyramid to help
you make food choices.
●
Build your meals on a variety of
plant foods—grains (especially whole
grains), fruits,and vegetables.
●
Also choose foods from the Milk group
and Meat and Beans group each day.
Make most of your choices from these
groups low in fat.
●
Choose the amounts to eat from each
group based on your needs (see Box 1).
●
It’s fine to enjoy fats and sweets
occasionally.
The Tip of the Pyramid
The small “tip” of the Pyramid represents
fats, oils, and sweets. These are foods
such as salad dressings, cream, butter,
margarine, sugars, soft drinks, fruitades,
and candies. They provide calories but
few nutrients. So, they may contribute
to weight gain or lower your intake of
more nutritious foods and beverages.
It’s okay to have these foods and drinks
occasionally, but use them sparingly.
