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.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.;
, 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.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., 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.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., 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.And butter and cream are really made from fat.
Make half your plate consist of vegetables and fruits.
Aim for whole grains.
Vary your protein sources.
Add some low-fat dairy.
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