Recommended Number of Food Guide Servings per Day What is One Food Guide Serving?

What is One Food Guide Serving? Make each Food Guide Serving count…
Look at the examples below. wherever you are – at home, at school, at work or when eating out!
Children Teens Adults
Age in Years 2-3 4-8 9-13 14-18 19-50 51+ 4Eat at least one dark green and one orange vegetable each day.
• Go for dark green vegetables such as broccoli, romaine lettuce and spinach.
Sex Girls and Boys Females Males Females Males Females Males
• Go for orange vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes and winter squash.
4Choose vegetables and fruit prepared with little or no added fat, sugar or salt.
Vegetables • Enjoy vegetables steamed, baked or stir-fried instead of deep-fried.
and Fruit 4 5 6 7 8 7-8 8-10 7 7 Fresh, frozen or canned vegetables
125 mL (1⁄2 cup)
Leafy vegetables
Cooked: 125 mL (1⁄2 cup)
Fresh, frozen or
canned fruits
100% Juice
125 mL (1⁄2 cup) 4Have vegetables and fruit more often than juice.
Raw: 250 mL (1 cup) 1 fruit or 125 mL (1⁄2 cup)

4Make at least half of your grain products whole grain each day.
• Eat a variety of whole grains such as barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa and wild rice.
• Enjoy whole grain breads, oatmeal or whole wheat pasta.
Grain
Products 3 4 6 6 7 6-7 8 6 7 4Choose grain products that are lower in fat, sugar or salt.
• Compare the Nutrition Facts table on labels to make wise choices.
Bread Bagel Flat breads Cooked rice, Cereal Cooked pasta • Enjoy the true taste of grain products. When adding sauces or spreads, use small amounts.
1 slice (35g) 1
⁄2 bagel (45 g) 1
⁄2 pita or 1⁄2 tortilla (35 g) bulgur or quinoa Cold: 30 g or couscous
125 mL (1⁄2 cup) Hot: 175 mL (3⁄4 cup) 125 mL (1⁄2 cup)
4Drink skim, 1%, or 2% milk each day.
• Have 500 mL (2 cups) of milk every day for adequate vitamin D.
• Drink fortified soy beverages if you do not drink milk.
Milk and
Alternatives 2 2 3-4 3-4 3-4 2 2 3 3 4Select lower fat milk alternatives.
• Compare the Nutrition Facts table on yogurts or cheeses to make wise choices.
Milk or powdered Canned milk Fortified soy Yogurt Kefir Cheese
milk (reconstituted) (evaporated) beverage 175 g 175 g 50 g (1 1⁄2 oz.)
250 mL (1 cup) 125 mL (1⁄2 cup) 250 mL (1 cup) (3⁄4 cup) (3⁄4 cup)

4Have meat alternatives such as beans, lentils and tofu often.

Meat and 4Eat at least two Food Guide Servings of fish each week.*
Alternatives 1 1 1-2 2 3 2 3 2 3 • Choose fish such as char, herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines and trout.
4Select lean meat and alternatives prepared with little or no added fat or salt.
Cooked fish, shellfish, Cooked legumes Tofu Peanut or nut butters Shelled nuts • Trim the visible fat from meats. Remove the skin on poultry.
Eggs
poultry, lean meat 175 mL (3⁄4 cup) 150 g or 2 eggs 30 mL (2 Tbsp) and seeds • Use cooking methods such as roasting, baking or poaching that require little or no added fat.
The chart above shows how many Food Guide Servings you 75 g (2 ⁄2 oz.)/125 mL ( ⁄2 cup)
1 1
175 mL (3⁄4 cup) 60 mL (1⁄4 cup) • If you eat luncheon meats, sausages or prepackaged meats, choose those lower in salt (sodium) and fat.
need from each of the four food groups every day.

Having the amount and type of food recommended and

following the tips in Canada’s Food Guide will help: Oils and Fats Satisfy your
• Meet your needs for vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.
• Include a small amount – 30 to 45 mL (2 to 3 Tbsp) – of unsaturated fat
each day. This includes oil used for cooking, salad dressings, margarine
Enjoy a variety thirst with water!
• Reduce your risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and mayonnaise. of foods from Drink water regularly. It’s a
certain types of cancer and osteoporosis.
• Contribute to your overall health and vitality.
•U  se vegetable oils such as canola, olive and soybean. the four calorie-free way to quench
•C  hoose soft margarines that are low in saturated and trans fats. food groups. your thirst. Drink more
water in hot weather or
• L imit butter, hard margarine, lard and shortening.
when you are very active.

