FDA's Food Pyramid
What's Changed?
The old FDA pyramid suggested grains up to eleven servings per day, and vegetables and fruits up to five servings per day. Three servings of meats and beans were recommended along with three servings of milk per day. The old diet from the FDA told us to use oil sparingly or not at all, the new one tells us six teaspoons is safe. The ratio of meats to grains has doubled where fruits and vegetable servings have decreased.
2000 Calorie Diet Recommendations Foods Old New
Grains 6-11 servings 6 ounces
Vegetables 3.5 servings 2.5 cups
Fruits 2-4 servings 2 cups
Meat & Beans 2-3 servings 5.5 ounces
Milk 2-3 servings 3 cups
Oils use sparingly 6 teaspoons
The Simple Way to Measure Foods
If you don't have a food scale at home, following recommended portions can be tough. When measuring foods, make sure you get the right amount by using these guidelines:
* Fruits = size of a baseball
* One-half cup veggies = bulb part of the light bulb
* Cereal and grains = standard tea cup
* Pasta and rice = cupped palm
* Meat, chicken or fish = size of woman's palm
* Beans = bulb part of the light bulb
* Two tablespoons of peanut butter = size of one walnut shell
* Milk = standard yogurt container
* Salad dressings = one-half of walnut shell
Create Your Own and Mix it Up
Mix up your food choices so you don't get bored. Eating the same foods day after day will make your palate unhappy. Below are some meal solutions you can use to start and then mix it up for variety. Any combination of these breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner menus is 2000 calories. Challenge yourself to find and eat healthy foods by creating recipes that are low in fat and higher in whole grains, beans, fish, and rice.
Breakfast
* Toast with jam and a cereal bar
* Oatmeal with skim milk topped with blueberries or strawberries
* Whole grain cereals; buy in bulk and create your own
* Plain yogurt with fruit and glass of juice
* Hard boiled egg and fruit cup
Lunch
* Baked potato with black beans
* Low-fat turkey sandwich; use whole grain roll
* Green salad with hard-boiled egg and low fat dressing
* Tuna fish mixed with tablespoon of low fat mayonnaise and whole wheat crackers
* Spinach salad with fruits, corn, and nuts
Snacks
* Raw veggies like carrots, red or yellow peppers
* Popcorn without the butter
* Trail mix or granola bar
* Two whole grain bread sticks
* Fruits like bananas, apples, and oranges
Dinner
* Fresh fish with rice
* Chicken or turkey with plain baked potato
* Soy burger topped with low-fat cheese on whole grain bun
* Fresh vegetables
* Leafy green salads with low fat dressing
Healthy Eating Tips
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