Easy Way to Eat Healthy—The 4 Food Groups

Are you getting your body the proper nutrients it needs?

The Canada Food Guide says you should be consuming approximately:

Grain products: 6-8 servings
Fruits & vegetables: 7-10 servings
Protein alternatives: 2-3 servings
Dairy: 2-3 servings

Notice you need more vegetables than protein?

For vegetarians, it’s very important we concentrate on what a non-meat diet is prone to lacking, which means protein, vitamin B12, and minerals like iron, niacine and zinc.

It’s easy to eat healthy

My method: If you eat dinner with your family and have less control over the menu, find out early in the day what your meal will be, and plan a lunch and snacks that fulfill whichever needs are not met by your dinner.

Helpful tip: If your dinner will be rich in protein and grain products, be sure to eat many servings of vegetables for lunch, with fruits for snack.

Proper Serving Sizes

Grain products: the size of your palm = 1 serving
Pasta: ½ cup of pasta = 1 serving
Fruits and vegetables: the size of your fist = 1 serving
Cheese: two thumbs put together (or one thin slice of cheese) = 1 serving
Meat and alternatives: the size of your palm or of a deck of cards = 1 serving
Juice: Drink Tropicana or 100% real fruit juice. 120 mL = 1 portion of fruit juice, NOT a 450 mL Minute Maid bottle.
Milk: 120 mL
Yogurt: 175 g = 1 serving, NOT a cute 100 g package of yogurt

How this blog will help you

Daily food group servings
Grain:
Fruits&veg:
Protein alt:
Dairy:

This is something new you’ll be noticing on the blog. At the end of each recipe post, I will provide you with the daily food servings calculated for you. For eating healthy on a dialy basis, you may find it easier to keep track of your meals in a notebook. At the bottom of the page, tally up your daily food group intake.Good luck!

You may also like:

• Alternative Sources of Protein