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Food Groups
 

The National Center of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity offers information about the different food groups to help you eat a more balanced diet.  Health Managers, Nutritionists, and Consultants working with Head Start programs and other child care agencies may use this information for staff working with children and parents.
Food Groups

What are the basic food groups?

Foods are grouped together when they share similar nutritional properties. The groups below are based on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. Depending on the plan you choose, you might find the food groups arranged with some slight differences. For example, MyPyramid has a meat and beans group instead of a meat, poultry, and fish group.

Food Groups Examples
Grains  Whole wheat bread and rolls, whole wheat pasta, English muffin, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, brown rice, unsalted pretzels and popcorn
 Cereal
Fruits  Apples, apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, tangerines, and 100% fruit  juice
 Different types of fruit
Vegetables Broccoli, carrots, collards, green beans, green peas, kale, lima beans, potatoes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
 vegetables
Fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products Fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk or buttermilk, fat-free, low-fat, or reduced-fat cheese, fat-free or low-fat regular or frozen yogurt
 dairy prodcuts
Lean meat, poultry, and fish  Beef, poultry, pork, game meats, fish, shellfish  Select only lean; trim away visible fats; broil, roast, or poach; remove skin from poultry
 chicken and fish
Nuts, seeds, and legumes  Almonds, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, kidney beans, lentils, split peas
 nuts

How much of each food group should I eat?

To learn this, you'll want to refer to a healthy eating plan. A healthy eating plan will show you how much you need from each food group to stay within your calorie needs and promote good health. A healthy eating plan can also help you learn—

  • How many calories you need each day.
  • How much of each food equals a portion.
  • How to make healthy choices in each food group.

What are some examples of healthy eating plans?

MyPyramid.gov DASH Eating Plan
Where did it come from?

 The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide is the basis for the eating plans offered through MyPyramid.gov.
MyPyramid.gov was developed to help individuals create meal plans specific to their needs and takes into account the following:

  • Sex
  • Age
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Physical activity level
 DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension.
Developed by researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to learn if certain nutrients in foods would help reduce blood pressure. Studies showed that the eating plan, particularly when combined with eating less sodium, lowered blood pressure.
Although the plan was developed to help lower blood pressure, it offers a healthy approach to eating that can benefit all adults.
What is available to help me?  Tools to develop individualized eating plans, tips for following them, and tools for tracking progress.  Information about food groups, serving sizes, sample menus, and recipes.
Where can I go for more information? See MyPyramid.gov. See The DASH Eating Plan.

 



 

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Food Groups. Nutrition for Everyone. CDC/NCCDPHP/DNPAO. 2008. English.