Download Feed Yourself


Although everybody has favorite
foods and different calorie and
nutrient needs for their
individual bodies, basic
strategies for putting together a
balanced meal can benefit
everyone. Balanced meals
provide necessary nutrients
from different food groups, and
can even assist in losing weight,
boosting heart health, and
reducing the risk or side effects
of many common chronic health
conditions.

Make half your plate consist of
vegetables and fruits. Choose whole
fruits and vegetables to consist of one
half of any balanced meal. Try for 1 – 2
cups of fruit and 2 – 3 cups of vegetables
per day.[1][2]Whole fruits and vegetables
can include fresh, frozen, or canned
items with no other ingredients (like
sugar or salt) added.

Equivalents of 1 cup of fresh fruit would
be 1 cup of 100% fruit juice or ½ cup of
dried fruit. Equivalents of 1 cup of fresh
raw or cooked vegetables would be 1
cup of vegetable juice or 2 cups of leafy
greens.

Choose vegetables from all five
subgroups: dark green vegetables, red
and orange vegetables, legumes (beans
and peas), starchy vegetables, and other
vegetables.[3]

Aim for whole grains. Make about a quarter of
any balanced meal consist of grains, with at
least half of those grains being whole rather
than refined. Grains include food made from
wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley or another
cereal grain. Easy examples of foods that fall
into the grain category are bread, pasta,
oatmeal, breakfast cereals, tortillas, and grits.

Whole grains are any grains that use the entire
grain kernel, such as whole wheat flour, brown
rice, oatmeal, whole cornmeal, and bulgur
wheat. Look for “whole wheat” on the labels of
food you eat, and favor these items over refined
wheat products like white bread, white rice,
etc.[4]

Aim for a minimum of 3 – 4 ounces of grain
foods per day, or a recommended amount of 6-8
ounces. 1 ounce could be a ½ cup of pasta, rice,
or oatmeal; one slice of bread; ½ an English
muffin; or 1 cup of whole grain cold cereal.[5]

Vary your protein sources. Choose proteins from
a variety of different food sources for the
healthiest level of nutrients. Aim for proteins to
take up about a quarter of your plate for any
balanced meal.Eat both animal proteins and
plant proteins. Animal proteins include meat,
poultry, seafood, and eggs. Plant proteins include
beans and peas, nuts, seeds, and soy. Choose
different plant and animal proteins for each meal
or day so that you get a wide variety.

Aim for about 5 – 6 ounces of protein foods per
day. 1 ounce of protein could look like 1 ounce of
lean meat, poultry, or fish, or a ¼ cup cooked
beans or tofu.[6]

Note that proteins like seafood, nuts, and seeds
can also be good sources of oils, which are
another essential addition to balancing a meal.

Look for meat and poultry that are low in fat and
added sodium. Eat unsalted nuts and seeds.[7]

Add some low-fat dairy. Drink or eat milk
products to receive the calcium and other
nutrients present in cow’s milk. Favor low-fat
versions to reduce fat intake.Aim for about 3
cups of dairy per day. A cup of dairy could
mean 1 cup of milk, yogurt, or soymilk; 1 and
½ ounces of natural cheese; or 2 ounces of
processed cheese.

Dairy products are generally considered to be
all foods made from cow’s milk; however,
products like butter, cream cheese, and
cream are not generally considered part of
this food group for nutritional purposes due to
their low calcium content.[8] And butter and
cream are really made from fat.
Children
Teens
Age
2-3
4-8
Sex
Girls and Boys
Vegetables and Fruit
4
5
Grain Products
3
Milk and Alternatives
Meat and Alternatives
9-13
Adults
14-18
19-50
51+
Girls
Boys
Females
Males
Females
Males
6
7
8
7-8
8-10
7
7
4
6
6
7
6-7
8
6
7
2
2
3-4
3-4
3-4
2
2
3
3
1
1
1-2
2
3
2
3
2
3