All
fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and fruit ; oranges and orange juice,
apples and apple juice, bananas, grapes, melons, berries, raisins.
Vegetables
Dark Green
All
fresh, frozen, and canned dark-green vegetables, cooked or raw: broccoli, spinach,
romaine, collard, turnip, and mustard greens.
Deep Yellow
All
fresh, frozen and canned orange and deep yellow vegetables, cooked or raw: carrots,
sweet potatoes, winter squash, pumpkin.
Legumes
All
cooked dry beans and peas and soybean products: pinto beans, kidney beans, lentils,
chickpeas, tofu.
Starchy
All
fresh, frozen, and canned starchy vegetables: white potatoes, corn, green peas.
Other
All
fresh, frozen, and canned other vegetables, cooked or raw: tomatoes, tomato juice,
lettuce, green beans, onions.
Grains
Whole Grains
All
whole grain products and whole grains used as ingredients: whole wheat & rye
breads, whole grain cereals and crackers, corn tortillas, oatmeal, brown rice.
Other
Grains
All
refined grain products and refined grains used as ingredients: white breads, enriched
grain cereals and crackers, enriched pasta, white rice.
Meat
& Beans
All
meat, poultry, fish, dry beans and peas, eggs, nuts seeds. Most choices
should be lean or low fat.
Legumes
(dry beans and peas) are unique because they are considered to be part of this
group as well as the vegetable group, but to prevent double counting, they are
listed in this table only as a subgroup in the vegetable group.
Milk
All
milks, frozen yogurts, dairy desserts, cheeses (except cream cheese), including
lactose-free and lactose-reduced products. Most choices should be fat-free
or low fat. Calcium-fortified soy beverages are an option for those who
want a non-dairy calcium source.
Quantity
Equivalents for Each Food Group
Grains
The following each count as
1 cup (2 servings) of grains: 1 cup cooked rice, pasta, or cooked cereal; 2 slices
bread; 2 small muffins (1 oz. each); 2 cups ready-to-eat cereal flakes.
Fruits & Vegetables
The following each count as
1 cup (2 servings) of fruits or vegetables: 1 cup cut-up raw or cooked fruit or
vegetable, 1-1/2 cups fruit or vegetable juice, 2 cups leafy salad greens.
Meat & Beans
The following each count as
1 ounce equivalent: 1 ounce meat, poultry, or fish; 1 egg; 1/2 cup cooked dry
beans or tofu; 2 Tbsp peanut butter; 1/3 cup nuts; 1/4 cup seeds.
Milk
The following each count as
1 cup (1 serving) of milk: 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1-1/2 ounces natural cheese,
or 2 ounces processed cheese.
