EATING WELL EVERYDAY
Eating Well Everyday
Do you ever wonder how to eat a balanced diet? Or how many calories you should have each day? According to the US Department of Agriculture, teen girls need about 2200 calories per day. These calories should be chosen from low-fat, lean foods from the 5 major food groups of the Food Guide Pyramid.
You can click on each section of the image below to get a description of that section, or scroll down for the complete descriptions:
The Food Guide Pyramid is an outline of what to eat each day. It's not a rigid plan, but a general guide that helps you choose a healthy diet. At the top of the pyramid are foods you should eat only in small amounts. For food groups located closer to the base of the pyramid, the recommended number of servings increases.
The Food Guide Pyramid calls for eating a variety of foods to get the nutrients you need and the right amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight. There are many ways to create a healthy eating pattern, but they all start with the three food groups at the base of the pyramid: grains, fruits, and vegetables. Enjoy meals that have rice, pasta, tortillas, or whole grain bread at the center of the plate. Have lots of fruits and vegetables and eat low-fat choices from the dairy group and the meat and beans group. Go easy on foods high in fat or sugars.
What counts as a serving?
In order to use the Food Guide Pyramid as a tool for healthy eating, it is important for you to understand what counts as a serving.
A serving is a specific amount of food, like the serving size on a cereal box. It is not the same as a helping. A helping is how much you actually put on your plate or pour into your cup. It’s ok to eat more or less than a serving and a helping may be more or less than a serving. Check out these examples of actual servings as compared to what people typically eat in one meal:
| A Pyramid Serving | A Typical Helping |
|---|---|
| 1/2 cup rice or pasta |
1 cup rice or pasta (2 servings) |
| 1/2 bagel or hamburger bun | 1 bagel or hamburger bun (2 servings) |
| 1/2 cup cooked red beans | Bowl of chili beans (3-4 servings) |
| 1 cup leafy greens | Large green salad (2 servings) |
| 1 order (1/2 cup) French fries | Large order French fries (1 1/2-2 servings) |
| 1 cup ready-to-eat cereal | Bowl of cereal (2-3 servings) |
| 1 small leg (drumstick and thigh, no skin) | Large leg (1 1/2 servings) or a breast and wing (1 1/2 servings) |
Serving sizes are a type of measuring tool. Knowing what counts as a serving can help you follow the Food Guide Pyramid. Here are some examples of servings for each food group:
| Pyramid Food Group | These count as one serving | These are the number of servings you should have each day |
|---|---|---|
| Fats, oils, and sweets |
These foods add extra calories and provide little or no nutrients. Use them sparingly to add flavors to other foods |
Use sparingly |
| Milk group | 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1 1/2 ounces natural cheese, 2 ounces processed cheese |
3 servings for teens |
| Meat group | 1/2 cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, or 2 tablespoons peanut butter count as 1 ounce of meat; 2-3 ounces cooked lean meat, poultry, or fish count as a serving |
2-3 servings |
| Vegetable group | 1 cup raw leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup vegetables (cooked or chopped raw), 3/4 cup vegetable juice |
3-5 servings |
| Fruit group | 1 medium apple, banana, or orange; 1/2 cup fruit (canned, cooked, or raw), 3/4 cup fruit juice; 1/4 cup dried fruit |
2-4 servings |
| Bread group | 1 slice of bread or tortilla; 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice, or pasta; 1/2 bagel, hamburger bun, or English muffin |
6-11 servings |
So, how can you use this information to the way you eat? Here are some ways:
Fats, Oils, and Sweets (Use Sparingly)
- Go easy on fats and sugars added to foods in cooking or at the table—butter, margarine, gravy, salad dressing, sugar, and jelly.
- Choose fewer foods that are high in sugars--candy, sweet desserts, and soft drinks.
- The best way to moderate the amount of fat and added sugars in your diet is to cut down on sweets and rich desserts.
- Also choose lower-fat and lower-sugar foods from the other five food groups often.
Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese (Have 3 Servings Per Day)
- Choose skim milk and nonfat yogurt often. They are lowest in saturated fat.
- 1½ to 2 ounces of cheese or 8 ounces of yogurt count as a serving from this group because they supply the same amount of calcium as 1 cup of milk.
- Choose part skim or low-fat cheeses when available and lower fat milk desserts, like ice milk or frozen yogurt. Read labels.
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, and Nuts. (Have 2-3 Servings Per Day)
- Choose lean meat, poultry without skin, fish, and dry beans and peas often. They are the choices lowest in saturated fat.
- Prepare meats in low-fat ways:
- Trim away all the fat you can see.
- Remove skin from poultry.
- Broil, roast, or boil these foods instead of frying them.
- Nuts and seeds are high in fat, so eat them in moderation.
- Use egg yolks and whole eggs in moderation. Use egg whites and egg substitutes freely.
Vegetable Group (Have 3-5 Servings Per Day)
- Different types of vegetables provide different nutrients. Eat a variety.
- Include dark-green leafy vegetables and legumes 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 spreads or toppings, such as butter, mayonnaise, and salad dressing, count as fat.
Fruit Group (Have 2-4 Servings Per Day)
- Choose fresh fruits, fruit juices, and frozen, canned, or dried fruit. 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.
- Count only 100 percent fruit juice as fruit. Punches, sport drinks, and most fruit "drinks" contain only a little juice and lots of added sugars.
Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta Group (Have 6-11 Servings Per Day)
- To get the fiber you need, choose several servings a day of foods made from whole grains.
- Choose most often foods that are made with little fat or sugars, like bread, English muffins, rice, and pasta.
- Go easy on the fat and sugars you add as spreads, seasonings, or toppings.
- When preparing pasta, stuffing, and sauce from packaged mixes, use only half the butter or margarine suggested; if milk or cream is called for, use low-fat milk.
