My Plate and Food Choices

Chapter 4, Lesson 1 Part 2

7th Grade Health

Eating Right

Your plate during meals should have the same percentile covered by each food group as this picture.

My Plate Facts

Contains the five food groups Fats, Oils, and Sweets are not a food group!

Eat more from the food groups that cover most of the plate

There are recommended servings for each food group

However, these are suggestions and do not take into account a person’s age, gender, activity level, or special dietary needs.

Daily Recommended Servings

Food GroupsServing

s Per Day

One Serving Equals:

Milk, Yogurt, and Cheese (Dairy)

2-31 cup milk

1 cup yogurt1 ½ ounces cheese

2 ounces processed cheese

Meat and Beans 2-32-3 ounces cooked meat

½ cup cooked beans1 egg

2 tablespoons peanut butter

Fruit 2-4 1 medium apple, banana, orange¾ cup 100% fruit juice

Vegetable 3-5 1 cup raw vegetables½ cup cooked vegetables

Grains 6-111 slice bread

1 ounce cereal½ cup cooked cereal

Daily Recommended Servings

Many popular foods combine servings from several food groups Smoothies Turkey Sandwich BLT Yogurt Parfait

What are some other examples?

Food Choices and Your Health

Try to limit foods that do not contain many nutrients Includes chips, cookies, candies, and ice cream

Cut back on salad dressings, oils, and buttery spreads

Eat low levels of sodium (or salt)

Increase your fiber intake

Guide to Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins What it Does Some Sources

Vitamin AMaintains healthy

teeth, skin, and eyes

Milk, cheese, liver, carrots, apricots, cantaloupe, sweet potatoes, leafy vegetables

B VitaminsSupport heart, nerve cells, brain, and blood

Lean meats, poultry, fish, nuts, eggs, some packaged

breads

Vitamin CPromotes healthy

teeth and gums and helps to heal wounds

Citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, collard and

mustard greens

Guide to Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins What it Does Some Sources

Vitamin D

Helps the body absorb calcium,

essential for healthy teeth and bones

Milk, cheese, butter, fish, some cereals, sunlight

Vitamin ESlows aging and

supports formation of red blood cells

Wheat germ, corn, nuts, vegetable oils, green leafy

vegetables

Guide to Vitamins and Minerals

Minerals What it Does Some Sources

IronBuilds muscle and

transports oxygen to blood

Beef, poultry, seafood, spinach, whole grains

CalciumPromotes strong teeth and bones

Milk, tofu, broccoil, some juices and cereals

MagnesiumAssists nerves and

musclesNuts, beans, dark green

vegetables

ZincHeals wounds and

aids growthMeat, liver, eggs, wheat

germ, whole grains

Harvard Medical School

Healthy Eating Plate vs. USDA's MyPlate

Compare and Contrast Eating Programs

Mediterranean Food Guide Pyramid

Asian Food Guide Pyramid