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Food Label and Serving Size Guide

It's important to understand food labels and know what proper serving sizes are for each food group before you plan your daily diet. Reading Food Labels

Food labels can be difficult to read but it's important to understand what they contain. These government required labels show you nutrition and ingredient information about the foods you eat. The label to the right is an example of what you can expect on your food.

Recommended Serving Sizes

Knowing what serving sizes you should eat from each food group is an important part of maintaining a healthy diet. Below are recommended serving sizes for each group.

Bread Group:
1 slice of bread; ½ small bagel, muffin or bun; ½ cup cooked cereal, pasta or rice; 1 oz. Ready-to-eat cereal (between ½ and 1 cup)

Vegetable Group:
1 cup raw, leafy vegetables; ½ cup other vegetables cooked or raw; ¾ cut (6 oz.) vegetable juice

Fruit Group:
1 medium fresh fruit; ½ cup cut or canned fruit; ¾ cup (6 oz) fruit juice

Milk Group:
1 cup (8 oz) milk or yogurt; 1 ½ oz natural cheese; 2 oz processed cheese

Meat Group:
2-3 oz cooked, trimmed, boneless lean red meat, skinless poultry or fish; 4 oz tofu; ½ cup cooked dried beans; 1 egg; 2 T. peanut butter

Fats, Oils and Sweets:
1 t. butter, margarine, sugar or jelly; 1 T. mayonnaise or salad dressing; 2 T. sour cream; 1 oz. Cream cheese, 12 fl. oz. Soft drink or fruit drink (punch)

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