Serving size matters!

Make sure to eat adequate servings from all five food groups. Visit MyPlate.gov to see how many servings are right for you.

Examples of 3-ounce protein equivalents (5.5-ounce equivalents per day)

beef next to deck of cards

Meat the size of a deck of cards

bowl of canned meat

3 ounces of canned meat

fish fillet next to cell phone

Fish the size of a smartphone


Examples of 1-ounce protein equivalents (5.5-ounce equivalents per day)

one chicken egg

One egg

2 tablespoons of hummus

2 tbsp of hummus

12 almonds

½-ounce of nuts (about 12 almonds)

1 tablespoon of peanut butter

1 tbsp of peanut butter

peas

¼ cup of beans or peas

pinto beans of a table

¼ cup of pinto beans


Examples of 1-cup vegetable equivalents (2.5-cup equivalents per day)

broccolli next to lightbulb

Vegetable the size of a light bulb

bowl of spinach

2 cups of raw spinach or leafy greens

celery

2 large stalks of celery or carrots

bowl of carrots

1 cup of fresh, frozen or canned vegetables


Examples of 1-cup fruit equivalents (2-cup equivalents per day)

apple next to baseball

1 piece of fruit the size of a baseball or 2 small fruits, such as plums

bowl of tangerine slices

1 cup of canned fruit, frozen fruit, or 100% fruit juice

mound of dry fruit

½ cup of dried fruit

bunch of grapes

1 cup of green grapes


Examples of 1-ounce whole grain equivalents (6-ounce equivalents per day)

pile of rice next to computer mouse

½ cup of cooked pasta, rice or oatmeal

slice of bread

1 slice of bread, ½ of a hamburger bun or ½ of an English muffin

bowl of cereal

1 cup of cereal or 5 crackers

pancake next to CD rom disc

1 small pancake or a small tortilla


Examples of 1-cup dairy equivalents (3-cup equivalents per day)

cheese sticks next to 2 dominos

Block cheese cut to the size of 2 dominoes, 1 slice from packaged cheese, or 1 ½ cheese sticks

glass of milk

1 cup of milk

shedded cheese in a jar

1/3 cup of shredded cheese

jar of yogurt

1 cup of yogurt or 2 cups of cottage cheese

Did you know? 2 cups of cottage cheese are equal to one cup of milk or ¹⁄3 cup of shredded cheese.

(Servings: Based on a 2,000-calorie diet)

Lindsay, A., Helm, M. 2025, Servings - Nutrition Information for Older Adults, Extension | University of Nevada, Reno, FS-25-04

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