Vegetables, 3 cups

Fruits, 2 cups

Grains, 8 ounces

Dairy, 3 cups

Protein, 6½ ounces

Eat a variety of vegetables each day.

Aim for these amounts each week:

• 2 cups dark green vegetables

• 6 cups red or orange-colored vegetables

• 2 cups dry beans and peas

• 6 cups starchy vegetables

• 5 cups other vegetables

Eat a variety of fruits each day.

Go easy on fruit juices.

Good choices of fruits include:

• Berries

• Bananas

• Grapes

• Apples

• Melon

• Dried fruit

• Frozen fruit

• Canned fruit

Choose whole grains whenever you can.

Aim to eat at least 4 ounces of whole grains each day:

• Bread

• Cereal

• Rice

• Pasta

• Potatoes

• Tortillas

Choose low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt, or cheese each day.

Good choices include:

• Low-fat or fat-free milk or chocolate milk

• Low-fat or fat-free yogurt

• Low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese or other reduced-fat cheeses

• Calcium-fortified milk alternatives, including soy milk

Choose low-fat or lean meats, poultry, fish, and seafood each day.

Vary your protein. Choose more:

• Fish and other seafood

• Lean low-fat meat and poultry

• Eggs

• Beans, peas

• Tofu

• Unsalted nuts and seeds

Choose less high-fat and red meat.

Food group 

Daily MyPlate goal 

What you ate today 

Vegetables

6 half-cups or 6 servings

One serving is:

½ cup cut-up raw or cooked vegetables

1 cup raw, leafy vegetables

½ baked sweet potato

½ cup vegetable juice

Note: At meals, fill half your plate with vegetables and fruit.

Fruits

4 half-cups or 4 servings

One serving is:

½ cup fresh, frozen, or canned fruit

1 medium piece of fruit

1 cup of berries or melon

½ cup dried fruit

½ cup 100% fruit juice

Note: Make most choices fruit instead of juice.

Grains

8 servings or 8 ounces

One serving is:

1 slice bread

1 cup dry cereal

½ cup cooked rice, pasta, or cereal

1 5-inch tortilla

Note: Choose whole grains for at least half of your servings each day.

Dairy

3 servings or 3 cups

One serving is:

1 cup milk

1½ ounces reduced-fat hard cheese

2 ounces processed cheese

1 cup low-fat yogurt

1/3 cup shredded cheese

Note: Choose low-fat or fat-free most often.

Protein

6½ servings or 6½ ounces

One serving is:

1 ounce cooked lean beef, pork, lamb, or ham

1 ounce cooked chicken or turkey (no skin)

1 ounce cooked fish or shellfish (not fried)

1 egg

¼ cup egg substitute

½ ounce nuts or seeds

1 tablespoon peanut or almond butter

¼ cup cooked dry beans or peas

½ cup tofu

2 tablespoons hummus