Nutrition For Kids

What is a "Healthy Diet"?

The Dietary Guidelines describe a healthy diet as one that

• Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products;
• Includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts; and
• Is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.

Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables. Two cups of fruit and 2 1/2 cups of vegetables per day are recommended as part of a 2,000-calorie diet.

Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable sub-groups (dark green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and others) several times per week.

Consume 6 or more servings of grain products per day - with at least half the grains coming from whole grains.

Consume 3 cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equilvalent milk products.

Keep total fat intake between 20 to 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and vegetable oils.

Visit mypyramid.gov to find out more.