Just Say No to "Super Size"

Many restaurants and fast food places offer “value” menus filled with huge portions of high fat, processed foods. In the moment, you may think these choices provide great savings, but in the long run your health and wellness will ultimately pay for the excess. Get in control of your diet by understanding appropriate portions and a balanced diet.

The USDA recommends:

Fruits
2-4 servings per day
A fruit serving is 1 cup of fruit or fruit juice or 1/2 cup of dried fruit.

Vegetables
3-5 cups per day
A vegetable serving is 1 cup raw or cooked vegetable or 1 cup vegetable juice.

Grains
3-4 oz. per day
1 large bagel = 4 oz. serving
1 English muffin = 2 oz. serving
1 cup cooked rice = 2 oz. serving

Milk
3 cups per day

Meat and Beans
Women aged 19-30 years, 5.5 oz. per day
Men aged 19-30 years, 6.5 oz. per day

Oils
Women aged 19-30 years, 6 teaspoons per day
Men aged 19-30 years, 7 teaspoons per day

Check out http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for more great tips on the USDA daily guidelines and creating a personalized My Pyramid Plan. Enter your height, weight, and daily activity to get a customized daily food guide.