Choosing

Foods
for Good
Health
Eat a variety of foods from
each food group every day.
Your choices for one day
from the vegetable group might
be a potato, broccoli, and carrots.
Eat at least the minimum
number of servings from each
food group.
For the fruit group, eat at least 2
servings of fruit each day. You may
choose to eat more servings if you
need more calories or are very active.
Eat a variety of foods.
Maintain healthy weight.
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat,
and cholesterol.
Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables,
fruits, and grain products.
Use sugars only in moderation.
Use salt and sodium only in moderation.
If you drink alcoholic beverages,
do so in moderation.
If you drink alcohol, drink a small amount.
For women, this is no more than 1 drink each day.
For men, this is no more than 2 drinks each day.
A drink is:
12 ounces of regular beer
5 ounces of wine
1 1/2 ounces of hard liquor - 80 proof (whiskey,
brandy, rum, vodka)
about 12 ounces (one bottle) of wine cooler
How can you
stay healthy?
North Central Regional
Extension Publication No.472
Choosing
healthy foods
is easy
if you keep this
in mind:
North Central Regional Extension Publications are subject to
peer review and prepared as part of the Cooperative
Extension activities of the thirteen land-grant universities of
the 12 North Central States. The following states cooperated
in making this publication available: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Missouri (Lincoln University), and South Dakota.
Programs and activities of the Cooperative Extension
Service are available to all potential clientele without
regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, or
handicap.
This publication was produced by the Educational
Development System, Minnesota Extension Service, in
cooperation with the North Central Region Educational
Materials Project and the Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of
Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cooperative
Extension Services of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota,
Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Patrick J. Borich, Dean
and Director, Minnesota Extension Service, St. Paul, MN
55108.
MI-6046-S
Revised Nov. 1994
For more information about healthy eating,
contact your local Extension Office
If you are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant,
do not drink alcohol. Babies may be born with
health problems if mothers drink alcohol during
pregnancy.
Adapted by Ellen R. Schuster, M.S., R.D., C.H.E.,
a nutritionist with the Minnesota Extension Service,
College of Human Ecology, University of Minnesota.
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CPrinted with agribased inks on recycled paper 10% postconsumer waste
Daily Food Guide
Choosing Foods for
Good Health
KEY
Fat (naturally occurring and added)
Sugars (added)
These symbols show fats, oils and
added sugars in foods.
The Fruit Group Eat 2 to 4 servings each day
A serving is:
1 medium-sized apple, orange,
or banana
1/2 cup of fresh, cooked, or
canned fruit cut into pieces
3/4 cup of juice
The Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans,
Eggs, and Nuts Group Eat 2 to 3 servings each day
A serving is:
about 2-3 ounces of lean cooked meat, poultry,
or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
1 cup of cooked beans
2 eggs
4 tablespoons of peanut butter
Fats, Oils, and Sweets Eat very little of these foods
Foods such as margarine, butter, oil, and salad dressing
have a lot of fat in them.
Soft drinks, candies, and sweet desserts
have a lot of sugar in them.
The Vegetable Group Eat 3 to 5 servings each day
A serving is:
1 cup of raw leafy vegetables
such as lettuce or spinach
1/2 cup of fresh, cooked, or
canned vegetables
3/4 cup vegetable juice
The Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese Group Eat 2 to 3 servings each day
A serving is:
1 cup of milk or yogurt
1 1/2 ounces of natural cheese like Swiss,
cheddar, mozzarella
2 ounces process cheese like American cheese (1 1/2 - 2 slices)
1 cup tofu
2 cups cottage cheese
The Bread, Cereal, Rice, and
Pasta Group Eat 6 to 11 servings each day
A serving is:
1 slice of bread
1/2 hamburger bun, bagel, or English muffin
1 ounce of dry, ready-to-eat cereal
(usually 2/3 to 3/4 cup of cereal)
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta
4 small crackers
1 large tortilla or 2 small ones
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Choose snack foods with
the smallest amounts of fat or
sugar. Some examples are: fig
bars, ginger snaps, graham
crackers, vanilla wafers, angel
food cake, cakes made from
low-fat cake mixes, ice milk,
sherbet, and frozen fruit bars.
Trim the fat from meat
before cooking. Include
meals with beans.
Choose a variety of fruits:
oranges, grapefruits, juices,
cantaloupe, watermelon, and
strawberries. Choose fresh
fruit salad or baked apples for
desserts or snacks.
For a healthy
diet, use skim or
low-fat (1% or 2%)
milk, non-fat or
low-fat yogurt, and
low-fat cheeses.
Choose a variety of vegetables:
spinach, romaine lettuce, broccoli,
carrots, squash, sweet potatoes,
potatoes, corn, peas, and
tomatoes.
Include
whole-grain foods
like whole-wheat
bread, rice,
oatmeal, and
whole-grain
cereals.
M
Choosing
Foods
for Good
Health
Eat a variety of foods from
each food group every day.
Your choices for one day
from the vegetable group might
be a potato, broccoli, and carrots.
Eat at least the minimum
number of servings from each
food group.
For the fruit group, eat at least 2
servings of fruit each day. You may
choose to eat more servings if you
need more calories or are very active.
Eat a variety of foods.
Maintain healthy weight.
Choose a diet low in fat, saturated fat,
and cholesterol.
Choose a diet with plenty of vegetables,
fruits, and grain products.
Use sugars only in moderation.
Use salt and sodium only in moderation.
If you drink alcoholic beverages,
do so in moderation.
If you drink alcohol, drink a small amount.
For women, this is no more than 1 drink each day.
For men, this is no more than 2 drinks each day.
A drink is:
12 ounces of regular beer
5 ounces of wine
1 1/2 ounces of hard liquor - 80 proof (whiskey,
brandy, rum, vodka)
about 12 ounces (one bottle) of wine cooler
How can you
stay healthy?
North Central Regional
Extension Publication No.472
Choosing
healthy foods
is easy
if you keep this
in mind:
North Central Regional Extension Publications are subject to
peer review and prepared as part of the Cooperative
Extension activities of the thirteen land-grant universities of
the 12 North Central States. The following states cooperated
in making this publication available: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Missouri (Lincoln University), and South Dakota.
Programs and activities of the Cooperative Extension
Service are available to all potential clientele without
regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, religion, or
handicap.
This publication was produced by the Educational
Development System, Minnesota Extension Service, in
cooperation with the North Central Region Educational
Materials Project and the Cooperative State Research,
Education, and Extension Service.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of
Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Cooperative
Extension Services of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota,
Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. Patrick J. Borich, Dean
and Director, Minnesota Extension Service, St. Paul, MN
55108.
MI-6046-S
Revised Nov. 1994
For more information about healthy eating,
contact your local Extension Office
If you are pregnant or are trying to get pregnant,
do not drink alcohol. Babies may be born with
health problems if mothers drink alcohol during
pregnancy.
Adapted by Ellen R. Schuster, M.S., R.D., C.H.E.,
a nutritionist with the Minnesota Extension Service,
College of Human Ecology, University of Minnesota.
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CPrinted with agribased inks on recycled paper 10% postconsumer waste
knowledge
when you need it
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