Dietary Guidelines

Dietary Guidelines For Americans

Aim for fitness

• Aim For A Healthy Weight
• Be Physically Active Each Day

Build a Healthy Base

• Let the Food Pyramid Guide Your Food Choices
• Choose a Variety of Grains Daily, Especially Whole Grains
• Choose a Variety of Fruits and Vegetables Daily

The Food Pyramid

• Grains – eat at least 3 ounces of whole grain bread, cereal, crackers, rice, or pasta every day
• Vegetables – the greener the vegetables the better, but don’t forget orange-colored veggies or dry beans and peas
• Fruits – eat a variety of fruit either fresh, canned, dried, or frozen but go easy on fruit juices
• Milk- milk category includes milk, yogurt, and cheeses – aim for low-fat or fat-free milk products  - milk keeps your bones strong
• Meat & Beans – choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry – bake it, broil it, or grill it – vary your choices with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds

Choose Sensibly

• Choose a Diet That is Low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol and Moderate in Total Fat
• Choose and Prepare Foods With Less Salt

What Schools Must Offer

• One Meat/Meat Alternate
• Two Fruit/Vegetables (One Fruit and One Vegetable; or Two Fruits; or Two Vegetables
• One Bread/Grain
• Fluid Milk

Prohibited Foods

• Carbonated Beverages/Soda Water
• Chewing Gum
• Hard Candy
• Marshmallow Candies
• Licorice
• Spun Candy (Cotton Candy)
• Candy-Coated Popcorn