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)
Meat the size of a deck of cards
Fish the size of a smartphone
Examples of 1-ounce protein equivalents (5.5-ounce equivalents per day)
½-ounce of nuts (about 12 almonds)
Examples of 1-cup vegetable equivalents (2.5-cup equivalents per day)
Vegetable the size of a light bulb
2 cups of raw spinach or leafy greens
2 large stalks of celery or carrots
1 cup of fresh, frozen or canned vegetables
Examples of 1-cup fruit equivalents (2-cup equivalents per day)
1 piece of fruit the size of a baseball or 2 small fruits, such as plums
1 cup of canned fruit, frozen fruit, or 100% fruit juice
Examples of 1-ounce whole grain equivalents (6-ounce equivalents per day)
½ cup of cooked pasta, rice or oatmeal
1 slice of bread, ½ of a hamburger bun or ½ of an English muffin
1 cup of cereal or 5 crackers
1 small pancake or a small tortilla
Examples of 1-cup dairy equivalents (3-cup equivalents per day)
Block cheese cut to the size of 2 dominoes, 1 slice from packaged cheese, or 1 ½ cheese sticks
1/3 cup of shredded cheese
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
