How to Use the Food Guide Pyramid

- When your child eats a serving of food, place a magnet in the appropriate food group. Goal: The goal is to have your child consume at least the minimum servings from each food group with the exception of fats and sweets, which should be used sparingly. Is your child eating adequate servings from each food group? If not, what foods could be included for a well-balanced diet?

What is a serving?

A serving from the bread, rice and pasta group:
-1 slice of bread
-1/2 bun, bagel or English muffin
-1 dinner roll, tortilla or muffin
-1 four inch pancake
-1 two inch square corn bread
-3/4 cup cereal
-1/2 cup cooked rice
-1/2 cup cooked pasta (noodles, macaroni, etc.)

A serving from the meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs and nuts group:
-2-3 ounces of cooked meat. (About the size of a deck of cards)
-1 wiener
-1/2 cup cooked dry beans or canned dry beans. (Pinto, kidney, or navy
beans)
-1 egg
-2 tbsp. Peanut butter or nuts.

A serving from the vegetable group:
-1 cup raw, leafy vegetable (lettuce, spinach, etc.)
-1/2 cup other vegetables (carrots, green beans, corn, broccoli, cabbage,
sprouts or cooked collard greens)
-1 medium baked potato
-10 French-fries
-3/4 cup vegetable juice

A serving from the dairy group:
-1 cup milk
-1 cup yogurt
-1 half ounce of natural cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, or Mozzarella)
-2 ounce processed cheese

A serving from the fruit group:
-3/4 cup fruit juice
-1 medium apple, banana, orange or peach
-1/2 cup canned fruits
-1/2 cup small fruits (grape or strawberries)
-1/2 grapefruit
-1/4 cantaloupe
-1/4 cup dried fruit (raisins, peaches, mango, etc)

A serving from the fats and oils: (use sparingly)
-Butter or margarine
-Shortening
-Vegetable oil
-Salad dressing
-Sugar
-Jams and jelly
-Syrup and honey
-Candy
-Soda

EXAMPLE

-If a medium apple is consumed, then one happy face is placed in the fruit category.
-If ¾ cup of vegetable juice is consumed then one happy is placed into the vegetable category.

What about foods with a mix of different ingredients?

Servings are estimated. For example:
-One beef taco: One cheese pizza:
-Meat = 1/2 serving -Crust = 1 bread serving
-Lettuce, tomato = 1/2 serving -Cheese = 1 milk
-Taco shell = 1/2 serving

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