* Health Canada provides advice for limiting exposure to mercury from certain types of fish. Refer to www.healthcanada.gc.ca for the latest information.
Advice for different ages and stages… Eat well and be active today and every day!

Children Women of childbearing age Men and women over 50 The benefits of eating well and being active include: Take a step today… Eating
• Better overall health. • Feeling and looking better. 3 Have breakfast every day. It may help Well with
Canada’s
Following Canada’s Food Guide helps All women who could become pregnant The need for vitamin D increases after • Lower risk of disease. • More energy. control your hunger later in the day.
children grow and thrive. and those who are pregnant or the age of 50. • A healthy body weight. • Stronger muscles and bones.
breastfeeding need a multivitamin 3 Walk wherever you can – get off the
Young children have small appetites and In addition to following Canada’s Food bus early, use the stairs.
containing folic acid every day. Guide, everyone over the age of 50 should
need calories for growth and

Food Guide
development.
Pregnant women need to ensure that take a daily vitamin D supplement of Be active 3 Benefit from eating vegetables and fruit
their multivitamin also contains iron. 10 µg (400 IU). at all meals and as snacks.
• Serve small nutritious meals and snacks A health care professional can help you To be active every day is a step towards better health and a healthy body weight.
3 Spend less time being inactive such as
each day. find the multivitamin that’s right for you. It is recommended that adults accumulate at least 2 1⁄2 hours of moderate to vigorous watching TV or playing computer games.
• Do not restrict nutritious foods because physical activity each week and that children and youth accumulate at least 60 minutes 3 Request nutrition
Pregnant and breastfeeding women need
of their fat content. Offer a variety of per day. You don’t have to do it all at once. Choose a variety of activities spread information about
more calories. Include an extra 2 to 3
foods from the four food groups. throughout the week. menu items when
Food Guide Servings
• Most of all... be a good role model. each day. Start slowly and build up. eating out to help

you make healthier
Here are two choices.
examples: Eat well 3 Enjoy eating with
• Have fruit and yogurt Another important step towards better health and a healthy body weight is to follow family and friends!
for a snack, or
Canada’s Food Guide by: 3 Take time to eat and
• Have an extra savour every bite!
• Eating the recommended amount and type of food each day.
slice of toast at
breakfast and an • Limiting foods and beverages high in calories, fat, sugar or salt (sodium) such as cakes and
extra glass of milk pastries, chocolate and candies, cookies and granola bars, doughnuts and muffins, ice cream
and frozen desserts, french fries, potato chips, nachos and other salty snacks, alcohol, fruit
at supper. flavoured drinks, soft drinks, sports and energy drinks, and sweetened hot or cold drinks.

For more information, interactive

Read the label
tools, or additional copies visit
• C ompare the Nutrition Facts table on food
labels to choose products that contain less Nutrition Facts Canada’s Food Guide on-line at:
www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide
fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar Per 0 mL (0 g)
and sodium.
How do I count Food Guide Servings in a meal? • Keep in mind that the calories and
Amount
Calories 0
% Daily Value
or contact:
nutrients listed are for the amount of Fat 0 g 0% Publications
Here is an example: food found at the top of the Nutrition Saturated 0 g 0% Health Canada
Facts table. + Trans 0 g Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Vegetable and beef stir-fry with rice, a glass of milk and an apple for dessert Cholesterol 0 mg E-Mail: publications@hc-sc.gc.ca
Sodium 0 mg 0% Tel.: 1-866-225-0709
250 mL (1 cup) mixed broccoli, = 2 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Servings Carbohydrate 0 g 0% Fax: (613) 941-5366
carrot and sweet red pepper Limit trans fat Fibre 0 g 0% TTY: 1-800-267-1245
When a Nutrition Facts table is not available, ask Sugars 0 g
75 g (2 ⁄2 oz.) lean beef
1
= 1 Meat and Alternatives Food Guide Serving
for nutrition information to choose foods lower in Protein 0 g Également disponible en français sous le titre :
250 mL (1 cup) brown rice = 2 Grain Products Food Guide Servings trans and saturated fats. Vitamin A 0 % Vitamin C 0 % Bien manger avec le Guide alimentaire canadien
Calcium 0 % Iron 0%
5 mL (1 tsp) canola oil = part of your Oils and Fats intake for the day This publication can be made available on
request on diskette, large print, audio-cassette
250 mL (1 cup) 1% milk = 1 Milk and Alternatives Food Guide Serving and braille.

1 apple = 1 Vegetables and Fruit Food Guide Serving © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Health Canada, 2011. This publication may be reproduced without permission.
No changes permitted. HC Pub.: 4651 Cat.: H164-38/1-2011E-PDF ISBN: 978-1-100-19255-0