Food Guide Pyramid

Food Guide Pyramid is a practical tool to help you make food choices that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Using the Pyramid enables you to eat a variety of foods daily so that you can get the nutrients you need.

To make the most of the Pyramid, you need to know what counts as a serving.


Food Group: Vegetable
Serving Size: 1 cup raw, leafy vegetables, 1/2 cup cooked or chopped raw vegetables or 3/4 cup vegetable juice

Food Group: Bread
Serving Size: 1 slice bread, 1/2 bagel or English muffin, 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal, 1/2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta, or 5-6 small crackers

Food Group: Fruit
Serving Size: 1 medium piece of fruit, 1/2 cup mixed fruit or 3/4 cup fruit juice

Food Group: Milk
Serving Size: 1 cup milk or yogurt, 1-1/2 ounces natural cheese or 2 ounces process cheese

Food Group: Meat
Serving Size: 2-3 ounces cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (about the size of a deck of cards.) Other foods which count as 1 ounce meat; 1/2 cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 1/2 cup nuts


The Kids Activity Pyramid
Each week you can have fun and be active by trying the following things...

With Friends:
-Dance to music
-Play games like tag and hopscotch
-Join a sports team at school or the park

With Family:
-Go on a walk together
-Play at the park
-Turn off the TV for a day

By Yourself:
-Fly a kite
-Do cartwheels, somersaults, or jumping jacks
-Practice sports skills

What's Your Nutrition and Physical Activity I.Q.?

Can you fill in the blanks to find these secrets to healthy eating and physical activity?

1. Eat from the five food groups every day. These include a) ??, cereals and grains, b) fruits, c) vegetables, d) milk, yogurt and cheese and e) ?? And proteins.
2. Do moderate physical activities for ?? minutes daily.
3. Eat ?? to get going in the morning.
4. Vigorous activities make you ?? and breathe hard.
5. Eat a ?? of foods every day.
6. Take a 10 minute ?? break every hour while you read, ?? or do homework.
7. Smart ?? are just what you need if you get hungry between meals.
8. Be sure to ?? your muscles before and after work-outs.
9. Use the ?? Facts Panel and the Food ?? Pyramid to help you balance food choices.
10. Keep ?? to stay in shape.


Answers:

1. a) breads e) meats
2. 30
3. Breakfast
4. Sweat
5. Variety
6. Activity, watch tv
7. Snacks
8. Stretch
9. Nutrition, Guide
10. Moving