Serving Size 

What counts as one (1) serving?

Grains Group (Bread, Cereal, Rice, and Pasta)

• A serving is equivalent to 1 ounce

• 1 slice of bread

• 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta

• 1/2 cup of cooked cereal

• 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal

• 3 cups popped popcorn

• 1 six-inch tortilla

Vegetable Group

• 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables

• 1 cup vegetable juice

• 2 cups of leafy raw vegetables

Fruit Group

• 1 cup of fruit

• 1 cup of 100% fruit juice

• 1/2 cup dried fruit

Dairy Group (Milk, Yogurt and Cheese)

• 1 cup of milk or yogurt

• 1 ½ ounces of hard cheese

• 1/3 cup shredded cheese

• 2 cups cottage cheese

Meat Group (Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs and Nuts)

• 2 to 6 ounces per day is recommended (based on age)

Oils

• 3 to 7 tablespoons per day depending on your dietary needs.

• Most Americans get enough fats through foods such as nuts, fish, cooking oils, and salad dressings.

 

Servings Per Day

	Women & Some Older Adults	Children, Teen Girls, Active Women, Most Men	Teen Boys & Active Men
Calories Per Day*	About 1,600	About 2,200	About 2,800
Bread Group	5 ounces	7 ounces	10 ounces
Vegetable Group	2 cups	3 cups	3½ cups
Fruit Group	1½ cups	2 cups	2½ cups
Dairy Group	3 cups	3 cups	3 cups
Meat Group	5 ounces	6 ounces	7 ounces
*These calorie levels are estimations, visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/ to find your recommended intakes.
Also visit http://www.mypyramid.gov/ to track your daily intake and compare to your recommended intake.

  

Estimate Your Serving Sizes

• 1 cup is the size of a tennis ball, a baseball, or a fist.

• ½ cup is the size of a recquet ball or regular light bulb.

• 3 ounces of meat is the size of a deck of cards.

• 1 teaspoon of margarine is the size of the tip of a thumb.

• 1½ ounces of cheese is the size of a tube of lipstick.

This information has been approved by Kylie Paranto, M.S., R.D.. (November 2006).