New Day Your Way

At-a-Glance Food Guide

We know from the At-a-Glance Nutrition Guide what foods give us which nutrients, but how do we know what quantities of each we should be eating in order to be sure that we're getting a nutritionally balanced diet? This table will tell you what you need to know.

	Amount daily	Serving Size	Food source	Nutrient
Dairy	3 cups	1 cup milk 1 cup yogurt 1½ oz cheese	Milk or milk alternatives, low-fat or no-fat dairy products. Yogurt, cheese and sour cream. These products can come from cows, goats or sheep. Alternatives include sardines, calcium-fortified foods and tofu.	Calcium
Grains	5-6 1oz servings includes 3oz of whole grain	1 slice bread 1 cup breakfast cereal ½ cup pasta, cooked rice, or cooked cereal	Whole grains include brown rice, whole grain bread and pasta, buckwheat, oatmeal and wild rice.	Carbohydrates
Protein	4/6oz	1 to 2oz	Meats, poultry, fish, seafood, dry beans, nuts and seeds.	Essential Amino acids and EFAs Omega 3/6
Fats and Oils	7 teaspoons	1 teaspoons	Fish, flax, seeds, nuts and vegetable oils like olive oil, peanut oil and safflower oil.	EFAs Omega 3/6 Vitamin E
Vegetables and Fruit	5-9	½ cup starchy vegetables 2 cups low-starch vegetables Fruit ½ cup	Starchy = potatoes or corn Low starch = dark green (broccoli) Look for dark and brightly colored fruits/vegetables like broccoli, leafy greens, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, peas, carrots, apples, oranges, peaches, bananas.	Antioxidants, bioflavinoids, vitamins, minerals and fiber, or fiber from carbohydrates
Salt	< 2300mg	1 dash = 155mg	Salt or sodium included in processed foods, canned vegetables, salt, and prepared foods. Be sure to read the labels of pre-packaged and processed foods.
Source: USDA