Food Groups

Are you interested in healthy eating and having a balanced diet? If so, you’ll want to learn more about food groups.

You may have grown up with the “Basic 4”: dairy group, meat group, grain group, and the fruits and vegetables group. As nutrition science has changed, so have these 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, My Pyramid has a meat and beans group instead of a meat, poultry, and fish group.

 

Food Groups	Examples
1. Grains	Whole wheat bread and rolls, whole wheat pasta, English muffin, pita bread, bagel, cereals, grits, oatmeal, brown rice, unsalted pretzels and popcorn
2. Fruits	Apples, apricots, bananas, dates, grapes, oranges, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, mangoes, melons, peaches, pineapples, raisins, strawberries, tangerines, and 100% fruit juice
3. Vegetables	Broccoli, carrots, collards, green beans, green peas, kale, lima beans, potatoes, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes
4. 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
5. Lean meats, 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
6. Nuts, seeds, and               legumes	Almonds, hazelnuts, mixed nuts, peanuts, walnuts, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, kidney beans, lentils, split peas

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?

Two examples of healthy eating plans are identified by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005:

	MyPyramid.gov (based on The USDA Food Guide)
	The DASH Eating Plan

Which eating plan should I choose?

Either can work for you. Both are healthy eating plans that—

• Focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat-free milk and milk products.
• Include lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts.
• Are low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
• Can provide your daily calorie needs (when you choose the recommended amounts).

Choose the meal plan that works best for you.

For example, if you want recommendations specific to you, you might choose MyPyramid.gov by visiting the My Pyramid Plan and entering your age, sex, height, weight, and physical activity level.

Here’s some more information to help you choose:

All Information from CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention.